Oji River Local Government Area political stakeholders have reaffirmed their steadfast support for Governor Peter Mbah’s people-centered administration, declaring that their commitment to his re-election remains unshaken and rock-solid.

The pledge was made during an expanded stakeholders’ meeting held at the Oji River Council Secretariat, where party faithful also reviewed the progress of the ongoing All Progressives Congress (APC) E-Registration exercise in the council area.

Chairman of Oji River Local Government Council, Mr. Greg Anyaegbudike, described the meeting as highly fruitful, bringing together supporters from all 20 political wards in the council area.

He further noted that the nine-member APC Caretaker Committee for Oji River, led by Hon. Paul Udebuluzor, was formally introduced to the stakeholders and party faithful during the meeting.

“Together, we stand united, shoulder to shoulder, with our leader, His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. Our commitment to his vision is unwavering and rock-solid,” Anyaegbudike said.

He praised Governor Mbah for his transformative achievements across key sectors, including infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare, transportation, and economic development.

“The clarity of purpose and bold decision-making of Gov. Mbah’s administration have earned admiration across every political ward in Enugu State. Ndu Oji are proud to be part of this journey to progress,” he added.

The council chairman also provided an update on the APC Membership E-Registration, urging party members to actively support and expedite the exercise.

He thanked stakeholders who have contributed significantly to its success.

The meeting was attended by notable dignitaries, including representatives of Senator Osita Ngwu, Minority Whip of the Senate for Enugu West; Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu, Member representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency; Hon. Pedro Ibe; Hon. Emeka Anikwere; and Hon. Osita Eze, Member representing Oji River State Constituency at the Enugu State House of Assembly.

Other attendees included Dr. Eric Oluedo, former chairman of Oji River Council and former Commissioner for Rural Development; Hon. Barr. Manfred Nzekwe, former Commissioner for Youth and Sports and former Council Chairman; as well as several past chairmen of Oji River Local Government Area.

The National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is reportedly holding back on a possible move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over uncertainty surrounding the party’s 2027 presidential ticket, particularly the prospects of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi.

Sources within the Kwankwasiyya Movement and the ADC told DAILY GAZETTE that Kwankwaso’s interest in joining the ADC is tied to clear assurances that Obi would emerge as the party’s presidential flag bearer ahead of the next general election.

The sources disclosed that discussions between both camps have been ongoing for months, with the possibility of a strategic alliance between Obi and Kwankwaso forming the backbone of the talks.

The proposed political understanding is said to be part of a broader realignment effort reportedly encouraged by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

It was gathered that a three-man ADC committee mandated to engage influential political figures recently met with representatives of the Kwankwaso camp in Abuja.

However, no final agreement was reached, as key concerns remain unresolved.

A senior ADC official familiar with the discussions confirmed that negotiations were still active, adding that both sides were expected to reconvene within the next two weeks.

“We are engaging seriously and closing in, but some issues are yet to be resolved. Both committees met recently and will meet again soon to arrive at a firm position,” the official said.

A source close to Kwankwaso, however, noted that the former Kano governor was under advice from some northern political leaders and Obasanjo not to rush into any defection without firm guarantees on the presidential ticket.

According to the source, there are fears within the Kwankwaso camp that Obi could be drawn into a competitive ADC primary dominated by forces loyal to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, potentially leaving Obi with a vice-presidential offer.

“The concern is that Obi may be persuaded into a deal after losing the primary. That is a trap Kwankwaso does not want to walk into,” the source said.

The insider added that Kwankwaso remains a key bargaining asset for Obi’s presidential ambition within the ADC, stressing that wider consultations are still ongoing.

Both the ADC and NNPP declined to officially comment on the reported negotiations.

The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said he was not aware of the discussions, while the NNPP spokesperson, Ladipo Johnson, said he had no information on the matter.

The Labour Party (LP) has announced plans to commence its congresses from March 2026 and to begin a nationwide revalidation of party membership, alongside registration of new members.

The move comes as part of a broader effort to strengthen internal cohesion and prepare for future political contests.

The decisions were reached at a joint meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Interim National Committee, held in Abuja on Saturday and chaired by Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti.

The meeting resolved to implement a structured timetable for party congresses at the ward, local government, state, and zonal levels, culminating in a National Convention scheduled for later in the year.

A dedicated committee will oversee the revalidation and registration exercise to ensure transparency and inclusivity.

Additionally, the party announced the formation of a reconciliation committee aimed at engaging aggrieved members willing to return to the fold. Former National Chairman, Julius Abure, and his team were specifically called upon to “sheathe their swords” and rejoin the party.

Governor Otti, briefing journalists after the meeting, expressed gratitude to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for recognising the Interim National Committee and uploading the party’s leadership on its website in compliance with court directives.

On the issue of former presidential candidate Peter Obi, Otti said the party leadership regretted his exit, wished him well, and urged members to remain committed to building a stronger political force.

“While the party has lost some members elected under its platform into the National Assembly, and some caretaker committee officers have since been replaced, the Labour Party remains strong and resolute,” the statement said.

The party regretted that it would be unable to participate in the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory election but reassured supporters of a renewed, united, and resilient Labour Party.

By Dr. Malachy Chuma Ochie,

Let’s call this what it is: a tired, lazy, and intellectually dishonest distraction. The claim that Governor Peter Mbah is “from Ezza” is not a serious political argument; it is a last-ditch ethnic dog whistle deployed by an opposition that has clearly run out of ideas, facts, and vision.

First, origin is not performance. Barack Obama had Kenyan ancestry and became one of the most consequential presidents in American history. Leadership is judged by competence, results, vision, and impact, not by the geography of great-grandparents.

Any political tendency still campaigning on “where is he from?” in 2026 is confessing its own bankruptcy.

Second, no one, absolutely no one, has produced credible evidence to support this Ezza narrative. Not a court judgment. Not a verifiable genealogical record. Not a sworn affidavit that has survived scrutiny.

What we have instead are WhatsApp forwards, bar-room gossip, and recycled propaganda. In serious societies, allegations without proof are noise, not arguments.

Third, and this is the part the peddlers of this narrative hate, Peter Mbah is a full-born Owo man, a son of the soil in every legal, cultural, and social sense of that term.

He was born, raised, socialized, and politically formed within Enugu State. His identity is not self-declared on social media; it is anchored in lived reality, family lineage, and community recognition. You do not erase that with cheap insinuations.

Fourth, the narrative collapses under its own hypocrisy. We are all migrants. Igbo history itself is a history of movement, settlement, inter-marriage, and integration. If ancestry-hunting were applied consistently, half of those shouting loudest today would fail their own purity test.

Ethnic absolutism is not only ignorant; it is anti-Igbo, anti-history, and anti-modernity.
What this Ezza story really reveals is fear; fear of performance politics.

Since Peter Mbah came into office, the conversation has shifted to infrastructure, investment, urban renewal, fiscal discipline, and measurable outcomes.

For an opposition incapable of matching ideas with ideas, the fallback option is always identity politics. When you cannot contest roads, schools, security architecture, and economic reforms, you contest surnames and villages.

Let it be said plainly: This narrative is petty, unserious, and exhausted. It insults the intelligence of Ndi Enugu and reduces politics to gossip. Enugu people are far more discerning than that. They know that what matters is not where a leader’s ancestors passed through, but where his policies are taking the state.

If the opposition has something meaningful to offer, let them bring it.
If not, they should stop embarrassing themselves with this lousy, evidence-free, and obsolete rhetoric.