Former ward executives drawn from various political parties across Enugu State have endorsed Governor Peter Ndubisi Mbah for a second term, citing his administration’s performance, the need for continuity and the state’s established rotational arrangement.
The endorsement was contained in a communiqué issued on Thursday, August 27, 2026, and signed by Ozo Ejike Okpe, State Coordinating Chairman of Enugu State Progressive Ward Executives (PEWEX), and Hon. Edwin Anyim, State Secretary, on behalf of the group.
PEWEX, a coalition of erstwhile ward executives from the 260 wards across the state, said its decision followed extensive consultations, broad-based engagements and an assessment of the direction and performance of the Mbah administration.
The group said Mbah deserved a second term to consolidate and complete ongoing programmes and reforms in infrastructure, public services, economic development, education, healthcare, urban renewal, security and human capital development.
According to PEWEX, the administration’s policies have placed Enugu on what it described as a new trajectory of development and renewed confidence in the ability of government to deliver sustainable progress.
The former ward executives argued that development programmes required continuity and sufficient time to mature, stressing that interrupting ongoing initiatives could undermine the gains already recorded.
The group also anchored its endorsement on the rotational principle among Enugu’s three senatorial zones — Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu West — saying the arrangement had promoted political inclusiveness, equity, mutual trust and peaceful coexistence.
PEWEX said supporting Mbah for a second term was consistent with preserving the existing zoning arrangement and maintaining the political equilibrium in the state.
The group consequently declared its “full, unequivocal and collective support” for Mbah’s re-election and pledged to deploy its grassroots structures and networks across the 260 wards to mobilise support for the governor.
Its message, according to the communiqué, is “Continuity for Consolidation, Continuity for Development, Continuity for Political Equity, Continuity for Peace and Stability and Continuity for a Greater Enugu State.”
Shere: Mbah Deserves Two Terms
Speaking at the endorsement rally, the chairman of the occasion and former Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Dr. Dan Shere, said Mbah deserved to serve two terms because of what he described as his strong performance during his first three years in office.
Shere said the administration’s achievements, particularly in education and infrastructure, would remain significant for generations.
“I don’t think we shall be tired of talking about what Mbah has done in the next 200 years, in terms of Smart Schools and others. There is no where there is no presence of the government. There were wards that had never had the presence of government but with Mbah, every ward has seen the presence of governance,” he said.
He urged PEWEX members to intensify their grassroots mobilisation and campaign for Mbah’s re-election.
APC Candidate Urges Mobilisation
The APC chairmanship candidate for Nkanu East Local Government Area in the September council election, Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe, described PEWEX as a formidable grassroots political structure that had played an important role in electioneering.
Ogbuekwe promised to recognise the group if elected, while urging its members to mobilise across their respective wards for Mbah’s second-term bid.
Opata: Don’t Wait for Appointments
The keynote speaker, Prof. Damian Opata, said Mbah’s performance warranted allowing him to complete a second term to sustain what he described as the momentum of good governance and inclusive development.
Speaking on the theme, “Sustaining the Momentum of Good Governance and Inclusive Development in Enugu State,” Opata urged PEWEX members not to interpret the absence of political appointments as marginalisation.
He argued that citizens could benefit from government through infrastructure and other development projects regardless of whether they held political positions.
Urging the former ward executives to campaign for Mbah irrespective of appointments, Opata warned that failure to secure the governor’s re-election could partly be attributed to the grassroots stakeholders.
“if Gov. Mbah should fail in the forthcoming election, you will be partly responsible for it. You are the ones controlling your wards so it means some of you did not vote for him,” he said.
Opata added: “Political appointment is not personal appointment. If I don’t get appointment, I must benefit from democracy dividends. If amenities are coming to your area, you are benefiting. You must not wait to get political appointment to appreciate the government in power.”
He therefore called on PEWEX members to use their influence across the state’s 260 wards to educate, mobilise and sensitise voters ahead of the next governorship election.
