…Nara Communities Defy Torrential Rain, Pledge Massive Support for Ogbuekwe, APC Candidates
Politics is, at its most elemental, a conversation between those who seek power and the people whose votes confer it. In Nara, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, that conversation unfolded beneath a stubborn downpour as residents of Ward 1 and Ward 2 defied the rain to receive the campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship candidate, Hon. Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe, popularly known as Mmirioma Na Nkanu.
The weather was unforgiving, but the gathering was anything but subdued. Community leaders, party chieftains, former political office holders, youth and women leaders and other stakeholders came out to receive the candidate and his entourage, with speaker after speaker pointing to the development record of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah as a significant factor shaping their confidence in the APC.
What emerged was more than a routine campaign stop. Several speakers described the gathering as a family conversation and an opportunity to acknowledge the policies and projects of the Mbah administration. But beneath that language of appreciation was a clear electoral proposition: that the goodwill generated by the governor’s performance should be extended to Ogbuekwe and the APC candidates at the September 26 local government election.
In Ward 1, the proceedings opened with a prayer by Chief Joe Nwuko, followed by the traditional presentation of kolanut and prayers by Blessed Sunny.
The gathering brought together a broad spectrum of political and community figures, including the APC Deputy Chairmanship candidate, Hon. Paul Okwor; Director-General of the Mmirioma Campaign Council, Hon. Prince Chukwuemeka Nwatu; Nkanu East APC leadership; the Local Government Party Chairman, Hon. Abel Igwe, popularly known as Agege; Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Hon. Williams Chukwu; Dr. Kenechukwu Nnamani; Hon. Afam Edeh; Barr. Ngozi Ogbonna, former Deputy Chairman of Nkanu East; Prince Arinze Arum; Nara stakeholders; Youth Leader Theophilus Nwaedem; and former representative of Nkanu East State Constituency, Hon. John Anichukwu, among others.
Welcoming the campaign train, the Ward Chairman, Dr. Kenechukwu Nnamani, declared the ward’s support for the APC and its candidates.
Rt. Hon. John Nwankwo, Hon. Williams Chukwu and other stakeholders also welcomed the delegation, with several speakers arguing that the people of Nara had witnessed sufficient evidence of the governor’s development agenda to make their political choice.
Hon. Williams Chukwu pledged his support for Ogbuekwe and the APC campaign and announced a donation of ₦100,000 towards the campaign effort. In another gesture of solidarity, Barr. Chief Joshua Mbah presented a substantial ram in support of the campaign.
Addressing the gathering, Nkanu East APC Chairman, Hon. Abel Igwe, acknowledged the dignitaries and stakeholders and described the meeting as a conversation among members of one political family rather than an ordinary campaign rally.
He appealed to the electorate to support Ogbuekwe and the APC councillorship candidates on September 26, while also calling for continued support for Governor Mbah and other APC candidates in the 2027 general election.
Igwe subsequently presented the APC flag to the party’s councillorship candidate for Nara Ward 1, Hon. David Nwoye.
Nwoye expressed appreciation to the party and the people of Nara Ward 1 for the acceptance accorded him and urged the electorate to translate their support into votes on election day.
The Director-General of the Mmirioma Campaign Council, Hon. Prince Chukwuemeka Nwatu, commended the APC for choosing Ogbuekwe as its chairmanship candidate and urged the people of Nara to support the party’s candidates across the ballot.
He specifically canvassed support for Ogbuekwe, Governor Peter Mbah, Senator Kelvin Chukwu, Rt. Hon. Nnolim Nnaji and Hon. Okey Mbah.
Then came Ogbuekwe, the principal actor in the day’s political conversation.
Acknowledging the people of Nara for turning out despite the rain, he thanked the community stakeholders and members of the campaign entourage, including his running mate, Hon. Paul Okwor.
Ogbuekwe said the development initiatives of Governor Mbah had raised the standard of political expectations in Enugu State and given the APC a basis upon which to seek the confidence of the electorate.
His proposition was direct: if elected chairman of Nkanu East, he would seek to reproduce at the local government level the development orientation he attributed to the Mbah administration.
“We are going to copy what Peter Mbah is doing in Enugu State and paste it in Nkanu East,” he said.
He promised to pursue greater development across Nkanu East and urged the people to support the APC candidates from the State House of Assembly to the National Assembly and the governorship.
The campaign train later proceeded to Nara Ward 2, where the reception was equally marked by a strong turnout despite the continuing rain.
Among those present were former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Bishop Ralph Nwoye; the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Market Liaison, Hon. Dr. Chinedu Mbah; party leaders, community stakeholders and members of the campaign council.
The Ward Chairman, Hon. Chinonso Chukwu, welcomed the delegation and declared the ward’s support for the APC candidates.
Hon. Femi Okube said Governor Mbah’s development initiatives had made the APC’s campaign easier in Nara, while Mrs. Chinelo Okafor pledged support for Ogbuekwe and the party.
Hon. Chidi Edenta similarly acknowledged the delegation and commended what he described as the positive impact of Governor Mbah’s administration, arguing that the governor’s record had strengthened the APC’s prospects in the community.
The President-General of Nara, Chief Emmanuel Edeani, appreciated the dignitaries and stakeholders and pledged support for the APC candidates.
Chief Bonny Edeh described Ogbuekwe as a brother, friend and credible candidate deserving of the community’s support.
Dr. Henry Ogbani brought a historical dimension to the gathering, noting that Nara had produced two deputy governors of Enugu State. He urged Ogbuekwe to remain focused and, if elected, follow the development trajectory associated with Governor Mbah.
Hon. Ezekiel Chukwu also welcomed the stakeholders and expressed his support for the APC candidates.
Former Nkanu East Local Government Secretary, Hon. Emeka Ogbonna, described Ward 2 as politically organised and pledged strong support for the APC candidates on election day. He also prayed for Ogbuekwe, urging him to remain humble and committed to service.
For Hon. Dr. Chinedu Mbah, the rain had failed to discourage the people from turning out for the engagement. He expressed confidence in the community’s support for Ogbuekwe, the APC and Governor Mbah, while commending the governor’s interventions in the area.
He said Ogbuekwe would be expected to build on the development direction of the state government if elected chairman of Nkanu East.
Former Deputy Governor Bishop Ralph Nwoye welcomed the Mmirioma campaign train to Nara and commended the stakeholders and residents for their turnout.
He urged the people to translate their declarations into votes on September 26 and support Ogbuekwe and the APC councillorship candidates.
Nwoye also acknowledged the development record of Governor Mbah and called for continued support for the party, concluding his remarks with a prayer for responsible leadership and progress in the community.
The Nkanu East APC Chairman subsequently presented the party’s flag to the Ward 2 councillorship candidate, Nwokafor Collins, in the presence of the gathering.
Mrs. Blessing Edeh added a cultural dimension to the occasion with praise songs in honour of the visiting dignitaries and stakeholders.
When Ogbuekwe addressed the Ward 2 gathering, he thanked the people of Nara for their steadfastness and for braving the rain to receive his campaign team.
He praised Governor Mbah’s administration and highlighted the smart schools and healthcare projects across the wards as examples of what he believes can be adapted to the local government level.
Ogbuekwe said the APC’s decision to nominate him was an opportunity to bring the governor’s development philosophy closer to the people of Nkanu East.
Again, he returned to his central pledge: to “copy and paste” what he described as the governor’s development model in Nkanu East.
He promised to work with Nara indigenes in the diaspora towards the development of Nara Market and other community initiatives, while assuring the people that development would remain central to his administration if elected.
He also urged the electorate to support Hon. Okey Mbah for the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Nnolim Nnaji for the House of Representatives, Senator Kelvin Chukwu for the Senate and Governor Peter Mbah.
Ogbuekwe further referenced a pledge by Hon. Nnolim Nnaji to facilitate one transformer for each ward in Nkanu East.
Taken together, the two Nara engagements offered the APC campaign a significant grassroots platform as the September 26 local government election draws closer.
The political argument advanced in both wards was remarkably consistent: Governor Mbah’s development record, according to the stakeholders, has altered the political conversation and strengthened the case for continuity within the APC.
But politics has a way of separating applause from action. Endorsements can fill a campaign ground; only the ballot can convert them into a mandate.
For now, Nara has made its declarations. Ogbuekwe has made his promises. The APC has presented its case.
On September 26, the people will have the final word.
Okpara Augustinepaul Obinna
Correspondent, Mmirioma Media, Nkanu East
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