Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has inaugurated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council in the state, expressing confidence in the party’s prospects in the 2027 elections.
Mbah inaugurated the council on Tuesday at the International Conference Centre, Enugu. He urged party members to campaign on his administration’s achievements and openly identify with the APC.
The campaign council comprises 51 directorates, with Mbah serving as chairman. Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai, Enugu State House of Assembly Speaker Uchenna Ugwu, APC state chairman Martin Chukwunweike and Secretary to the State Government Chidiebere Onyia are among the vice chairmen.
The council also features prominent political figures, former government officials and business leaders. They include former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former Anambra State governor Jim Nwobodo, former governor Sullivan Chime, former governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Minister of Power Barth Nnaji and businessman Arthur Eze.
Other members include former Chief of Naval Staff Allison Madueke, Senator Chuka Utazi, former deputy governors Cecilia Ezeilo, Ralph Nwoye, Sunday Onyebuchi and Okechukwu Itanyi.
Charlie Mbah will serve as Director-General, while Eric Oluedo is the Secretary-General. The inauguration comes as political activities continue across the state following the APC’s victory in the September 2026 Enugu local government elections.
Mbah Urges APC Members to Campaign on Achievements
Speaking at the inauguration, Mbah said his administration had justified the mandate voters gave him in 2023.
He also credited President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms with improving macroeconomic conditions and increasing funds available to state governments for development projects.
The governor urged party faithful to campaign vigorously on the administration’s performance. He described the opposition as lacking substantive alternatives and accused it of relying on propaganda.
Mbah said he planned to visit all 68 development centres in Enugu State as part of the campaign. He also pledged to commission at least two projects in each of the state’s 260 political wards.
According to the governor, the visits would include the commissioning of Smart Green Schools and Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres.
“So, you should be proud of Enugu. You should be unapologetically APC,” Mbah said.
He added that the campaign would take him to markets and communities across the state, where he intended to engage residents directly.
The governor’s remarks follow his administration’s presentation of its development record, including the projects outlined in the report on Mbah’s 10,000 achievements.
Governor Links Enugu Projects to Tinubu’s Reforms
Mbah said the state’s development efforts had benefited from the financial resources available under Tinubu’s administration.
He argued that the state’s projects would not have been possible without the President’s economic policies and increased funding to subnational governments.
The governor therefore urged APC members to support Tinubu’s re-election campaign alongside their efforts to secure victory in Enugu.
He also listed federal infrastructure projects and strategic appointments that he said demonstrated the President’s commitment to the South-East.
Mbah acknowledged that the region gave Tinubu relatively limited electoral support in 2023. However, he maintained that the President had demonstrated goodwill towards the Igbo through development initiatives and appointments.
His position reflects the administration’s public support for Tinubu’s policies, including the stance detailed in the report on Mbah’s backing for fuel subsidy removal.
APC Leaders Charge Members to Work for Victory
Several party leaders and government officials addressed members during the inauguration.
They included Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai, Speaker Uchenna Ugwu, APC Deputy National Chairman (South) Ben Nwoye and Senator Osita Ngwu, who spoke on behalf of serving and aspiring National Assembly members.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Kingsley Udeh, APC state chairman Martin Chukwunweike, Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development Ngozi Enih, and former Nigerian ambassador Fidelia Njeze also addressed the gathering.
The speakers highlighted what they described as the achievements of Mbah’s administration and the benefits of the Tinubu government to Enugu State.
Charlie Mbah, the campaign organisation’s Director-General, thanked party leaders and members for the confidence placed in him.
He promised to lead an inclusive, organised and results-oriented campaign across the state.
“My commitment is to build an inclusive, organised, result-oriented and issues-based campaign that reaches every senatorial zone, local government area, ward, community, and polling unit across Enugu State,” he said.
Senatorial Coordinators and Campaign Directorate Heads Named
The campaign council has appointed coordinators for the three senatorial districts.
Senator Osita Ngwu will coordinate Enugu West, Senator Ikeje Asogwa will oversee Enugu North, while Senator Kelvin Chukwu will coordinate Enugu East.
Okey Ogbodo, Dan Shere and S.K.E. Udeh-Okoye will serve as deputy campaign directors-general for Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu West, respectively.
Steve Oruruo will serve as campaign spokesperson and director of the Public Communication Committee. Austin Okolie will act as co-spokesperson, while Malachy Agbo will serve as secretary.
Uche Anichukwu will lead New Media and Strategic Communication, with Collins Ogbu as secretary. Dan Nwomeh will head Mainstream Media, with Reuben Onyishi as secretary.
Victor Udeh will lead the Administration Directorate. He will also direct the Election Planning and Monitoring Directorate, where Governor’s Political Adviser Frank Anioma will serve as secretary.
Ben Nwoye and Uche Nwatu will lead the Fundraising Committee as director and co-director, respectively.
Security, Mobilisation and Government Coordination
Former Chief of Naval Staff Ikechukwu Ogalla will chair the Security Directorate, while former Inspector-General of Police Ogbono Onovo will serve as secretary.
Kingsley Udeh will oversee Government Appointees Coordination at federal and state levels, with Chidiebere Onyia as secretary. Former Enugu Assembly Speaker Eugene Odoh will head Inter-Party Affairs.
APC State Woman Leader Esther Edeh will lead the Women Mobilisation Directorate. South-East APC Woman Leader Oby Ajih will serve as co-director, while Ngozi Enih will be secretary.
Senator Chuka Utazi will head Parliamentary Mobilisation, with former Deputy Minority Leader Toby Okechukwu as secretary.
Senator Ben Collins Ndu will lead Contact and Mobilisation. Peter Okonkwo will serve as co-director, while Lovelyn Obioma Nweze will be secretary.
Other appointments include Dame Ugochi Madueke as head of Welfare, with Amaka Alinta as secretary. Rita Mbah will lead Event Management, with Ifeoma Azike as secretary.
Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs Charles Egumgbe will head Monitoring, with former Assembly Speaker Edward Ubosi as secretary. Uchenna Nwobodo will lead Works and Venue, with Christian Enebe as secretary.
Support Groups, Entertainment and Town Unions
USA Igweshi will return to his 2023 role as director of Support Groups, with Chiedozie Nwafor as secretary.
Nollywood actress Rachael Okonkwo, popularly known as Nkoli Nwa Nsukka, will head the Creativity and Entertainment Directorate. CSDA General Manager Monday Diamond will lead its secretariat.
Arinze Ogbodo will lead the Town Unions Coordination Directorate, while Charles Chime will oversee its secretariat.
The campaign council’s structure also includes officials responsible for communications, fundraising, security, parliamentary engagement and grassroots mobilisation.
The appointments are intended to coordinate the party’s campaign across the state’s senatorial districts, local government areas, wards and polling units.
The campaign will operate against the backdrop of recent political activities in Enugu, including engagements in which residents declared support for APC candidates. These include reports on Nara residents backing Ogbuekwe and stakeholders from Ohuani Idodo and Oruku supporting the party.
Other campaign activities have featured support from Ihuokpara, Isienu and Akpawfu wards and declarations of support from Ugbakwa wards.
APC Campaign Council Prepares for 2027
Mbah said the council would take the party’s message to communities throughout Enugu State.
He urged members to highlight development projects and the policies of the federal and state governments as they engage voters.
The campaign council’s Director-General also pledged to run an organised and issues-based campaign. Its work will involve coordinating party members and campaign activities across the state.
As political preparations continue, party leaders will seek to mobilise supporters while engaging residents ahead of the 2027 elections. The council’s inauguration marks a formal step in the APC’s campaign planning in Enugu State.
