By Johnpaul Anih, Ph.D

They say “not all that glitters is gold,” but sometimes, what seemed like mere political sparkle turns out to be a beacon of true transformation.

When Governor Peter Mbah took the reins of leadership in Enugu State, many watched with bated breath, unsure whether his lofty promises would become policy or fade into the all-too-familiar fog of Nigerian politics.

As the months have rolled on, however, Mbah has not only met the expectations placed before him, he has soared past them like an eagle unchained, redrawing the boundaries of possibility in public service.

During his swearing-in, the atmosphere at Micheal Okpara Square was thick with both hope and hesitation.
Years of recycled politics had conditioned many to expect more of the same.

Yet, Governor Mbah walked into office not just with ideas, but with a blueprint for sweeping change, and more importantly, the WILL to execute it.

In a system often bogged down by red tape and inertia, Mbah hit the ground running. He brought with him not just a fresh vision but the fuel of determination and the finesse of a strategist.

His leadership style quickly separated him from the herd: he was not just another occupant of the seat, but a reformer with sleeves rolled up, determined to plant seeds of change in a field long parched by neglect.

“Talk is cheap,” as the old saying goes, but Mbah’s approach has been anything but lip service.
From day one, his mantra has been action, not excuses. In a short time, his administration has made visible strides in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic development, areas that once seemed condemned to stagnation.

It’s often said that “a vision without execution is hallucination,” and Mbah has shown he is no dreamer. His promises have found legs, concrete policies, active programs, and measurable outcomes.

From the creation of industrial hubs and the modernization of road networks to the birth of Enugu Air and the rollout of Smart Green Schools across all 260 electoral wards, his efforts have turned political rhetoric into daily reality.

One of the most admirable facets of Mbah’s leadership is his deep understanding that economic revival requires more than wishful thinking.

He has declared open war on economic complacency, pivoting Enugu from its overreliance on outdated sectors to a model rooted in innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment.

“A rising tide lifts all boats,” and through improved infrastructure, investor-friendly reforms, and a reduction in bureaucratic bottlenecks, Mbah has repositioned Enugu as a magnet for local and foreign capital.

His focus on nurturing SMEs alongside large-scale industries has created a fertile ground where enterprise, both big and small, can thrive.

He’s not only concerned with the present economy but is laying bricks for a future-ready one. His administration’s investment in tech, agriculture, and renewable energy has placed Enugu on a path of sustainable growth, proof that the seeds planted today will yield harvests long after his tenure.

True governance, however, is measured by how it touches lives. And here too, Mbah shines.
His investment in human capital, through transformative education and healthcare reforms, tells a story of a leader who sees people not just as voters, but as partners in progress.

In education, Mbah is building not just classrooms, but futures. His reforms go beyond aesthetics; they reimagine learning to align with global best practices.
Through revitalized curricula, modern infrastructure, and expanded vocational training, he is giving Enugu youths the tools to compete globally and innovate locally.

As the saying goes, “health is the greatest wealth”, Mbah’s attention to healthcare, especially in underserved rural areas, has broken barriers. By establishing type two hospitals, revitalizing and upgrading existing facilities, he has ensured that quality care is no longer a luxury but a right within reach.

Perhaps the most underrated strength of Mbah’s leadership lies in his commitment to unity. In a terrain often scarred by political acrimony, he has chosen harmony over hostility.

His outreach to opposition voices and his consultative, inclusive style of governance have transformed Enugu into a melting pot of collaboration. Where others see opponents, Mbah sees allies in progress.
His open-door policy has given space for diverse voices to be heard, proof that “a house united cannot fall.”

This rare political maturity has given the state a stability and peace that many envy.

Mbah’s tenure, still in its early chapters, already reads like a masterclass in visionary leadership. His ability to turn hurdles into stepping stones, and dissent into dialogue, speaks of a leader not content with business as usual, but driven to rewrite the narrative.

He has taken the bull by the horns, steering Enugu out of the shadows of mediocrity into a dawn of renewed hope and possibility.

In him, Enugu has found not just a leader, but a pacesetter, a man proving that when vision meets resolve, no summit is too high to scale.

Hon. Johnpaul Anih, Ph.D

The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, has issued a bold challenge to the faction of the party led by Senator Nenadi Usman, daring them to approach the party’s national secretariat if they truly believe they are in control of the party’s leadership.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Abure dismissed the claims of a parallel leadership structure, describing the Nenadi-led faction as an “illegal assembly of impostors sponsored to destabilize the Labour Party ahead of 2027.”

“If you claim you are the National Chairman of the Labour Party, come close to our national secretariat. That is the first test of legitimacy. Let us see how far you can go,” Abure said.

“You cannot lead a party from hotel rooms or rented halls with a few disgruntled elements.”

He accused the group of being used by external political interests threatened by the growing popularity and influence of the LP since the 2023 general elections, particularly due to the emergence of Peter Obi as a major opposition figure.

According to Abure, “This is the same playbook we saw before 2023—divide and distract. But Nigerians are wiser now. The Labour Party is not a property for sale. It is a people-driven movement, and no amount of fake declarations or court shopping will change that.”

He reaffirmed his position as the duly recognized national chairman of the party, despite Supreme Court’s judgment sacking him.

Abure urged party members and supporters across the country to remain focused and not be distracted by what he described as “seasonal political contractors trying to hijack a platform they never built.”

“The structure of the Labour Party remains intact. We are focused on building a coalition for the future of Nigeria. Those who want to lead must come through the front door, not through backdoor arrangements or media theatrics,” he added.

As preparations intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has declared that a growing coalition aimed at defeating President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is steadily taking shape.

During a meeting in Abuja with a group of National Opinion Leaders, Atiku—who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023—said the movement transcends partisan politics and is drawing participation from across Nigeria’s political spectrum.

“A number of us, leaders from the APC, PDP, Labour, and others, have come together to say we are going to take a new path—a new pathway to a new Nigeria,” he stated.

Atiku emphasized that the mission of the coalition goes beyond merely winning an election.

It is, according to him, focused on ensuring the delivery of good governance to Nigerians from all backgrounds.

He likened the effort to a powerful train making room for every Nigerian seeking change.

“A fast-moving train with multiple stops to bring on board Nigerians of all shades,” he said, describing the inclusive nature of the initiative.

“Whatever vehicle that will give us good governance in the future of our children and grandchildren, that is the vehicle we are going to ride on,” Atiku affirmed.

He further revealed that just the previous day, he had engaged with two separate groups to update them on the progress of what he described as a pan-Nigerian coalition, which he is building in collaboration with other political leaders and stakeholders across various regions and party lines

Former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Ben Nwoye, has officially resigned from the party, citing the erosion of its founding values and internal disunity as his reasons.

Speaking during a press briefing in Enugu, Nwoye, one of the party’s founding members, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the current state of the APC both in Enugu and across the South East.

“With a deep sense of responsibility I write to inform you that I hereby resign as a member of the All Progressives Congress,” he announced.

“My resignation is as a result of the disintegration of the leadership of the party in Enugu State.”

Nwoye likened the party’s collapse to a symbolic unraveling: “The bunch of ‘Broom’ which we painstakingly tied together in 2013 at a time when we were called unprintable names has loosened and permanently scattered. All efforts made by the party elders to gather the ‘Broom’ and reassemble it have failed. In its current form, further attempts to reassemble the ‘Broom’ in Enugu State is no longer practicable.”

He accused the South East APC leadership of engaging in “vindictive politics,” alleging that they have shown little interest in expanding the party’s influence beyond the two states it currently controls in the region.

“As far as they are concerned, the supremacy of the party is measured by how low they can go to oppress their perceived political enemies,” Nwoye said.

“These they do, without recourse to the core principles upon which APC stands—Justice, Peace, and Unity. To say the least, the Zonal leadership in the South East has lost direction.”

Nwoye also criticized the APC national leadership, accusing it of ignoring festering internal issues.

“The National leadership of the Party is basking in the euphoria of power, being the party under which the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the majority of the members of the National Assembly were elected,” he stated.

He said the party’s top leadership had turned a blind eye to the factional crises tearing the party apart in Enugu.

“The APC National leadership had maintained willful blindness to issues in the party, hence allowing the warring factions to self-destruct and strangulate the party in Enugu State,” he lamented.

“To worsen the situation,” he continued, “the APC National leadership treats party elders’ calls for reconciliation with disdain and disrespect. Loyal party members calling for party unity are treated like conquered and captured political warriors.”

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has openly declared that he possesses the capacity to lead Nigeria as President, asserting his confidence during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday.

The two-term governor, who is a prominent figure within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated that the 2027 general elections will not be a simple face-off between the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), but rather a decision between the Nigerian people and the APC administration.

“I don’t have any doubt that I have the capacity to occupy the highest office in this land and I have what it takes,” Makinde said.

“But what I want to do right now, is it what Nigerians are asking for right now, is it what my party will say we should do, we don’t know; we still have a long time to go.”

He emphasized that the PDP must first undergo internal restructuring.

“We must fix our party, we must have a platform for you to even aspire to be anything,” he added.

Nonetheless, Makinde said he is content with his political journey so far.

“Let me also say this: if my political journey ends here, I am also happy.”

The statement comes at a time when realignments are unfolding ahead of the 2027 polls.

On March 20, 2025, PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar spearheaded an inter-party coalition that brought together key opposition figures such as former Anambra State governor Peter Obi and former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The coalition, announced as a vehicle to dislodge President Bola Tinubu’s APC-led government, is counting on the strong voter base seen in the 2023 elections, where Atiku and Obi secured a combined vote count exceeding 12 million—outnumbering Tinubu’s declared tally by over four million votes.

However, Makinde and other PDP governors distanced themselves from the coalition during a meeting in Ibadan on April 14.

The governors emphasized that any potential alliance should be preceded by internal reorganization within the PDP.

Makinde clarified this during the broadcast: “Your house (the PDP) must be in order before you invite others.”

He acknowledged the right of individual party members to associate freely but underscored that the official stance of the party remains separate.

Veteran PDP leader and member of the party’s Board of Trustees, Bode George, supported the governors’ decision, stressing that the party should field a southern candidate in 2027 instead of backing Atiku again.

When asked directly if he plans to contest for the presidency, Makinde replied, “nobody will set an agenda for me. I will set an agenda for myself.”

He added, “People can say whatever they want to say (but) right now, I am focusing on what Oyo State people have given to me; the task ahead of us.”

Makinde insisted he would not be swayed by political pressure or optics.

“I will not play stunt politics; I will not do things because it feels right in some people’s ears,” he said.

“No, I will stay focused to ensure that we bring dividends of democracy to our people, look after them, and also build infrastructure that will lead our people well into the future.”

He concluded with a note of clarity: “that is not consistent with whether somebody is going to go to the federal level or whether people are saying I must contest. If I want to contest, I will come out at the appropriate time.”

“One thing you should expect from Seyi Makinde is that he would never come out to say I want to do XYZ without preparations and without being held accountable for whatever he says he wants to do,” he affirmed.