By Sebastine Okafor, Ph.D.
As the 2026 National Convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) gets nearer, it is time to consolidate the advancement made so far by the party in Enugu State by choosing someone who transformed the party into what it is now and understands the politics of the state so as to deliver the President in 2027.
Before President Tinubu’s emergence as the flagbearer of the party, Dr. Ben was already preaching about him to APC delegates. Seeing this, certain elements in the party in Enugu, such as the former state chairman and the current Deputy National Chairman South, clamped down on him and together illegally expelled him in May 2022 for preaching Tinubu’s message. Yet, his vision manifested in June of that same year when Tinubu was elected as the party’s flagbearer.
Again, prior to the 2023 general elections, Dr. Ben Nwoye was the first to open an office for the Tinubu campaign in 2022, ahead of the 2023 general elections, and set up an organic campaign structure where he was preaching the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The office was opened on the 29th of August, 2022, at Independence Layout, Enugu, where hundreds of people came out en masse to embrace it, but the same people started fighting him to an extent that police were sent to harass people working in the campaign office.
Dr. Nwoye did not relent in preaching the message of Mr. President, even during the election when the APC had no agents in many polling units. He was seen mobilizing for Mr. President with his personal money, unlike those who erected billboards that lasted for only 48 hours because the President was coming.
Dr. Nwoye is a known Tinubuist dating back to his days in the ACN and has all it takes to take the APC to greater heights in the South East. What many do not know is that he is a well-trained democrat who believes strongly in impact, and with the support of the delegates and party leaders, a new APC in the South is possible.
Dr. Ben Nwoye also played a major role in building the APC structure in Enugu State during his time as the state chairman. At a period when the party was struggling for survival in the state, he moved from one local government area to another to organize meetings, reconcile aggrieved members, and encourage young people to join the party. His leadership helped the party to establish functional ward, local government, and state structures that later became the foundation for future political activities.
He also encouraged internal democracy within the party by allowing members to express their views during meetings and congresses. Many young politicians in Enugu State today had their first opportunity to participate actively in party politics under his leadership, of which I am one of the beneficiaries. It is Dr. Ben Nwoye who promoted the APYF in the state and gave us the support that made most of our members part of what we are taking charge of today. His approach made the party attractive to many people who were previously outside the APC family.
However, politics apart, Dr. Nwoye is known for mentoring young leaders and promoting political education among party members, where he attends radio programmes across the state to sensitize the people on issues of governance, especially the policies and programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
These efforts have helped to keep the party active in the state despite the challenges it faces in the region. With such experience and understanding of the political environment in the South and beyond, many believe he remains the best candidate for the job.