The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu South Local Government Area has declared its readiness to deliver the party’s candidates in the September 2026 council election, describing the poll as a test-run for the 2027 general elections.
The declaration was made on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, during the grand finale of the APC campaign in Enugu South, where party leaders, elected officials, traditional and community leaders, as well as supporters from the 13 wards, rallied behind the party’s chairmanship and councillorship candidates.
Speaking at the event, the Enugu State APC Chairman, Dr. Martins Chukwunweike, described the forthcoming council election as preparation for the 2027 general elections, urging party supporters to vote for all APC candidates.
“The 26th election is a preparation for the main election in which we’ll vote for the broom. We’ll vote for all our candidates and vote rightly for it to count,” Chukwunweike said.
The state party chairman also declared support for Governor Peter Mbah’s second-term bid, saying, “Mbah’s re-election in 2027 is sacrosanct because both by performance and tradition, he remains the best man to continue to pilot our affairs.”
The APC Deputy National Chairman, South, Dr. Ben Nwoye, said the people of Enugu South had reasons to support the party, citing ongoing and completed projects in the area.
According to Nwoye, “Starting from Enugu South, we’ve smart schools, road construction, urban renewal and water scheme all ongoing and completed. These would not have been possible without the Economic Agenda put together by our dear President, who made it possible for our states to receive higher allocations and gave the LGs financial autonomy.”
He called for support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and the Mbah-led government in Enugu State, while urging voters to re-elect Senator Kelvin Chukwu and Hon. Sam Atu.
“This is why we must support the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Peter Mbah government, reelect Senator Chukwu and Hon. Atu to be able to support the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
Nwoye also urged voters to base their political choices on what he described as facts and realities rather than ethnic sentiments.
“We must also understand that politics isn’t about emotions or ethnicity. The reality and fact remains that we can’t throw away our votes like we did in the last election and despite that, we still got best appointments and the creation of the SEDC which wouldn’t have been possible without our dear President,” he said.
The Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, described the Enugu South council chairman, Hon. Caleb Ani, as a unifying figure, urging residents to return him in the September election.
“Dr. Caleb Ani is a unifier and we have a duty to re-elect him come September, 2026 for his remarkable achievements. Hon. Ani has resolved all the issues in the 13 wards of the local government and brought everyone under one fold,” Onyia said.
Also speaking, the Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District, Senator Kelvin Chukwu, said the council election was already settled in favour of the APC candidate, making the 2027 general election the major political focus.
“The forthcoming council election is a foregone conclusion because Dr. Ani will be returned, hence, the major focus is on the 2027 general elections,” Chukwu said.
He urged voters to support the APC at all levels, arguing that the South-East needed political participation in the ruling party to secure what he described as its stake in the Federal Government.
“We have every reason to vote for the APC from top to bottom because we can’t afford to remain in opposition, hence the president must win in our state for us to get our stake,” he said.
Chukwu added, “If you give us your mandate like you’ve always done, I’m assuring you that you’ll continue to get the dividends of democracy.”
The member representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Sam Atu, credited Governor Mbah’s administration with improvements in security, education, infrastructure and youth empowerment.
“I thank God for giving us a leader like Dr. Mbah who has brought smiles in Enugu State. This smile is a result of the security in the state, improved quality education and infrastructure, youth empowerment and other dividends of democracy which are visible to even the blind and audible to the deaf,” Atu said.
He also commended Ani for his work in Enugu South, urging residents to support the council chairman and other APC candidates in the forthcoming election.
“This coming Saturday, we’ll come out en masse and vote for Hon. Ani and other councillors to say thank you for all their good works. Note that this coming election is a mock election for the 2027 general elections,” he said.
Turning to the 2027 elections, Atu called for support for President Tinubu, citing the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and infrastructure development in the region as reasons for backing the administration.
“In that election, we’ll be voting for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has answered the prayer of the South-East region by giving us the South East Development Commission, SEDC which will help reverse the loss of the civil war,” he said.
Atu further said the appointment of former Enugu State governor Dave Umahi as Minister of Works had facilitated increased federal attention to roads in the South-East.
“The president is also revolutionalising the state of infrastructure in our region after appointing one of our sons, Dave Umahi, as the Minister of Works. All the roads in South-East are receiving the needed attention,” he said.
He added that APC supporters would work to deliver the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Rural Development, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, said the party had established a strong presence in Enugu South and urged its leaders and supporters to sustain the momentum.
“We want to tell our party leaders that APC is at home in Enugu South. You’re all doing a very good job and come Saturday, we’re going to demonstrate what’s going to be replicated in January and February,” Ogbodo said.
The APC candidate for Enugu South Urban state constituency, Hon. Chijioke Mbah, also expressed confidence in the party’s candidates ahead of the council election.
“Come Saturday, we’ll do what we know how to do best and return our chairman and the 13 councillors elected,” he said.
The Coordinating President-General of all the President-Generals in Enugu South, Hon. Mike Ogbonna, commended Governor Mbah for what he described as his support for the local government and praised Ani for his role in promoting peace in the area.
“I want to appreciate our Governor for giving us a digital mayor, Hon. Caleb Ani, who has brought peace to our communities in Enugu South,” Ogbonna said.
He assured the party that residents would support APC in the 2027 elections.
“We want to assure you all that come 16th January, 2027, our votes will be delivered to APC because the council election is already settled,” he said.
The Enugu South APC Local Government Chairman, Hon. Freedom Nnam, declared that the party’s grassroots structures were fully mobilised for the election.
“We’re highly prepared for any election in Enugu South LG. When I said we’re prepared, I didn’t say I’m prepared, I said that we’re prepared,” Nnam said.
He attributed the party’s preparedness to the presence of what he described as strong political leaders and stakeholders in the local government, including Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, Hon. Chima Atu and Hon. Caleb Ani.
Nnam added that the party’s grassroots structures and field marshals were intact, assuring supporters that there was no need for fear ahead of the election.
“Our grassroots and field marshals are intact and I’m assuring you people not to entertain any fear in any election in Enugu South and we’re going to use this forthcoming LG election to show you people the test of how 2027 is going to be. We’ll give APC 100 percent of our votes,” he said.
The Enugu South Local Government Chairman, Hon. Caleb Ani, thanked God, Governor Peter Mbah and APC leaders for their support, promising to consolidate the gains recorded by his administration if re-elected.
Ani particularly commended Governor Mbah for what he described as his transformation of Enugu State and acknowledged the support of former governor of old Anambra State, former minister and serving senator, whom he described as a major stakeholder.
“What you’ve done for us today will not be taken for granted and after our election, we’re going to serve you better,” Ani said.
He added: “I thank the governor and party for this opportunity and I assure you that we’ll take the council to a more enviable height.”
A major highlight of the campaign finale was the presentation of APC flags to the chairmanship and councillorship candidates by the Enugu State APC Chairman, Chukwunweike.
The event was attended by APC leaders from the national, South-East zonal and state structures, as well as political stakeholders, traditional, religious and community leaders, supporters and party faithful from the 13 wards of Enugu South Local Government Area.
