An activist, Emeka Ijere, Monday, predicted that Gov Peter Mbah of Enugu State would not enjoy much support of the people of Enugu North Senatorial Zone during the 2027 general election.
THE WHISTLER reports that the zone is composed of Nsukka, Uzo-Uwani, Igbo-Etiti, Igboeze North, Igboeze South and Udenu local government areas, and forms the largest population of the three senatorial zones of the state.
Ijere, who spoke with our correspondent in the aftermath of a rally in support of the Mbah re-election in 2027, stated that the governor’s abandoning the Peoples Democratic Party under which he was elected was a major reason for his loss of support of the people of the zone.
He recalled that in the governorship election of 2023, Gov Mbah “won by only the skin of teeth”, adding that he was saved “by the intrinsic campaign flow long imbibed in our consciousness by our loyalty to the political fathers of the state”.
He stated that, “After the scratched victory, Gov Mbah in an incomprehensible turn ditched PDP – the party through which he ascended to power. He then joined Buhari-Tinubu’s APC; a poorly assembled party that is bereft of all Igbo values. And so, Mbah is now left bare of the support of mostly his avid followers.”
He said the reason offered by Gov Mbah for joining APC was unacceptable. “Gov Mbah had joined APC in what he called ‘Connecting to the Centre’, thereby unfortunately applauding that infamous clause terminology that was used by various extortionist administrators of miserable African colonies in their self-gratification to getting undue favours from the home land Britain.”
Ijere also alleged that Gov Mbah abandoned the senatorial zone which, according to him, “has always been symbolic in determining ‘who becomes what’” in the state.
“They will not allow themselves marooned within the APC’s wider political sphere,” he said. “Indeed, the good people of Enugu North have moved on; and now looking into the beautiful horizon of a possible new Nigeria through the prism of His Excellency Peter Obi’s ADC. It is here that our star rises and shines.”
He therefore predicted “a shock akin to tsunami” awaiting any other party that considers making Enugu North senatorial zone a ‘battle field’ of the coming gubernatorial campaigns.
He said, “The bottom-up grassroots campaign strategy of ADC and Enugu North people shall soon be set in motion like rolling stones down the many hills of Nsukka land. The fight shall this time be taken into the forte of those who have treated us as if we do not exist. Gov Mbah’s acclaimed lofty political stance shall be reduced to mere pedestrian narratives to be understood by every youth on the street and every woman in the market. And then, the second-term campaign shall no longer stand but collapse abysmally.”
He concluded that “The collective dream of Igbo race bestowed on Mr Peter Obi for Igbo presidency cannot be truncated by a small group of government ‘employees’ battling to save their jobs with their rented crowd playing hide and seek game.”
Ijere’s position is however differs with the stance of Gov Mbah’s Special Adviser on New Media, Reuben Onyishi. Onyish has maintained that Gov Mbah enjoys “organic support having ensured the presence of his administration in all the political wards in the state through the construction of Smart Green Schools and Type-2 health centres.”
THE WHISTLER reported that the Enugu West Senatorial District had Saturday donated N100m to Mbah to purchase the form for his second term. The zone was led by its senator, Osita Ngwu, during the presentation that held at Awgu. Similarly, Awkunanaw Clan in Enugu East Senatorial Zone held a rally in Gov Mbah’s honour, and banned any person from contesting against him come 2027.
