Politics
2023: Enugu Youths Declare Support For Ugwuanyi, Peter Mbah, PDP
Members of ‘Project 2019 and Beyond for Gburugburu’ have thrown their weight behind Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and his aspiration to represent Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023.
The group which was formed by the late former Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area, Chief Patrick Omeje, to galvanise the youths to mobilise massive support for Governor Ugwuanyi in 2019 and further strengthen his political ascendency beyond 2019, also declared their unflinching support for the governorship candidate of the PDP in Enugu State, Barr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, and other candidates of the party.
Speaking when the LG Executives and five members of the Ward Executives in Nsukka LGA paid a solidarity visit to Governor Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu, the Director General of Project 2019 and Beyond for Gburugburu, Hon. Barr Tony Ugwu, disclosed that they are emboldened by the numerous achievements of the governor in the state in spite of the nation’s economic and security challenges, his penchant for peace and good governance and the uncommon love he has shown to the group since its inauguration.
Hon. Ugwu pointed out that through the governor’s magnanimity and commitment to the well-being of youths of Enugu State, a lot of members of the group benefited from the World Bank supported Agricultural Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) project.
The Director General disclosed that, “it is on record that presently the APPEALS programme is paying money instantly into the accounts of the beneficiaries,” adding: “Some of them are here and we say thank you very much Your Excellency.”
Commending Governor Ugwuanyi’s role in keeping the group alive, he said:”Your Excellency, without you, this ‘Project 2019 and Beyond’ would have been moribund with the death of the man who gave birth to this group. But we are happy because the Project 2019 and Beyond is still alive.
“When we say beyond, it means Project 2019 has gone beyond 2019. We are talking about Project 2023 and we came here to give you maximum support and solidarity; that we are totally behind you and your senatorial bid; that we are also behind your preferred governorship candidate, Barr Peter Mbah, who is the candidate of the PDP in Enugu State, likewise other PDP candidates in Nsukka LGA”.
In a related development, youths of Independence Layout, Enugu, also visited Governor Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu, to appreciate him for entrenching peace and good governance in the state.
The youths equally applauded the governor for the numerous road projects his administration has executed in Independence Layout, Enugu, stressing that no past administration paid special attention to the area the way he (Ugwuanyi) has done so far.
They threw their weight behind Governor Ugwuanyi, who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Enugu North Senatorial District, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Barr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah and other candidates of the party, stressing that they will work tirelessly for their victories when the time for electioneering comes.
Speaking, the leader of the group, Solomom Nnaemeka Nwobodo, told Governor Ugwuanyi that “the way Independence Layout is now, is not how it was before,” adding: “You built for us Valley Crescent, Mount Drive, Link Road, Ukehe Street, Isi-Uzo street, Ugwuoba Street, Nwafia Street, Ibuza Street, Holy Trinity-Bishop Michael Eneje Street, among others.
“Your Excellency, you recruited the people from the Ministry of Transport, MOT, (Traffic Enforcement Bureau Cadets) to control traffic in Enugu city. During past governments, there was traffic gridlock in Enugu, but now the MOT controls everywhere making sure every place is free from traffic congestion.
“As if that is not enough, you established for us Forest Guards and Neighbourhood Watch groups and gave maximum support to the security agencies to discharge their duties effectively. And there is peace and security in Enugu today that we now sleep with our two eyes closed, among other numerous achievements.
“Your Excellency, you brought an open door policy to your government. You have given our youths, our mothers and our fathers the opportunity to participate in politics and most of them have achieved their political aspirations.
“We say we should come and thank you and promise you that come 2023, we will support you to go to the Senate because some of us cast our votes in Nsukka.
“We are also promising you that we are solidly behind Barr. Peter Mbah, to be your successor in 2023. All of us are for the PDP and by the special grace of God, Independence Layout has never lost any election since 1999.
“Your Excellency, thank you once again for uniting the indigenes of Enugu State through the PDP by accommodating everybody, and anybody who comes to the Government House. Our motto is talk to who you know in your polling unit and ward to make sure that PDP wins come 2023. Always count on our unalloyed support and solidity, sir.”
The Chairman of Nsukka LGA, Hon. Barr. Walter Ozioko, the PDP candidates for Nsukka East and Nsukka West constituencies, Barr. Christiana Onah and Amos Agbo respectively, were with the LG and Ward Executives of Project 2019 and Beyond for Gburugburu during the solidarity visit to the governor.
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has directed his legal team to resume all court proceedings against Mrs. Tracy Ohiri over her repeated allegations of indebtedness and other claims against him.
Mrs Ohiri had publicly accused Senator Umahi of owing her N280 million for campaign materials from his tenure as party chairman in Ebonyi State.
The allegations went viral on social media, where she also accused the Minister of sexual harassment.
Security agencies arrested Mrs Ohiri, and she was subsequently prosecuted. Her lawyer, Barrister Marshall Abubakar, intervened, leading to the deletion of all posts and a public apology, which also gained widespread attention online.
However, days after the apology, Mrs Ohiri resumed her claims against Senator Umahi.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, Senator Umahi said he had informed Barrister Abubakar during the intervention that if Mrs Ohiri could provide verifiable evidence, logs, and communications from the period in question, some of his associates were willing to contribute a sum of One Billion Naira (N1billion) to her, evidence which, he said, she had yet to provide.
“The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, has been monitoring the ongoing public discourse surrounding the claims and counterclaims by Mrs. Tracy Ohiri.
“Ordinarily, this would have been ignored, but in the interest of truth and public clarity, it is necessary to address the issues directly”, the statement read.
The statement clarified that Barrister Abubakar acted in good faith and without any financial interest, motivated solely by a desire to assist Mrs Ohiri.
At no point did the lawyer discuss or negotiate any payment with the minister, although some well-meaning associates independently offered support”, the statement added.
Senator Umahi reiterated the conditions for resolving the matter: either the claims must be tested in court, or Mrs Ohiri must provide credible evidence, including all relevant communications, to substantiate her allegations.
The minister emphasised that Barr Abubakar conducted himself with integrity throughout the process.
“Following the failure to meet these conditions, particularly the inability to provide verifiable evidence, the Minister has directed his legal team to proceed with all court processes to ensure the truth is fully established,” the statement said.
Senator Umahi said despite years of public provocations and attacks, he chose to remain silent, focusing on national and state services.
He thanked Nigerians who had taken time to assess the facts and noted that “not everyone who presents themselves as a victim truly is one, and in some cases, narratives are deliberately inverted.”
The Minister affirmed that he will not be distracted by Mrs Ohiri’s allegations and remained committed to his mandate at the Ministry of Works.
“The focus remains on results, service, and ensuring that Nigerians continue to benefit from projects that improve connectivity, economic growth, and national development. This administration will continue to pursue its transformation agenda with dedication, transparency, and an unwavering sense of responsibility,” he concluded.
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has adjourned proceedings in a suit filed by three aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to April 14, 2026, for the hearing of all pending motions.
Justice Stephen Jumbo made the pronouncement during a recent sitting in Port Harcourt.
The suit, which borders on the legitimacy of the party’s leadership structure in the state, was instituted against the factional State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Aaron Chukwuemeka, alongside the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and other respondents.
Also joined in the matter are the PDP as a corporate entity, the Rivers State Government, as well as Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt City and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas, including their respective Vice Chairmen and Councillors.
The claimants, Enyi Uchechukwu, Wisdom Kalio and Uche Amadi, approached the court via an originating summons seeking judicial interpretation on the validity of actions taken by the Chief Chukwuemeka-led state executive committee of the party.
Central to the dispute is whether the said executive committee, whose emergence the claimants contend has been nullified by a subsisting court judgment, retains the legal authority to act on behalf of the party in critical electoral matters.
The plaintiffs specifically urged the court to determine whether the factional leadership could validly submit a list of candidates to RSIEC for the purpose of participating in local government elections.
They further questioned the legitimacy of the PDP’s participation in the August 30, 2025 local government elections, contending that any list purportedly submitted by the factional leadership was invalid and of no legal consequence.
In addition to the declaratory reliefs sought, the claimants also prayed the court to grant consequential orders addressing the outcome and conduct of the said elections across the affected local government areas.
At the resumed hearing, counsel representing the PDP and the affected local government councils informed the court that they had only recently been served with the originating processes and accompanying documents.
The defence team, comprising several Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), disclosed that service of the court processes was effected on March 13, 2026, leaving them with limited time to adequately prepare their responses.
Consequently, the defence counsel applied for an adjournment to enable them study the processes and address the legal issues raised, particularly as they relate to jurisdictional questions and points of law.
Counsel to the claimants, Glory Chizim-Chinda, did not oppose the application, following which the presiding judge granted the request and adjourned the matter to April 14, 2026, for the hearing of all pending motions, with a possible ruling expected ahead of the substantive suit.
By: King Onunwor
A former state lawmaker in the old the Rivers State, Professor Alex Eseimokumo, has described Nigerian opposition political parties as mere preposition political parties.
He also advised the country’s electorate against selling their votes during next year’s general elections.
The former legislator, who is also the president of the Institute for Peace, Conflict Resolution and Entrepreneurial Research, said this in an exclusive interview with The Tide on the sidelines of an event organized by the institute in Port Harcourt.
He said opposition political parties in Nigeria have been reduced to preposition political parties as most of them are not only dinning with the government but advising government on what to do to win election.
“The problem in Nigeria is we are not practicing politics the way it is supposed to be.The opposition are more in preposition.
“You see, opposition is supposed to find out things that are wrong in government but in our present day politics, you see opposition even dinning with the other group. So, there is basically nothing like opposition in Nigeria “, he said.
He lamented a situation where some individuals within the opposition are allegedly working hard to prevent their parties from fielding presidential candidates in the forthcoming election, adding that such individuals were only there to protect their personal interest.
Prof. Eseimokumo said as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he could not wish his party to fail in the election, even though nothing is impossible in Nigeria.
He noted that though the government in power has been trying it’s best, there was more to be done.
In his words, “I’m an APC member, so I don’t have the right to criticize my party but a word of advice: we still need to do more, more people oriented leadership where everybody will feel carried along.
“For now, I’m campaigning for APC to be re elected and if I stand here to say APC is not doing well, I’m not being fair to myself. But I think, with God all things are possible, there can be changes”.
On his assessment of the performances of governors of the Niger Delta states, Prof Eseimokumo said the governors were doing well within the limit of their resources.
” I don’t know what is given to them as allocation, but if what we are seeing in terms of window dressing is not window shopping, then they are doing well”, he said.
Meanwhile, Prof. Eseimokumo has advised Nigerian electorates against selling their votes during the forthcoming elections.
He said credible election could only be achieved when the electorates refuse financial inducement during the elections.
According to him, though Nigerian voters had been difficult to persuade, the time had come for them to stop selling their votes.
Prof. Eseimokumo said the forthcoming elections will serve as a litmus test for the Nigerian electorate to demonstrate their desire for changes in the country, stressing that free and fair elections will continue to be a mirage in the country until the was a change in the attitude of the electorate.
“If you want your vote to count, don’t take money from anybody; if you want your votes to count, don’t collect money for your vote. The moment you collect money for your vote, you have sold your conscience”, he warned.
He said his institute will continue to work for peace, not just in the Niger Delta region but across Nigeria.
By: John Bibor
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