A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has said that the planned defection of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) marks the final collapse of the opposition party’s presence in the entire southeast region.
Governor Mbah is expected to formally join the APC on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Speaking with journalists on Sunday in Abuja, Okechukwu described the governor’s exit as a defining political moment and clear evidence that the Southeast has finally bid farewell to the PDP.
The former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) said Mbah’s decision to leave the PDP for the APC was “pragmatic, rational, and inevitable,” adding that it symbolises the end of the PDP’s dominance in the region, from controlling all five states in 1999 to none in 2025.
Recalling the words of the late Rt. Hon. Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, who lamented that the PDP “pays good deeds with bad coins,” Okechukwu said Mbah’s move vindicates that statement. He cited several instances, including the 1999 Jos presidential primary, where Okadigbo was allegedly betrayed, and the 2003 elections, when the Southeast failed to rally behind the Buhari/Okadigbo ticket.
Okechukwu faulted the PDP’s alleged disregard for equity and justice, pointing to the 2023 presidential primary, where no southern aspirant was allowed to contest despite appeals for power rotation.
“The last straw that broke the PDP’s camel’s back,” he said, “was the marginalisation of the Southeast during the dispute over the National Secretary position.”
He referenced a communiqué issued by the PDP Southeast Zonal Executive Committee on May 14, 2023, warning that the zone would reconsider its relationship with the party if Sunday Udeh-Okoye was not promptly confirmed as National Secretary following Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s exit to contest the Imo governorship election.
Okechukwu also recalled the remarks of former Senate President and PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, who lamented the Southeast’s continued neglect by the party despite its long-standing loyalty.
He concluded that the PDP’s serial betrayal and disregard for the Southeast justified Mbah’s defection.
“Governor Mbah’s exit is not an isolated event,” Okechukwu said. “It represents the final chapter in the Southeast’s disillusionment with a party that failed to reward faithfulness, fairness, and friendship.”
Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has inaugurated a 29-member Committee to implement the Enugu State Climate Policy and Action Plan (ESCPAP), marking another major stride in his administration’s climate leadership agenda.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony on Friday at the Government House, Enugu, Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the initiative underscores his administration’s unwavering commitment to addressing the global climate crisis through local solutions and sustainable development strategies.
He explained that the ESCPAP, launched on March 17, 2025, provides a comprehensive framework to promote low-carbon economic growth, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build resilience against climate impacts.
The town hall meeting to review the activities of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah transformed into an early endorsement rally for their kinsman. The stakeholders hailed his record on security, education, and infrastructure, warning rivals not to ‘waste money’ contesting in 2027. DAMIAN DURUIHEOMA reports
When stakeholders from Enugu East converged on the International Conference Centre, the event was officially described as a town hall appraisal of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s administration. Yet, as proceedings unfolded, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. What began as a sober reflection quickly became an enthusiastic show of solidarity, with speaker after speaker urging Mbah to continue beyond 2027.
The audience was diverse: political leaders, traditional rulers, professionals, youth and women’s groups, council chairmen, legislators, and former party executives.
The striking feature was the collapse of political divides. Former rivals, critics, and even opposition party figures aligned around a single message: Mbah deserves a second term. For many in the hall, the issue was not whether Mbah should run again but how Enugu East could deliver the highest number of votes for him in 2027.
A chorus of endorsements
Former Deputy Governor, Chief Sunday Onyebuchi, set the tone with a proverb and a pointed declaration. “A good market sells itself,” he said, likening Mbah to a product whose quality needs no advertisement. “We are supporting him not because he is our son. If we have a bad son, we will not support him. But Mbah is a good son, and we are proud of him. He is a perfect example of the saying that Nkanu nwere mmadu (Nkanu has capable people).”
Onyebuchi’s words blended performance with identity. He praised Mbah’s achievements while also tying his leadership to Nkanu pride, suggesting re-election was both a reward for excellence and a recognition of local capacity.
The most dramatic intervention came from Chijioke Edeoga, Labour Party’s (LP’s) former governorship candidate who contested against Mbah in 2023. Edeoga moved a motion for Enugu East to adopt Mbah as a sole candidate irrespective of party platform.
Drawing from scripture, he likened himself to Saul’s biblical transformation into Paul: “On his way to Damascus, he met with the Holy Spirit and his eyes opened. He converted and became one of the most impactful followers of Jesus Christ. So I, Chijioke Edeoga, am Saul. I am promising that I will be that Paul. I will devote everything within me to ensure he (Mbah) returns for a second tenure.”
The symbolism was powerful. Edeoga, once Mbah’s fiercest rival, was publicly disarming himself and pledging loyalty. His conversion signalled a seismic shift in Enugu politics and removed what could have been a formidable obstacle in 2027.
From another flank, Ben Nwoye, former APC chairman in Enugu, added his own twist. Speaking as an opposition figure, he extended an invitation: “On behalf of APC leaders, I am begging Peter Mbah to come over. Don’t mind what anybody is saying. He is welcome to APC.”
Nwoye then seconded Edeoga’s motion to adopt Mbah as the senatorial district’s sole candidate for 2027.
Thus, Onyebuchi emphasised performance and identity, Edeoga dramatised reconciliation, and Nwoye blurred partisan boundaries. Together, their interventions reinforced the day’s theme: party lines now mattered less than perceived effectiveness.
‘In Peter Mbah we stand’
Endorsements continued in quick succession. Nnamdi Nwafor, Enugu East PDP Zonal Chairman, declared that the district’s new political slogan would be: In Peter Mbah we stand.
PDP Deputy State Chairman, Steve Oruruo, observed that Mbah assumed office at a time of trust deficit between leaders and citizens but had restored confidence in governance.
Johnson Ani, Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, hailed him as “a game changer.” Sydney Edeh, chairman of Nkanu East LGA and ALGON leader, offered a practical endorsement: “Before now, LGAs were not building roads. But now, with full remittance of allocations, we’re building 20 to 30 kilometres in each LGA. This is why we must do everything humanly possible to re-elect Peter Mbah.”
Women leaders echoed this sentiment. Princess Obiajulu of the State House of Assembly and Dr Maria Ekete, a private-sector voice, stressed that Mbah’s flagship projects — from healthcare expansion to school construction — directly benefit women and children, making them natural campaigners for his second term.
Former PDP chairman, Augustine Nnamani, captured the mood poetically: “Several governors have been advised to come to Enugu to consult Mbah to learn the secret of performance. He has restored pride. What we will do now is go to other zones to let them reason with us.”
Anchoring support on performance
The communiqué issued at the end of the town hall structured the endorsements around tangible achievements. It revisited Mbah’s campaign promises — expanding Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion, achieving zero poverty headcount, and making Enugu a top investment hub — and assessed progress after 27 months.
Security: Creation of the AI-driven Command and Control Centre and the Distress Response Squad with over 150 vehicles, making Enugu one of Nigeria’s safest states.
Education: 33 per cent of the budget allocated to education; construction of 260 Smart Green Schools; transformation of Government Technical School into a world-class TVET college.
Healthcare: Ongoing construction of 260 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs)across wards; major upgrades at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital.
Infrastructure & Transport: About 1,000km of roads completed or under construction; modern bus terminals; introduction of CNG-powered buses; steps toward upgrading Akanu Ibiam International Airport.
Revival of Assets: Resuscitation of moribund enterprises like Nigergas and Enugu United Palm Products; tourism development projects.
Agriculture: Establishment of ward-level farm estates, tractor assembly plants, and revitalisation of irrigation systems.
The communiqué concluded that Mbah had “not only kept his promises but surpassed expectations,” urging other senatorial zones to reciprocate the support Enugu East had given their own governors in the past.
Politics of zoning
Beneath the endorsements ran the undercurrent of zoning. Speakers recalled that between 2007 and 2023, governors emerged from Enugu West (Sullivan Chime) and Enugu North (Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi), and each served for two terms.
Enugu East, they argued, supported those candidates in the spirit of equity. It was now time for reciprocity. Denying Mbah a second term would not only break precedent but also disrupt the state’s long-standing zoning arrangement. As Cornelius Nnaji, former House of Representatives member for Enugu East/Isi-Uzo, bluntly put it: “Mbah’s case will not be different.”
Enugu’s political history shows a pattern: governors who secured broad elite consensus early in their tenure generally won re-election. Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, Sullivan Chime, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi each faced opposition but completed two terms. Yet each also weathered midterm criticisms that grew louder as elections approached.
For Mbah, the current wave of endorsements signals strong momentum. But whether it translates into uncontested dominance in 2027 will depend on shifting dynamics — economic realities, political alliances, and sustained public goodwill.
Conclusion
What was intended as a town hall to review governance after two years turned into a theatre of endorsements, reconciliation, and cross-party consensus. From Onyebuchi’s proverb to Edeoga’s biblical imagery, from Nwoye’s invitation to ALGON’s practical testimonies, the message was unanimous: Governor Mbah has earned another term, at least in the eyes of Enugu East Senatorial District.
The communiqué crystallised this sentiment with evidence of achievements in security, education, infrastructure, and economic revival.
For now, one fact is undeniable: in Enugu East, political leaders have collapsed partisan divides under one banner — In Peter Mbah, we stand. Whether that banner resonates statewide will shape the contours of Enugu’s politics as 2027 draws nearer.
Former member of the House of Representatives and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), USA Igwesi, has said that all major stakeholders from Enugu East Senatorial zone irrespective of party affiliation are proud of the achievements of Governor Peter Mbah.
He said that Governor Mbah has surpassed expectations of people of the state and has indeed not only shown leadership, but has become a role model among governors in Nigeria.
He said, “See what happened at the recent NBA Conference in Enugu; Senator Dino Melaye from Kogi in commending Mbah for his achievements, urged him to organise a training programme for his colleagues in other states. Many would think he said it on a lighter note but he was damn serious”, Igwesi said.
The former Majority leader of Enugu House of Assembly who represented Nkanu West state constituency said the governor has written his name in gold within just two years at the helm of affairs in the Coal City state.
Igwesi said since Mbah’s inauguration, Enugu has continually been in the news for good reasons and has become a tourist attraction and destination of choice.
He said the governor’s re-election was already a done deal in view of the deluge of endorsements from various groups, stakeholders and people of Enugu State.
“As a major stakeholder in Enugu, I align myself with Leaders of thought and people of Enugu East Senatorial District across political divides in the recent endorsement of Governor Mbah as their sole candidate in the 2027 governorship race.
“I must confess that the governor has surpassed the expectations of everyone including members of the opposition. People of Enugu State now talk about Governor Mbah and not the party he belongs to. Following his achievements, the governor has become a movement in the state.
“Within two years, he has touched all sectors from education, health, security, transport, tourism to massive infrastructural revolution. See what he has done to abandoned and dormant assets in the state. Is it the Hotel presidential, Nike Lake, Niger Gas or International Conference Centre. Enugu is indeed on the rise”, he said.
Igwesi who represented Nkanu East and West Federal Constituency, where he was Chairman, House Committee on Banking and Currency praised the governor for the radical improvement in the security of the state, commitment of 33 percent of the state’s annual budget to education and the construction of 260 Smart Green Schools across all the political wards, construction of 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres with accompanying staff quarters in 260 wards, and revival of state’s moribund assets.
He hailed Mbah for the launch of Enugu Air, five modern transport terminals located at Holy Ghost (Enugu), Gariki, Nsukka, and Abakpa as well as the launch of 100 CNG Mass Transit buses.
Igwesi expressed joy over the effort of Governor Mbah to complete and operationalise the international terminal of the Akanu Ibiam International Air, and to construct a cargo terminal to make Enugu an aviation hub.
On Sunday, Leaders of thought and people of Enugu East Senatorial District across political divides adopted Governor Mbah as their sole candidate in the 2027 governorship election, advising politicians in the state not to waste their money contesting against him.
The people of the zone made their stand known in a communique entitled “One Good Turn Deserves Another,” which they issued at the end of a Townhall meeting at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
According to them, they were blind to party and would support Mbah on any political platform he chooses for his reelection.
The 2027 general election has become like a sword of Damocles dangling on the head of some key actors whose political parties are in disarray. Thanks to the brinkmanship of key leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose former chairman Vincent Ogbulafor once boasted would rule Nigeria for 60 years, the party has become a gargantuan shadow of itself. The dire condition of the party resulted in the exodus of state governors, former presidential candidates and several bigwigs who felt that the PDP’s political boat may soon capsize.
Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar who has always treated the PDP like a special purpose vehicle for his presidential ambitions, has already jumped out of the troubled ship. While he has not ported at another political party, perhaps out of fear of the unknown, there are strong indications he may join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), whose leadership has been hijacked by former senate president, David Mark.
The governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the entire PDP structure in the state moved over to the All Progressive Congress (APC) in August 2024, a development that shook the PDP. Ten months after, the governor of Akwa Ibom State engineered a wholesome movement of the PDP structure in his state, to the APC. Of course, several other bigwigs have left the old warhorse, for the ADC which many are now taunting as a damp squib, after its abysmal performance in the recently held by-elections across several states.
With the PDP doddering, Governor Peter Mbah who got elected by a controversial razor tin vote advantage in 2023 must be weighing his options, as the race to the 2027 general election dominates the political landscape. Mbah’s challenge is made worse by the fact that the politically conservative Enugu State voters, appears to have shown inflexibility with the recent result of the Enugu South Urban Constituency reordered election.
Apparently, to the shock of Mbah and his supporters, one Bright Ngene, who originally won the state legislative assembly election in 2023, again won the reordered election after postponements arising from repeated disruptions. To make it more embarrassing for the ruling party in the state, Ngene of the Labour Party, who was sentenced to seven-years imprisonment for a community related dispute, won the election from the prison. It remains to be seen whether he will serve what is remaining of his tenure from the prisons.
From the whiplashing the PDP received in the 2023 general election in the state in the hands of the Labour Party (LP) and the recent mud on its face in the Enugu South Urban Constituency reordered election, the PDP on whose platform Mbah was elected is seriously in decline. The PDP which dominated the state like a colossus, making it nigh impossible for any other party to breath in the state must be wondering what happened to her glorious days in the sun.
The PDP produced Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, who after eight years of reign handed over to Sullivan Chime. Sullivan after eight years in power handed over to Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who also ruled for eight years. During the reign of the three former governors, the state House of Assembly, the federal House of Representatives and the Senate were dominated by the PDP. The stranglehold on the state was so strong that the contentions for the PDP primaries were more contentious than the general elections that followed. During that era, to be in the good books of the governor and be chosen as the party candidate was the main coronation that party members fought for, not the general election that will follow.
The domination was so annoying that this column spent considerable space and time canvasing that other parties, should be allowed to breathe. Back then, to contend that the All Progress Congress (APC) should be embraced by politicians was considered a mortal sin. Each time this column comes out with a piece considered favourable to the APC, relations and friends would throw tantrums alleging that one has sold out to haters and hegemonists. The challenge faced by the APC continued even when some big wigs, like former Sullivan Chime, joined the party.
But what is commonly called the Peter Obi tsunami untangled the PDP stronghold in a most dramatic manner. Even the amiable immediate former governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, was shellacked, as he could not win his senatorial seat, after completing eight years as governor. Out of the three senatorial zones, PDP got one, while the LP got two. In the House of Representatives, LP got seven out of the eight slots for the state. As for the House of Assembly the PDP won 10, while Labour won 14.
With such a clean sweep, it remained contentious about who really won the governorship race. But with the performance of Governor Mbah as governor, can one say that such upset is now in the distant past? One would have been tempted to say so, if not for the recent success of the LP candidate, in the Enugu South Urban Constituency election. No doubt, Governor Mbah is arguably one of the best performing governors in terms of infrastructure development. Within two years he already has few legacy projects tucked in his sleeves.
One such legacy project, the International Conference Centre, Enugu, is currently hosting the Nigeria Bar Association Annual General Conference. There are others like the modern bus terminals at strategic places across the states and the CNG buses adorning the state roads in their ecstatic beauty. There is also the Enugu Air, not to talk of the incomparable state security network that has made the state one of the safest destinations in the country. The governor is also reportedly resuscitating the palm oil and cashew industry state owned agro-allied industrial base.
So, what is responsible for the poor midterm political assessment of the governor by the people of Enugu South Urban Constituency, as shown in the recent reordered election? Again, is that result a reflection of how the ordinary people elsewhere across the state, feel about Governor Mbah, despite his high performance in the development of infrastructure across the state? Furthermore, could the sins of PDP before he took over as governor, be so entrenched and nauseating that it obfuscates the governor’s performance so far?
There is the unconfirmed rumour that Governor Mbah may move over to the APC in the coming months. This column has written a piece on the similarities between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Peter Mbah, in January this year, titled “Two Ideas Men”. So, moving over to APC may indeed be helpful to his political future. But he must not do it in such a way to engender a backlash. As we await Mbah’s political manoeuvre, this writer thinks he has two major challenges, which will be explored at another time.
A coalition of influential political, traditional, and professional leaders in Enugu State, under the auspices of Enugu State Patriots, has declared unwavering loyalty to Governor Peter Mbah, vowing to support him no matter which political party he belongs to in the 2027 elections.
The endorsement came at the end of a strategic meeting in Enugu, where the group adopted a communique titled ‘Peter Mbah Is Our Party.’
They hailed the governor’s performance over the last two years as transcending party affiliations.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Professor Mathine Anikwe said, “We are not bound by political labels. Governor Mbah’s leadership has created its own identity. He has become a political movement. Wherever he goes, we go.”
The Patriots cited nearly 2,000 projects—completed and ongoing—across the state as evidence of his impact. These include 260 Smart Green Schools, 260 Primary Healthcare Centres, 800km of roads, farm estates in all wards, and the newly launched Enugu Air.
The group also declared that Mbah’s second term is ‘non-negotiable,’ citing not only his achievements but also the established zoning rotation, which favours a second tenure for Enugu East.
Despite Enugu’s long-standing affiliation with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Patriots insisted that Mbah’s performance had redefined political loyalty in the state.
“Enugu people are more connected to his vision of growing the state’s GDP to $30 billion than to any party slogan,” the statement read. “He is not just a governor—he is the people’s mandate.”
Notable members of the group include Rt. Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye, traditional ruler Igwe Kingsley Okeke, Hon. Chima Obieze, Engr. Luke Mmamel, Hon. Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu, and several past and current local government and legislative leaders.
They concluded by affirming that Mbah’s support base cuts across ethnic, religious, and political boundaries, making him the most unifying political figure in Enugu State today.
Since his assumption of office as the governor of Enugu State more than last two years, Dr. Peter Mbah has shown the determination to changing the narrative about the almost perennial culture of abandoning projects in Nigeria by a new government when the previous one leaves office, whether such projects have direct positive impact on the socio-economic wellbeing of the citizenry or not. DAMIAN DURUIHEOMA writes.
For many years now, it has become a culture for successive governments at the federal, state and local governments, to abandon capital projects and enterprises initiated by their predecessors. This has negatively impacted in the economy of the country, thereby littering the nooks and crannies of Nigeria with abandoned projects worth trillions of naira.
According to the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, approximately 65,000 projects worth N32 trillion are abandoned nationwide.
According to the committee, some of the abandoned projects included key infrastructure, with some already fully paid for by the government but left uncompleted by the contractors.
In Enugu State, the situation is not different. It is a fact that almost all the governors of the state comprising military and civilian, even before its first creation as Anambra State, left one or two projects or enterprises abandoned. The chain of abandoned projects in the state was such that successive administrations found it unnecessary to complete any inherited projects due mainly to fraudulent practices that often characterised such projects.
So, before 2023 general elections, Enugu, the Coal City State, was not only home of peace and tourism,it was equally home of abandoned projects and enterprises. Starting from the then bushy International Conference Centre (ICC), Hotel Presidential where hoodlums operated from, the sprawling state secretariat complex, Medical City, were all in the heart of the city.
There were also the Nike Lake Resorts though not moribund but in an epileptic condition, the gigantic Idaw River Water Reservoir, the new state secretariat project and many of such moribund enterprises like Adarice Production Limited, Uzo-Uwani; the Premier Cashew Industry, Ohebe Dim Aluminum industry, Niger Gas, Niger Steel and the Vegetable Oil Industry at Nachi.
The most outstanding among all the long abandoned projects scattered around the state are the International Conference Centre (ICC), Hotel Presidential and Niger Gas.
ICC was initiated by the administration of Dr. Chimaraoke Nnamani as far back as 25 years ago but it could not be completed before Nnamani left office in 2007. It is located at the city centre overlooking Michael Okpara Square and the Enugu State House of Assembly at Independence Layout Enugu.
Considering its location at the heart of the Government House, the three-arm zone of Enugu State, the remains of that abandoned project has been an eyesore and a source of embarrassment to the state. In fact, this particular project right at the city centre remains a dent on the state’s tourism map.
The conference centre which ranks among the biggest in the Southeast, has a 3000 capacity auditorium, 1,500 secondary event venue and a dome with a 500-seat capacity. The centre also has a shopping facility, a food court, and a recreational centre with an amusement park.
Unfortunately, Nnamani’s successor, Sullivan Chime, did not consider the ICC as worth any attention throughout the eight years he was in power as the Executive Governor of Enugu State from 2007 to 2015. Although Chime’s successor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, promised to complete the ICC while campaigning for his first and second terms in 2015 and 2019, nothing tangible was done at the site until he left office in May 2023, after eight years in office.
The newly International Conference Centre
But less than 18 months after the Mbah administration came on board, President Bola Tinubu visited the state in January 2025 to commission the imposing centre, which has since been a beehive of activities for various national and sub-national events. Besides putting the ICC to proper use, Governor Mbah is also building a five-star International Conference Centre Hotel to service the ICC. The hotel under construction contains all the necessary facilities expected of a hotel of its class, including 335 rooms (224 single rooms and 64 business suites) and presidential suites.
Besides ICC, the once abandoned Hotel Presidential Enugu has already commenced bookings after work on it has finished. It is only awaiting official commissioning.
The hotel was once the pride of the entire Southeastern region. The gigantic 100-room facility was built after Nigeria’s Independence as part of the defunct Eastern Nigeria Government’s industrialisation plan under the administration of Dr. Michael Okpara as the Premier of the Eastern Region. It operated successfully and yielded enormous revenue for the then Eastern Region and later, East Central State and old Anambra State. Enugu State inherited the hotel when the state was created in 1991 from old Anambra State.
Although Presidential Hotel survived the prolonged era of the military, things started getting awry at the place as soon as the civilians returned to power in 1999. Corruption, unwarranted political interference, mismanagement and poor maintenance culture, adversely affected its operations. Things took a dive in the hotel before it eventually packed up during the Chime administration. It was gathered that the hotel was encumbered by litigation which stopped any further work on it by the Ugwuanyi administration.
According to the state attorney general and commissioner for justice, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, the Peter Mbah administration challenged the lawsuits up to the Supreme Court, which eventually granted Enugu State full ownership of the Hotel Presidential.
Udeh, who was answering questions on how the state was able to dislodge the legal encumbrances against the hotel, said the apex court order ended all litigations which had previously affected revamping of the hotel.
He said: “Criminals were using Hotel Presidential as hideout because it was an abandoned massive structure, no security there, so criminals were having a field day there.
“The court ordered us to go there and put the place in order and pursue criminals out, because it has become a security threat. So we did that and started putting things in order”.
While there are such abandoned projects like the Idaw River Water Reservoir, new state secretariat complex and some roads begging for attention, there are some others which are in their various stages of completion and revival by the government.
The Managing Director/CEO of the Enugu State Investment Development Authority, (ESIDA), Dr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo, listed the remaining abandoned projects and enterprises revamped by the Peter Mbah administration to include: Sunrise, Nigergas, Enugu United Palm, and Enugu Medical City among others, saying that the benefits of these projects are unquantifiable.
He noted that besides boosting job opportunities in the state’s tourism sector, the ICC is making Enugu State a destination for national, continental and international conferences and other events, thereby enhancing tremendously, the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.
While giving an update on the other projects and enterprises revamped by the state government, Nwobodo who is a commissioner-designate, disclosed that Niger Gas is 90 percent completed while Sunrise Flour is a public private partnership.
For the Enugu United Palm Products Limited which was concessioned, it is undergoing replanting of old palm trees with new palm seedlings.
He stated that the need for the state government to partner private players to revamp Nigergas was to meet the demand for medical oxygen and industrial gas in the country, which he said far outpace the supply, hence the need to take advantage of the huge inherent opportunities.
He said: “The re-engineering, refurbishment, and subsequent commissioning of Nigergas is a deliberate step by the Governor Peter Mbah administration to provide the much-needed medical oxygen and industrial gas for the Southeast and the entire country.
“The profitability profile, commercial and investment have been vetted with prospects of huge profit.”
Nwobodo disclosed that the new management company managing the firm now was already recruiting and training the new staff needed to begin operations in the firm.
“So, as far as that one is concerned it’s already revived,” he said.
On the impact of the projects on the economy of the state, Nwobodo said the results would be quite telling on the number of jobs, revenue returns and services they would render to the state and the country at large.
“Any time you add productivity to an economy, you increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). And that is the major essence of reviving these enterprises and completing the abandoned projects.
“GDP is essentially a function of the productivity of a people. The industries that are being revived are being added into the web of the GDP of Enugu State. So, our march from 3.8 billion dollars economy to a 30 billion dollars in the next six years can only be realised through such interventions.
“Even the international hospital at Rangers Avenue is also nearing completion. Once they’re revived, the employment that they’re going to create even in the post revival period will not only increase the economic activities but be a tangible platform for economic activities to thrive.
“An instance is Nigergas, the process of reviving it had over 150 specialised people working on it. And by the time it fully begins operations, it will have over 300 people working directly there, and then the indirect employment vis á vis the gas distributors and the retailers.
“Also, the fact that the people don’t have to travel outside the state to get their oxygen is something good enough for the users. That savings in time and cost of logistics can never be taken away.
“So, at the end of this whole thing, we will be looking at over 3000 people who will be gainfully employed directly by this policy while indirect employment will be quite huge.
“So, the economic impact of undertaking these projects is huge. The people will earn money and the chain reactions in terms of the end users of these products is huge.
“You can only achieve that exponential growth from 3.8 billion dollars to over 30 billion dollars economy by first of all activating your low hanging fruits. You can’t have dormant state assets without ingeniously engineering the fiber in the way that they’re sustainable,” he said.
Enugu Governor Peter Mbah has ordered immediate termination of the contract for the construction a Smart Green School project at Mbu ward in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, citing substandard work and structural defects.
Speaking to newsmen at the continuation of the demolition exercise at the weekend, Chairman of Isi-Uzo LGA, Barr. Obiora Obeagu, said the state’s team of experts and project managers led by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, had detected and flagged some substandard work by the contractor several weeks ago and ordered the contractor to rectify them.
However, upon a visit to the site by a team from the Enugu State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure on Wednesday, July 16, structure failed in the tests, as significant cracks were observed on the building, leading to the demolition order by the governor.
“The contractors misrepresented their compliance, betraying the trust of the state government. The Governor had not just directed the demolition of the particular structure involved, but also the immediate termination of the contract, as the contractors in question could not meet the state’s high-quality standards.
“So, Isi-Uzo Local Government Council took over the site and has been working with Ministry of Works engineers to conduct integrity tests and reinforcement works on the remaining structures to ensure there are no issues.
“Remember that the Governor Peter Mbah Administration is constructing 260 Smart Green Schools across the 260 wards of Enugu State. The government is also constructing 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state. So, that is about 520 of the over 1,500 projects going on in the state simultaneously.
“So, the government’s eagle eye on this project that detected the defects, as well as the swift and decisive action, explicitly sends the message across the board that it is no longer business as usual. It speaks to zero tolerance for sharp practices under this administration.
“It underscores Governor Mbah’s commitment to ensuring high-quality infrastructure for the people of the state, especially the Enugu Smart Green Schools initiative, which is extremely close to his heart,” Obeagu said.
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has declared his full support for the National Working Committee (NWC), Board of Trustees (BoT), and Southeast Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in their stance on the ongoing crisis within the party.
Speaking to journalists after a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Enugu on Sunday, Mbah said he also supports the forthcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Monday, June 30, 2025.
While reaffirming his membership in the PDP, the governor expressed deep frustration with the internal wranglings in the party, stating, “I’m simply fed up with the shenanigans that have more or less turned the party into an endless circus.”
He also reiterated the Southeast ZEC’s warning that the zone would reconsider its position in the PDP if its demand regarding the position of the national secretary is not respected, stressing that the zone’s stand remains firm and non-negotiable.
Mbah made these remarks after meeting with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, PDP BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara, and Southeast Zonal Chairman Chief Ali Odefa, among others.
“For the record, just as I stated during my interactive session with Fellows and Members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Enugu at the weekend, while I am still a member of the PDP, the Southeast – and that includes me – reserves the right to review our continued membership of the party if the party is unwilling to put its house in order.
“That was invariably the position adopted during our last Southeast Zonal meeting held here in Enugu. During that meeting, the caucus noted that the party should not disregard the zone’s stand regarding the National Secretary position.
“To all intents and purposes, this has obviously not been the case. So, there is no doubt as to where I stand on the matter.
“The position of the South East with respect to the National Secretaryship of the party as issued in that communique is sacrosanct,” he stated.
Other PDP chieftains at the meeting include the former National Chairman of the party and BOT member, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; Senator Sam Egwu, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Senator Ben Obi, and Hon. Udeh-Okoye, among others.
Enugu State Governor Dr. Peter Mbah yesterday named the Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, as the state’s Ambassador during a courtesy visit to the Government House, Enugu.
Okoye, who is from Enugu State, expressed excitement at returning to his roots and announced plans to launch a charitable foundation and establish a football academy in the state. He said these initiatives aimed to give back to society, inspire young talents, and nurture future stars.
“I’m truly excited to be back home. Enugu is my origin and I carry it with pride everywhere I go. I look forward to giving back by setting up a foundation for humanitarian causes and a football academy to mentor and train aspiring players,” the Udinese shot-stopper said.
Responding, Governor Mbah commended Okoye for making Enugu State proud on the national and international stage. He applauded the goalkeeper’s commitment to youth development and announced that the state government would appoint him as an Ambassador of Enugu State, describing him as a role model who would inspire young people, particularly pupils in the state’s Smart Green Schools.
“Maduka Okoye represents the best of Enugu talent on the national and global stage,” Mbah said. “As a state, we are proud of his achievements and inspired by his desire to give back. We are appointing him as an Ambassador of Enugu State, and we believe he will be a great source of motivation for the next generation of talents in our Smart Green Schools and communities”, he stated.
The governor further pledged to support Okoye’s football academy initiative, announcing that the state would provide land for the project. He also shared plans to revamp and upgrade the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium to meet FIFA standards, and invited him to participate in the next edition of the Enugu International Marathon, which will attract elite runners from around the world.
Mbah reiterated his administration’s commitment to promoting youth development, talent and creativity, stating that government would continue to create opportunities for young people in Enugu State to thrive nationally and globally.
