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“In Enugu There is No Honour Among Political Thieves”, Say State Stakeholders
Enugu State stakeholders have described the absence of erstwhile Governor Chimaroke Nnamani at the inauguration on Monday of Peter Mbah as the new state governor as a manifestation that there is no honour among those they call political brigands in the state.
“There is honour even among thieves, but it is not so among the swindlers in our state who robbed the people of the mandate they freely gave the Labour Party on March 18”, declared the Enugu State Stakeholders Forum (ESSF) in a statement today signed by its president, Professor Joseph Aneke, and the secretary, Dr Ifeanyi Agbo.
Outgoing Senator Nnamani brought out the “purported governor-elect from nothing and placed him on a high pedestal”, observed the stakeholders,“ yet he did not find it worthy of attending Mbah’s swearing-in as governor because they could not keep their agreement to shortchange the Enugu people”.
The stakeholders recalled how the then-governor made Mbah his Chief of Staff fresh from school and later appointed him the Commissioner for Finance.
The statement alleged that Mbah and Nnamani, both from the Nkanu sub-ethnic group, parted ways even before the conclusion of the 2023 general elections because of their “crass selfish interests which turned out to be mutually exclusive”.
The former governor has publicly been accusing fellow PDP leaders in the state of betrayal since he lost the Enugu East senatorial race on March 18 to little-known Sir Kelvin Chukwu of the Labour Party, a younger brother of Chief Oyibo Chukwu of Labour Party who was assassinated three days to the National Assembly poll, a development which compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the Enugu East senatorial election to three weeks later.
Dr Nnamani has in a series of statements accused the immediate past governor, The Right Honorable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and Mbah of masterminding the rigging of the gubernatorial poll in favour of their party but refused to rig for him during the senatorial election for fear that the reaction of the people would be too severe for the PDP to bear.
“It was Senator Nnamani who convinced Ugwuanyi that Mbah is the right person to protect his interests after leaving office on May 29 as governor and should, therefore, anoint him as his successor”, claimed the stakeholders.
“Still, both Mbah and Ugwuanyi had no scruples in ditching him when it mattered most because there is no honour among the political scavengers of our state”.
The ESSF described the parting of ways between Mbah and Nnamani as paradoxical because Mbah stoutly refused to betray him when he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after serving as the finance commissioner.
Though a lot of assets including a number of properties, a radio station and a telecommunications company belonging to Dr Nnamani were confiscated by the EFCC which told the court that they were acquired with proceeds from corruption, Mbah is reputed to have done well to avoid implicating his former boss.
“His performance at the EFCC impressed Nnamani so much that he decided to reward him with a higher political position at the right time”, said the stakeholders.
“He had no difficulty convincing the then governor to adopt Mbah as his candidate in the PDP primaries, all the more so since Mbah has made so much money through his Pinnacle Oil and Gas Company and was eager to spend a lot of it in order to become the Enugu State governor”.
With Ugwuanyi’s support, Mbah secured the PDP gubernatorial ticket by a landslide on May 26, 2022, at Nnamadi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu, scoring 790 out of the 807 votes.
The ESSF advised Senator Nnamani to testify honestly at the Enugu State Election Petitions Tribunal where Chijioke Edeoga, the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate, is contesting the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) declaration of Mbah as the elected governor.
“The testimony will not be borne out of vengeance against his party but to free his conscience and help liberate the state from brigandage”, stated the stakeholders.
• by Ohibaba.com
The funeral procession
Governor Peter Mbah made a speech
Peter Obi , other dignitaries with Chukwu’s family
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Mbah, Obi, Bid Farewell to Christian Chukwu
Consoling the family, Governor Mbah said, “As a government, we will always stand by you and ensure that Chukwu is immortalised, for indeed he served and loved Enugu and Nigeria with all his heart.
Image credit: Peter Obi / X
A 10- days night of tributes in Lagos and Enugu for the former Super Eagles captain and head coach -Christian Chukwu, ended today with his burial at his country home, Obe, in the Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Chukwu, popularly called “Chairman”, died on April 12, at the age of 74.
Dignitaries at the burial were former Labour Party presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi., President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, represented by the Chairman of the Nigeria National League, Mr George Aluo, and Senator representing Anambra Central, Sen. Victor Umeh.
Others are members of the Enugu Executive Council, the retired Anglican Archbishop of the Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, ex-Rangers players, the former Chairman of the Enugu Sports Club, Chief Nnanna Atuonwu, and others.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State said at the event: “For me, and I believe for so many as well, it is difficult for you to have met Chairman without being inspired by his simplicity and humility.
“Without a doubt, he was disciplined, dignified, polite, and empathetic,” Mbah said.
Consoling the family, Governor Mbah said, “As a government, we will always stand by you and ensure that Chukwu is immortalised, for indeed he served and loved Enugu and Nigeria with all his heart.
Let us be comforted by the remarkable memory and legacies he left behind,” he added.
Earlier in his homily, the Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt Rev. Samuel Ike, extolled Chukwu’s exploits, contributions and development to football in Nigeria and Africa.
He described him as a “strong man” that led his team on a journey and fought and won several battles, as well as a committed family man that loved his family and relations.
“Chukwu has won battles with Rangers, Super Eagles and others. The Lord has been gracious unto him through several battles; he was an all-rounded man, very generous, and his generosity extended to the family of St Philip’s Church, Obe,” Ike said.
In response on behalf of the family, Mr Chukwuemeka Chukwu Jr thanked the guests for honouring and paying their last respects to his father.
Chukwu was born in Enugu and is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s greatest defenders of all time.Chukwu, revered for his leadership and defensive mastery, captained both Enugu Rangers and the Nigerian national team, leading the country to its first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, declared today Nigeria’s security forces capture two top leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria, following a months-long counter-terrorism operation.
Ribadu, at a press briefing held at the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja, said that those arrested are Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas or Mukhtar, identified as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, also known as Mallam Mamuda.
Ribadu said the intelligence-led operation was carried out between May and July 2025 in collaboration with security and intelligence agencies.
According to Ribadu, Abu Bara coordinated terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and masterminded high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies to finance terrorism.
He added that his deputy, Mamuda, led the “Mahmudawa” cell around Kainji National Park and trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors.
Ribadu said, “The targeted operation, which was conducted between May and July 2025, led to the capture of two top ANSARU leaders who have been responsible for masterminding several terrorist attacks against Nigeria over the past years.
The first is Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar), the self-styled Emir of ANSARU.
He is the coordinator of various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria. He is also the mastermind of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorism over the years.“
The second is Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda), Abu Bara’s proclaimed Chief of Staff and Deputy.
He is the leader of the so-called “Mahmudawa” cell hiding out in and around the Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States up to the Benin Republic.
Mamuda trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specialising in weapons handling and IED fabrication.
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