Gov Mbah may move against reelection bid of Anyayo Onwuegbu – source

Governor Peter Mbah is at crossroads as he weighs his party’s options in Enugu West zone, a reliable source from Lion Building says.

• Constituents lead fight against Reps member Anayo Onwuegbu over “Utara” machine empowerment

Despite its national appeal, the All Progressives Congress is a ‘new’ party in Enugu State, and the entire Southeast has understandably continued to look at it with great suspicion. When Mbah collapsed the People’s Democratic Party’s structures into it late last year, he made political gains but also exposed a lot to risks.

As primary elections of political parties starts in April, the governor is focused only on assembling “capable persons” with track record of winning.

“He [Gov Mbah ] is not allowing sentiments coming in on that. Only able and popular candidates with real political values that would be enlisted,” the source said.

Due to his “unpopularity among his people”, Hon Anayo Onwuegbu is being considered too unfit to participate in the governor’s team. And so Mbah “feels very strongly” that the lawmaker should be denied APC ticket.

For about two years, Onwuegbu has been at loggerhead with his constituents. According to several informal polls, majority of the voters feel that Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River constituency is in the “wrong hand”.

He has no grassroots appeal, and has retained frosty relationships with virtually all the major stakeholders in the constituency. Last week, he sponsored a protest against administration in Aninri. In Awgu and in his Oji-River council area, he is also not in good terms with the stakeholders.

In 2011, when Onwuegbu attempted to be governor, Barr Sullivan Chime defeated him. He went to court against Chime, but Federal High Court Abuja regarded his suit as foolish and slammed him a fine of ₦100,000 for disturbing the court before sending him out an empty loser.

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In December, 2014 Anyayo Onwuegbu betrayed his supporters, suddenly withdrawing from the gubernatorial race. He contested the Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River constituency seat in 2023 but, again, lost overwhelmingly to Labour Party’s Chijioke Okereke. However, PDP helped him and he allegedly bought the mandate with ₦200 million.

As battles for the 2027 elections draws closer, Peter Mbah wouldn’t want to partner with a serial loser, the Lion Building source said. By all standard, Anyayo Onwuegbu is a clear threat to Enugu APC. He has high tendency to flop again in elections that the party see as last battles for survival.

Governor Mbah is almost certain that the legislator will not be able to hold the line at his end and deliver the needed victory, the source continued, added that other critical stakeholders disliked the Onwuegbu for his trademark inordinate ambition.

FULL LIST: beneficiaries of Anayo Onwuegbu empowerment programme; a woman gets okada

It’s now four days after Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu gifted his loyalists with various items in an elaborate show he labelled “empowerment programme”. Yet his constituents are still talking about it with unusual interest.

But it’s a thing of interest, anyways. Particularly glaring are the names who received the gifts, and the gifts themselves.

• Why Rep Anayo Onwuegbu will still win in 2027 – Analysis
• Constituents lead fight against Reps member Anayo Onwuegbu over “Utara” machine empowerment

Info Wars reported that Onwuegbu, the House of Representatives of Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River constituency, shared fufu (utara egboro) pounding machines, knapsack sprayers, hand hair dryers, fertilisers, and motorcycles to his constituents.

Name of beneficiaries of Anayo Onwuegbu empowerment programme

1. Hon. Uche Ogbonna – fufu (utara egboro ) machine
2. Hon. Mark Ogbonna – maize seedlings
3. Hon. Jonathan Ivoke – sewing machine
4. ‘Elder Stateman’ – sewing machine
5. Hon. El Aja Ogbonna – Knapsack sprayer
6. Hon. Gabriel Ukpabi – Hand hair Dryer
7. Mrs. Gladys Chukwu – Motorcycle

Why we hate what Engr. Onwuegbu did – Okpanku Worldwide

Okpanku Worldwide, pressure group within the constituency, has issued warning that it would work against the lawmaker should he want to seek reelection in 2027.

In a phone chat with Info Wars by its President James Ajah, the group clarified the points it’s pained.

“I don’t have problems with giving people gifts; that’s good. But the benefactor ought to have considered the needs of those receiving those gifts beforehand.

“This man gave hair dryer to my brother, Hon Gabriel Ukpabi. What would he be doing with hair dryer? Unless he has told our Rep that he is dreaming of starting female hair salon business in coming days,” the President said.

It’s noteworthy that Gabriel Ukpabi served in the lofty position as the Secretary to the Local Government (SLG) of Aninri between 2022 and 2024. One time council Chairman and former Commissioner for Labour and Employment in Enugu State, Hon. Uche Ogbonna is not just a good man in many people’s definition but he is also a major stakeholder in Enugu West politics.

Also, Engr. Jonathan Ivoke, El Ajah, ‘Elder Stateman’, and Mark Ogbonna are well-meaning figures in several important circles.

“The worst of it is the utara egbolo machine [fufu pounding machine] given to some of our major stakeholders. Empowering a former council chairman with utara egboro machine is the height of the insult,” former aide to Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Cmr. Christian Onyeabor, said.

One Mrs Gladys Chukwu who is middle-aged received commercial motorcycle (Okada). Yet another woman, from Inyi Achi was given a bag of fertiliser.

Anyone examining the gifts and the beneficiaries would find the brains of a simpleton at work. For example, what would a full-time trader from Inyi Achi be doing with fertiliser in a dry season? Even in Aninri, which boasts of most fertile farmlands in the constituency, fertiliser is not anyone’s priority at this moment because planting season is long gone and the next one isn’t anywhere in sight.

Again, if Mrs Gladys Chukwu sells her Okada then the purpose of the empowerment is defeated. Would she now convert from petty trader to Okada rider? We’ll have to find out.

Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu, many times in the past, has proven that he understands nothing about representation. As next election season draws closer we’ll see whether or not he’ll respect himself by not seeking reelection.

Why Rep Anayo Onwuegbu will still win in 2027 – Analysis

As dates for campaigns for 2027 elections draw nearer, political hopefuls are getting serious with their calculations.

In Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River federal constituency plots, conspiracies and schemes are already underway; with them lie the thrills and betrayal that would spice the drama during the electioneering campaigns. But Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu, member representing the zone in the House of Representatives, has enormous advantages.

He has already joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside Governor Peter Mbah and others. Also, he has promised, or have started providing, support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term reelection bid. In other words, Engr. Onwuegbu is in the right and powerful circles both at the state and federal levels – an unequal advantage that makes him taller than any prospective opponents in the coming race.

But his strength will come mostly from the fact that most of the hopefuls that would be competing with him are plain idiots.

In Aninri, some persons can no longer hide their intent to challenge the lawmaker at the polls. One of them, deploying his loyalists on social media, has started badmouthing Engr. Onwuegbu, claiming that he is occupying the chance meant for the people of Aninri. This man’s strategy is easy to see through – he hopes to exploit people’s sentiments and unite the council area against Onwuegbu.

But that strategy shows the brains of a fool, and it’s not going to hold water. For one thing, the plan fails to consider the interests of one man who holds greatest influence in Aninri politics at the moment.

Emerging from the shadows, Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku rode to prominence when Governor Mbah “anointed” him candidate for Aninri chairmanship in August 2024. Since then, the young man, after winning, has worked tirelessly to fasten his grips to power.

Time and time again, he has said publicly his intentions for second-term in 2026. And he has the governor’s ears like no other Aninri chairman ever did, having secured his present position without the help of the so-called kingmakers in Aninri politics.

Governor Peter Mbah would be relying on Nwanjoku to win Aninri in 2027, and the young man is absolutely capable. All his plans are not known, but it certainly can’t be his plan to support anyone from Aninri to go to House of Representatives in 2027. He would be upsetting the existing status quo which he is benefiting well from.

Presently, powers are equitably shared among the three main micro-zones in Aninri. Engr. Magnus Edeh and Lloyd Ekweremadu – from Nenwe and Umunne-Ato zones – are State Assembly member and Commissioner for Youths and Sports respectively, while Prince Nwanjoku – from Oduma zone – is the chairman of the council.

Since the choice of the candidate for federal constituency would be decided early 2026, Nwanjoku is not likely to allow clannish prejudice to direct him. If he supports Aninri man going for House of Representatives he would be writing himself off as the chairmanship candidate in the next council elections around October 2026.

And the Ndumeze Prince, an ambitious person, is certainly not going to place anyone’s interests above his. His smartest moves must include working to foil any Aninri man’s attempt to replace Anayo Onwuegbu in 2027. If he does that, he himself would have ample opportunity to go for the seat in 2031.

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The chairman also knows that he cannot afford support a losing candidate. And, so far, all of them who are showing interest for Onwuegbu’s seat are losers going by their credentials.

A lot is still certain to change between now and the decision dates. But constant is the fact that Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku is a core, smart politician. If Governor Peter Mbah – the ultimate godfather – chooses to support Anayo Onwuegbu, Nwanjoku will deliver the lawmaker’s reelection bid with accuracy.

Constituents lead fight against Reps member Anayo Onwuegbu over “Utara” machine empowerment

House of Representatives member Anayo Onwuegbu is presently on the lips of his constituents – for bad.

In their thousands, angry and disillusioned voters have taken over all media platforms in the zone, overwhelming them with dirty invectives, questions and demands.

Onwuegbu, who represents Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River constituency in Enugu State, shared items this morning. Included in the gifts are motorcycles, knapsack sprayers, grinding machines and fufu (utara) pounding machines.

Whoever that inspired the idea obviously didn’t know anything about timing; nor did he understands the priorities of the people. As soon as the news about the “empowerment programme” broke, the constituents united in protests.

Apart from giving to his people what they may not necessarily need, the sharing was bias and ashamedly selective.

Also, the “empowerment” has a carelessly-hidden political undertone. Last month, the federal lawmakers vowed to “mobilise grassroots support for [Tinubu’s] second term”. Unfortunately, however, Anayo Onwuegbu lacks the kind of influence he is hoping to exert few months before the campaigns for 2027 elections kickstart. He is not in touch with the grassroots as several surveys has shown, and he is not in touch with the socioeconomic realities inside his constituency.

“Anayo Onwuegbu – do we know him? Yes, we know his name. But do we know him, I ask?” one furious constituent, Onyeka Igwe, spoke with Info Wars.

He lost abysmally to Labour Party’s Chijioke Okereke in the 2023 election. But the People’s Democratic Party – seeing the need to fight LP serious incursions in Enugu – went to court, wrenched the mandate from LP and placed it on Onwuegbu’s waiting hands.

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The ongoing backlashes would not just serve as a slap, but they also highlighted Onwuegbu’s emptiness and shown that he is a painful liability inside the circles of power brokers in the state.

His major opponents are only hoping that the protests reach ears of Governor Peter Mbah.