The Executive Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area (LGA), Dr. Ibenaku Harford Onoh, has intensified efforts to deepen the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s grassroots engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections, calling on student leaders across Enugu State to take the party’s message to campuses and galvanise support among young people.
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Onoh made the call on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, during an interactive meeting with student leaders and representatives of various tertiary institutions across the state, particularly those residing within the Enugu North metropolis.
The engagement, which centred on Nigeria’s evolving political landscape, the Southeast’s place in national politics and the strategic importance of youth participation, provided an opportunity for the chairman to interface directly with student representatives on the forthcoming electoral cycle and the role of young people in shaping the country’s political future.
Addressing the gathering, Onoh challenged the students to deploy their intellectual capacity, political awareness and influence within their respective institutions to promote the APC’s political agenda, stressing that meaningful electoral participation required informed advocacy and sustained grassroots mobilisation.
“You have what it takes. You have the knowledge because you have heard the truth. You are well informed, so go and preach the message. We will continue to engage with you because you are vital stakeholders,” he said.
The chairman maintained that students occupied a strategic position in the political process and should move beyond passive observation to active participation in conversations capable of shaping governance and electoral outcomes.
He further assured them that his administration would sustain the engagement, emphasising that the relationship between government and the student community must extend beyond electioneering to include continuous dialogue, inclusion and attention to their concerns.
On the broader political fortunes of the Southeast, Onoh urged the region to approach the 2027 elections with strategic foresight, arguing that its political aspirations must transcend immediate electoral considerations and focus on securing a stronger voice and greater influence for the Igbo people within Nigeria’s national political architecture.
In his remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the Chairman on Student and Youth Affairs, Comrade Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi, disclosed that a roadmap was being reviewed to facilitate structured interactive sessions and engagement forums across tertiary institutions.
Obi urged the student leaders to become reliable channels of information within their campuses, encouraging them to translate the knowledge acquired into constructive political conversations among their peers.
He noted that the proposed campus engagements would provide a direct interface between the local government and the student population, offering opportunities to address emerging concerns, strengthen institutional relationships and promote a more inclusive approach to youth participation.
Beyond the political conversations, the meeting also addressed issues directly affecting students’ welfare. Responding to concerns over inadequate water supply at the Enugu State College of Education Technical (ESCET) hostel, Onoh pledged to facilitate the provision of water-pumping equipment to improve access to water and ease the difficulties confronting students.
The student leaders, in their responses, expressed appreciation to the chairman for creating a platform for dialogue and providing them with an opportunity to contribute to discussions on the country’s political direction.
They declared their support for APC candidates and Governor Peter Mbah’s re-election bid, while urging party leaders and political aspirants to ensure that students are meaningfully carried along in party activities, consultations and decision-making processes as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
They stressed that the student community should not be regarded merely as an electoral mobilisation base but as a critical constituency deserving representation, inclusion and sustained engagement.
Those in attendance included student representatives and Students’ Union Government (SUG) leaders from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Peaceland College of Education, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Parklane, and the University of Nigeria Medical Students Association (UNMSA), among other institutions.
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