Enugu chairmanship poll: APC sweeps LG seats as voters defy opposition vacuum

By Chinonso Val Dugwu 

ENUGU, September 26, 2026— Enugu State on Saturday concluded a local government Chairmanship and councillorship election that will be remembered less for a contest between rival parties than for the remarkable absence of one. Across several council areas, candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were elected or returned unopposed, in a poll that stakeholders described as a resounding endorsement of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s administration and, by extension, of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda in the South-East.

In Nsukka Local Government Area, incumbent Chairman Engr. Jude Asogwa was returned to office without a challenger, retaining the seat he currently occupies. In Igbo Eze North, Hon. Dr. Onyekachi Simon, popularly known as “Don Christ,” emerged as chairman-elect, also without opposition. A similar outcome played out in Udenu Local Government Area, where Hon. Dr. Innocent Ezeoha, known by his political sobriquet “Tekmore,” was elected unopposed as the incoming council helmsman.

Election observers noted that the absence of rival candidates did not translate into voter apathy. On the contrary, turnout across the affected councils was described by multiple stakeholders as unusually high for a local government poll — a detail that dominated reactions from party leaders, elected officials and monitoring teams alike.

“The Love Is Organic” — Asogwa Hails Nsukka Turnout

Speaking after his return, Engr. Jude Asogwa said the scale of participation had startled even seasoned observers, including a monitoring team that travelled from Abuja for the exercise. “The turnout was massive,” he said. “Just like the monitoring team that came from Abuja said, the love is organic, because you could see people — when you are running an election, first in history in Nsukka Local Government that are conducting a council election, and there is no opposition. Nobody is opposing. Free signal — everybody is with us.”

Asogwa said residents turned out not merely to vote but to safeguard the sanctity of their ballots. “The second one, people also came out in mass to make sure that their decision is protected, to make sure that their votes — they cast their votes and make sure that it was protected,” he said. “I was dumbfounded when I noticed the level of turnout. Not only that they came out, but they came out relaxed.”

Pledging continuity and improvement, the returned chairman said his administration would build on existing achievements while addressing gaps. “All I have to promise my people is commitment,” he said. “We are going to consolidate on what we have done. Where we need to improve, we improve. Where we need to amend, we amend. We are here to serve them and to key into the mission and vision of His Excellency, Barrister Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, the innovative governor — the governor that is driving Enugu, taking Enugu to the global map.”

Asogwa extended his commendation to the presidency, describing President Tinubu as a leader committed to genuine local government autonomy. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is somebody that has said, let the local government function and function properly,” he noted, adding that Governor Mbah had “keyed into it.” In an unusually personal tribute, he likened the governor to Singapore’s founding statesman, describing him as “the ‘Lee Kuan Yew’ of Enugu State — a leader with a passion, a leader with a love.”

Igbo Eze North: Simon Vows Peace and Unity After Unopposed Victory

In Igbo Eze North, chairman-elect Hon. Dr. Onyekachi Simon attributed his uncontested emergence to the confidence reposed in him by the state governor and the electorate. “I’m very happy today — not just being happy. His Excellency Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has given the good people of Igbo Eze North the free hand to choose their leader,” he said. “Our party is APC, and for the fact that the people came out in mass today to cast their vote, already the Renewed Hope agenda is on track. If they don’t believe in me, they wouldn’t have come out in their numbers to cast their votes.”

Simon emphasised party discipline as central to his emergence. “Party is supreme. I am the flag bearer of the APC candidate, meaning everything that I’m doing is in line with the party structure,” he said, thanking constituents for their support and promising not to disappoint them.

His immediate priority in office, he said, would be reconciliation within the local government. “First, I will ensure that peace returns to every community and ward, because I know currently what is happening. I will bring the people together, unite them, so that we can be able to move collectively.” He described governance as a continuum inherited from his predecessor. “Government is continuity. All I need to do is to do things right. If there are some areas that he couldn’t get right, it is my duty to put it right.”

Udenu’s Ezeoha: “First Time Other Parties Could Not Present Candidates”

In Udenu, chairman-elect Hon. Dr. Innocent Ezeoha said his uncontested victory marked a historic first for the council area, where rival political parties were unable to field candidates. “I feel delighted. All I will tell my people is that I will not disappoint them,” he said. “At least, this is the first time an election is conducted and other political parties could not present candidates. I appreciate my people.” Ezeoha thanked Governor Mbah “for finding me worthy of this position.”

Federal Lawmaker, Party Leaders Laud Turnout and Governor’s Performance

Reacting to the outcome, Hon. Dennis Agbo, federal House of Representatives member for Igbo Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency and widely known by his moniker “Mr. Integrity,” praised the peaceful conduct of the exercise and the enthusiasm of voters. “The turnout has been quite good, you can see for yourself. We’ve never had what I can call an impressive turnout for an election like this. It has been peaceful,” he said.

Agbo credited the APC’s grassroots mobilisation and cited federal government interventions in the South-East as drivers of goodwill toward the party. “We have spread the good news of the work that the president is doing — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has given us the next Chief of Naval Staff, who has given us the first indigenous Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, who has given us this road, who has had this kind of very robust relationship with Enugu State that has given us so much benefit,” he said. He further praised Governor Mbah’s stewardship as “unprecedented,” describing the day’s turnout as evidence that “people have taken note of that and are solidly behind him.”

Also reacting, the APC South-East Zonal Woman Leader, Dr. Mrs. Obiagheli, expressed confidence in the newly elected officials and reaffirmed the party’s optimism heading into the 2027 general election. She commended Governor Mbah’s development record, citing landmark projects across the education, health and aviation sectors. “Coming to Enugu State, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah is a good market that sold himself. Is it the 260 smart schools? Is it the hospital? Is it the airport? Just a few days ago, our aircraft flew to Cameroon and came back,” she said, expressing hope that President Tinubu, Governor Mbah and other APC candidates would retain their positions in 2027.

Outgoing Igbo Eze North Chairman, Hon. Michael Uchenna Ogalla, was similarly upbeat about the party’s fortunes, urging residents to sustain their support for the APC. “APC is golden. You can’t afford looking for other things when they give you gold. APC has given us gold from the presidency to councillorship,” he said. 

A Poll Without Rivals, But Not Without Enthusiasm

Taken together, the reactions from stakeholders paint a picture of an election defined by consensus rather than contest. With Nsukka’s Asogwa returned and Igbo Eze North’s Simon and Udenu’s Ezeoha elected without opposition, questions may yet arise in political circles about the competitiveness of local government democracy in the state. For now, however, the dominant narrative from officials and party leaders is one of unity, high voter engagement, and continued alignment with the development agendas of both Governor Mbah and President Tinubu.