The chairmanship campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Nkanu East Local Government Area, Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe, is gathering momentum, with residents of Ihuokpara and Mburumbu communities expressing support for his ambition and the Nkerefi traditional institution conferring the revered Ofo Staff of Authority on him.
The latest endorsements came as Ogbuekwe intensified his grassroots consultations across the local government, engaging residents, community leaders and traditional rulers ahead of the council election.
During his engagements in Ihuokpara and Mburumbu, Ogbuekwe met directly with residents, listened to their concerns and solicited support for his chairmanship bid, while also mobilising support for Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah and other APC candidates.
He urged the residents to participate actively in the democratic process and support the re-election of Governor Mbah, alongside APC candidates including Hon. Nnoli Nnaji, Hon. Okey Mbah and Senator Kevin Chukwu.
Ogbuekwe said the future of Nkanu East should be determined by the active participation of its people, promising that, if elected, his administration would remain accessible and responsive to the needs of communities across the local government.
The grassroots mobilisation was followed by a major traditional endorsement in Nkerefi, where the Nkerefi Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, in conjunction with the Four Towns Union and President-General of the Nkerefi Development Union, conferred the Ofo Staff of Authority on Ogbuekwe.
The ceremony, held in Nkerefi on Saturday, was described by the organisers as a demonstration of traditional support for his bid to become chairman of Nkanu East.
The presentation was performed collectively by the four traditional rulers of Nkerefi, led by HRH Igwe Luke Ogbuta Okorie of Imeoha Nkerefi, Chairman of the Council.
Others were HRH Igwe Emmanuel Onukwube of Enuogu Nkerefi; HRH Igwe Sunday Onyekwere of Ohuani Amofu Nkerefi; and HRH Igwe Christian Michael Ogbonna of Ishienu Amofu Nkerefi.
In their royal charge, the traditional rulers urged Ogbuekwe to remain committed to the development of Nkerefi and the wider Nkanu East, while encouraging him to emulate what they described as the transformative governance model of Governor Mbah by delivering people-oriented projects at the grassroots.
Responding, Ogbuekwe expressed gratitude to the traditional institution for the honour and confidence reposed in him, pledging to deploy his professional expertise and experience towards repositioning Nkanu East as a modern and prosperous local government.
He also acknowledged the achievements of Governor Mbah across Enugu State and said he would adopt similar development strategies to improve infrastructure and living standards in Nkanu East.
At Ihuokpara and Mburumbu, the Director-General of the Mmirioma Campaign Council said the campaign was focused on direct engagement with residents rather than political grandstanding.
He described the reception in the two communities as encouraging and urged residents to translate their support into active participation at the polls.
According to him, the campaign was designed to listen to the people, understand their concerns and build a partnership around the future of Nkanu East.
The DG also reaffirmed the campaign’s support for Governor Mbah and the APC, expressing confidence in Ogbuekwe’s capacity to provide purposeful leadership at the grassroots.
Speaking after the engagements, Ogbuekwe said his grassroots tour was not simply about asking for votes but about understanding the people and building relationships that would extend beyond the election.
He said he came to speak with the people and listen to them, stressing that ideas for the development of Nkanu East should come from those who live in its communities.
The APC candidate further urged residents to support Governor Mbah’s re-election and other APC candidates, describing the electoral process as an opportunity to consolidate what supporters of the administration regard as gains recorded in the state.
The latest endorsements add to Ogbuekwe’s wider grassroots campaign, which has focused on community participation, traditional leadership, accountability and alignment with the development agenda of the state government.