The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Ogbuekwe

  • Nkanu East: APC Campaign Ends in Nkerefi as Leaders Rally Support for Ogbuekwe

    Nkanu East: APC Campaign Ends in Nkerefi as Leaders Rally Support for Ogbuekwe

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State has rounded off its campaign tour with a grand finale in Nkerefi Ward 1, home ward of the party’s chairmanship candidate, Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe.

    The event, held on Monday, September 21, attracted APC leaders, political appointees, community stakeholders and supporters, who rallied behind Ogbuekwe ahead of the September 26 local government election.

    The gathering also featured calls for continued support for Governor Peter Mbah’s administration and the APC at the grassroots.

    Prof. GOC Ajah, Chairman of the Enugu State Civil Service Commission, told the gathering that Mbah had done what he could and called on residents to support the governor and the APC.

    “Mbah has done all that he can. It’s now for us to support him. It’s APC from top to bottom. Nkerefi has no problem. We are targeting the first position. Nkerefi will reciprocate Mbah’s goodwill to us in the fullness of time,” he said.

    Commissioner for Lands, Barr. Chimaobi Okoli, said the gathering was an opportunity to appreciate the people of Nkanu East rather than simply campaign for votes.

    “We are not here for campaigns but to say thank you to the people of Nkanu East,” he said.

    Okoli also highlighted ongoing road construction by Mbah across the local government, saying the projects were reducing the difficulty residents previously faced travelling between communities.

    “There was a time Nkanu East appeared to be like four different local governments due to how lengthy the journey to move from one community to another was. But Mbah has shortened the journey by the ongoing construction of roads to link all parts of the local government,” he said.

    The Director-General of the Mmirioma Campaign Council, Emeka Nwatu, congratulated Nkerefi for producing Ogbuekwe, urging residents to take ownership of the campaign and the political project.

    The incumbent Nkanu East Chairman, Sydney Edeh, also pledged his support for Ogbuekwe, saying the candidate would receive the backing required for what he described as seamless continuity.

    “Mike will receive all the support he needs for a seamless continuity,” Edeh said.

    He further told the candidate: “Mike, you will go farther than the position of chairman. I thank Nkanu East for their support to me. Give same support to Mike Ogbuekwe and he won’t disappoint you.”

    Speaking at the event, Ogbuekwe expressed gratitude to the people of Nkanu East and acknowledged Nkerefi’s reported resolution to support the APC.

    “All I have is gratitude. Nkerefi is grateful to Nkanu East,” he said.

    He added: “We acknowledge Nkerefi’s resolution to vote APC. We will work very well to support Peter Mbah. We see Mbah’s works throughout Enugu State, including Nkanu East.”

    Earlier, Monday Diamond Ani, General Manager of the Community and Social Development Agency, called for prayers for Ogbuekwe’s success.

    The grand finale marked the conclusion of the APC’s campaign tour of Nkanu East ahead of the local government election scheduled for Saturday, September 26, 2026.

    The election will be conducted by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) across the state.

  • Ogbuekwe Receives Ofo, Community Leaders’ Backing as Grassroots Support Grows Ahead of Sept 26 LG Polls

    Ogbuekwe Receives Ofo, Community Leaders’ Backing as Grassroots Support Grows Ahead of Sept 26 LG Polls

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairmanship Candidate for Nkanu East Local Government Area, Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe, has received the traditional Ofo of Nkanu East and secured the backing of Presidents-General of various autonomous communities as grassroots consultations intensify ahead of the council election.

    The traditional rulers of Nkanu East presented the revered Ofo to Ogbuekwe as a symbol of confidence, goodwill, prayers and the responsibility associated with public leadership.

    Receiving the Ofo, Ogbuekwe expressed appreciation to the traditional rulers, describing the gesture as both an honour and a solemn reminder of the responsibility he would bear if elected.

    He pledged to lead with integrity, humility and accountability, while respecting the traditional institutions, cultural values and collective interests of the people of Nkanu East.

    Ogbuekwe also reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the development agenda of Governor Peter Mbah, saying the local government should complement the state government’s efforts rather than operate in isolation.

    He said that, if elected, his administration would work closely with traditional rulers, community leaders, youths, women and other stakeholders to translate the state’s development programmes into tangible benefits at the grassroots.

    The APC candidate’s engagement with community leaders also continued at the ALGON Office, where Presidents-General of various autonomous communities met with him to discuss the challenges and development needs of their communities.

    The community leaders expressed support for Ogbuekwe’s aspiration and pledged to work with him towards advancing the interests of the local government.

    Speaking during the engagement, Ogbuekwe said effective grassroots leadership must be built around listening to the people, maintaining open communication and working with communities to solve their problems.

    He urged community leaders to approach him directly whenever they have concerns, stressing that there should be no barriers between elected leaders and the people they represent.

    He thanked the Presidents-General for their confidence and reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining a close working relationship with traditional institutions and community leadership structures across Nkanu East.

    The engagements come as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2026 local government election, with Ogbuekwe increasingly positioning his campaign around grassroots participation, responsible leadership, accountability and development.

    The candidate described the presentation of the Ofo and the engagement with community leaders as a charge to serve, pledging to remain accessible and committed to the collective interest of the people.

    The developments add to a series of grassroots engagements by Ogbuekwe as he seeks the mandate to lead Nkanu East, with his campaign stressing partnership, continuity, inclusion and translating government policies into meaningful impact at the local level.

  • Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s drive to improve economies of rural communities is commendable-Engr. Ogbuekwe

    Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s drive to improve economies of rural communities is commendable-Engr. Ogbuekwe

    Engr Mike Ogbuekwe, who is the Special Adviser on Agriculture to the governor of Enugu state Rt Hon Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has commended his boss on his strides in developing the economy of rural communities in Enugu State.

    Speaking with Journalists, Engr Ogbuekwe pointed out that: “Firstly, rural communities contribute largely to the overall GDP of the state. Secondly, the economy of the rural communities are largely driven by the agriculture sector. Thirdly, a greater percentage of the population of Enugu State reside in the rural communities.

    “It is therefore imperative that His Excellency has paid attention to these communities so that the local economy can thrive. This is evident in the over 26km of road started by the Rural Access Mobility Program (RAMP)as earth roads but fully asphalted by His Excellency. This is in addition to lots of other rural roads built in many communities across Enugu State.

    “This road opens up farm communities which hitherto could never be accessed by road. Now these agrarian communities can bring out their farm produce easily and eliminate waste. Thereby increasing their income, making food more readily available and curbing food insecurity in the state.

    “This is in addition to various agriculture intervention programs through IFAD/ Value Chain Development Program and APPEALS Program. Gov Ugwuanyi has intervened in the agriculture sector through infrastructure, training and agro inputs supplies to our farmers.

    “So, when you intervene in the agriculture sector, which contributes over 90% of the GDP of those communities, you are definitely improving the economies of those communities.”

    Engr Mike Ogbuekwe, who is a son of Nkerefi in Nkanu East LG, has a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from UNN. He also has an MBA from the Enugu Business School, ESUT.

    He worked several years as a MW Drilling Engineer with Baker Hughes international in Nigeria and then the USA, before joining the public service with Anambra State government as a member of the Economic Think Tank, the SSA on Agriculture and finally, the pioneering Director General of Project Monitoring & Management Office while serving on various Executive Council committees.