From Sylvia Udegbunam Enugu

Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah has declared an emergency on the Nsukka-Adani Road, describing it as a critical economic corridor and promising to commence work on it before the end of the month.

Mbah also said that with the rains receding, his administration would commence the construction of the Edem-Nrobo-Abbi-Nimbo Road in earnest.

This was even as he took a swipe at his opponents in the 2027 governorship race, accusing them of wasting precious time in Abuja shopping for shortcuts and ways to compromise the polls rather than face the people of Enugu to canvass programmes that would benefit the state.

He spoke at Adani and Ugbene Ajima during a campaign tour of Ogboli and Igbo-Ano Development Centres in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.

On the Nsukka-Adani Road, Mbah said, “We have committed to doing the Nsukka-Adani Road. But I think that that road is now a matter of utmost urgency. We cannot wait for another season. We are sending contractors immediately to that road. We are going to fix that road. So, before the end of this month, we are going to move contractors there,” he pledged.

The Governor, while thanking the people for voting for him in the 2023 governorship election, expressed happiness that the issue of insecurity in the area had been well addressed.

He said the Smart Schools initiative would introduce the children of Enugu State to contemporary skills and prepare them for the present and future global economy.

Meanwhile, Mbah recalled that his opponents were yet to present any manifesto because they had nothing to offer, adding that they only specialised in multiple certificate forgery.

The Governor also made a stopover at Our Lady Health of the Sick Maternity Hospital (Arụ Ike Ndi Ọya), Adani, where he cleared all the medical bills of patients, running into millions, and also promised to equip the facility to the standard of the state’s Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centre, in addition to providing ultrasound equipment.

In their speeches, Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; Senator Ikeje Asogwa; Council Chairman of Uzo Uwani, Barr. Chijioke Ezegwu; Director General of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Enugu, Campaign Council, Chief Charlie Mbah; Nollywood star, Rachael Okonkwo (Nkoli Nwa Nsukka), among others, commended the Governor for the tremendous development recorded in the state under his leadership, promising to support the, APC from top to bottom.

They acknowledged that the development challenges he inherited could be solved in three years and a few months, noting that the important thing was that he was delivering on his campaign promises at great speed.

Other stalwarts present include Senator Chukwuka; Deputy DG of Enugu APC Campaign Council, Dr. Dan Shere; House of Representatives candidate for Igbo Etiti/Uzo Uwani Federal Constituency, Hon. Cornelius Onwubuya; Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Dr. Patrick Ubru; Member representing Uzo Uwani State Constituency, Hon. Chukwuma Ekwueme.

Mbah, who was warmly received by the students of Santa Maria Nursery and Primary School, Adani, pledged to construct a classroom block and set up an innovation hub for the school.

From Francis Sadhere, Delta

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has called for massive support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, expressing confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would secure victory across the country.

Oborevwori made the call on Tuesday during the APC campaign train’s visits to Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South-West and Otor-Udu in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, where he urged party members to intensify grassroots mobilisation in support of Tinubu and other APC candidates.

The governor said the growing political unity among party leaders, stakeholders and supporters in Delta State was a positive development for the APC’s 2027 electoral ambitions.

He maintained that the party’s target of winning all elective positions would require sustained mobilisation, cooperation among stakeholders and effective engagement with voters at the grassroots.

At Ogbe-Ijoh, Oborevwori highlighted the significance of the growing understanding between the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities, expressing hope that their solidarity would reflect in electoral support for Tinubu and other APC candidates.

He also drew attention to infrastructure projects executed by his administration in Warri South-West, noting that despite the difficult terrain, his government had continued to implement development projects in the area.

At Otor-Udu, the governor reiterated the need for political unity, saying the people must work together to advance the party’s electoral objectives.

“Today, I am not surprised by what I am seeing because I know the people of Udu. We are witnessing an unprecedented level of unity among our people. The leaders, youths and stakeholders have come together,” he said.

He urged party supporters to take the APC’s campaign message to every ward, community and household, stressing that the party’s proposed 5/5 victory depended on effective grassroots mobilisation.

“We are working towards an APC 5/5 victory, and that can only happen when we remain united, mobilise effectively and take our message to every ward, community and household,” he added.

Oborevwori also assured Udu residents that his administration would sustain its development interventions, pointing to completed and ongoing road and infrastructure projects across the local government.

Earlier, Director-General of the Delta APC Campaign Council, Senator James Manager, called on Warri South-West residents to demonstrate their support for Tinubu and Oborevwori through massive votes in the 2027 elections.

Manager said both leaders deserved another four-year mandate to consolidate their respective administrations’ achievements.

The Delta South and Delta Central APC chairmen, Prince Emmanuel Amgbaduba and Chief Paulinus Akpeki, respectively, also called for support for the party, expressing confidence in its prospects across the two senatorial districts.

At the Udu rally, Deputy Director-General of the State Campaign Council, Chiedu Ebie, urged party members to remain united and committed to the campaign.

The rally also witnessed the return of former member representing Udu Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Collins Egbetamah, to the APC, alongside Frank Muwhen Magamu.

Egbetamah described his return as a personal decision, insisting that it was neither induced nor forced. He pledged to work with other party leaders towards the party’s success.

The governor was accompanied by his wife, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori; Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, and his wife, Lady Catherine, among other party leaders and stakeholders.

The APC State Chairman, Chief Solomon Arenyeka, presented party flags to the party’s candidates in Warri South-West and Udu, as the campaign train continued its mobilisation activities across Delta State.

By Pius Mordi

Democracy thrives on competition, tolerance, freedom of expression and the willingness of those in power to accommodate dissenting voices. It is built on the understanding that political power is not a personal inheritance, nor is government authority a licence to intimidate, suppress or eliminate opposing views.

Unfortunately, the growing tendency among some state governors to deploy the instruments of state power against opposition parties raises serious concerns about the health of our democracy.

What should ordinarily be a contest of ideas, policies and leadership alternatives is increasingly being reduced to a struggle for political survival, with those in government seemingly determined to make opposition politics difficult, expensive and, in some instances, dangerous.

The conduct of some governors suggests an alarming misunderstanding of their constitutional responsibilities. Rather than seeing themselves as custodians of the democratic space for all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, they appear to regard the state as an extension of their political parties.

This attitude is dangerous because the state belongs to everyone, not merely those who occupy government offices. A governor is elected to serve the entire population, including critics, political opponents and members of rival political parties.

One particularly disturbing manifestation of this overreach is the imposition of outrageous fees on opposition parties seeking to advertise their candidates and political messages on billboards. While governments and relevant regulatory authorities have legitimate responsibilities to regulate outdoor advertising, ensure public safety and collect reasonable statutory charges, such regulations must not become instruments of political persecution.

When billboard fees are deliberately inflated to discourage opposition parties from communicating with voters, the exercise ceases to be ordinary regulation and becomes an abuse of public authority.

It is difficult to justify a situation where political parties with limited financial resources are confronted with prohibitive advertising charges simply because they are not aligned with the ruling party. Such practices create an uneven playing field and undermine the principle that every political party should have a fair opportunity to present its programmes and candidates to the electorate. Political advertising should be regulated by transparent, consistent and reasonable standards, not manipulated to favour those in power.

Equally troubling is the reported denial of public venues to opposition parties for political rallies, meetings and campaign activities. Public facilities are established and maintained with taxpayers’ money.

They should not become the exclusive property of the ruling party or be treated as political assets reserved for those who control the government. Where an opposition party satisfies the applicable requirements for using a public facility, there should be no justification for denying it access on account of its political identity.

The right to peaceful assembly and association is constitutionally protected. Governors and their administrations must understand that allowing opposition parties to hold rallies is not an act of generosity or political favour.

It is an obligation that flows from the democratic and constitutional order. Denying opposition parties access to public spaces while making such facilities readily available to the ruling party exposes the hypocrisy of preaching democracy while practising political exclusion.

Even more alarming are reports of physical attacks on opposition politicians, supporters and party members during political activities. This is perhaps the most dangerous dimension of the growing intolerance within our political environment.

No disagreement over political ideology, party affiliation or electoral ambition should ever justify violence. Political opponents are not enemies of the state, and they must never be treated as such.

The use of thugs, intimidation and physical violence to disrupt opposition activities represents a direct assault on democracy. It creates an atmosphere of fear in which citizens may become reluctant to participate in political activities or openly express support for candidates of their choice.

More disturbing is the danger of political violence escalating into wider communal tensions, especially when perpetrators enjoy protection, encouragement or tacit approval from powerful political actors.

Governors must be reminded that they bear a special responsibility for maintaining law and order within their states. They cannot claim to be champions of peace while political opponents are attacked and their activities disrupted.

Security agencies must remain professional, impartial and committed to protecting all citizens, irrespective of their political affiliations. Any governor who uses the influence of office to encourage, tolerate or shield political violence undermines the very institution he or she is constitutionally entrusted to protect.

The cumulative effect of these actions is the gradual shrinking of democratic space. When opposition parties are financially suffocated through outrageous fees, denied access to public venues, prevented from advertising their candidates and exposed to physical attacks, the result is an electoral environment in which the ruling party enjoys an unfair and potentially overwhelming advantage. Elections under such circumstances risk becoming exercises in political dominance rather than genuine contests of popular choice.

It is important to stress that democracy is not measured merely by the frequency with which elections are conducted. It is measured by the fairness of the process, the freedom available to competing political parties and the extent to which citizens can make informed choices without intimidation or coercion.

An election in which the opposition is systematically weakened before voters even get to the polling stations cannot fully reflect the democratic aspirations of the people.

The responsibility for addressing this troubling situation does not rest with opposition parties alone. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the judiciary, the police, civil society organisations, the media and other democratic institutions must demonstrate greater vigilance.

Regulatory agencies must ensure that billboard charges are reasonable, transparent and uniformly applied. Public facilities must be made accessible to all political parties under equal conditions. Allegations of political intimidation and violence must be investigated promptly, and perpetrators must face the full consequences of the law.

Governors who are genuinely confident in their leadership should have nothing to fear from opposition parties. Their achievements, policies and vision for development should speak for them. They should welcome scrutiny, encourage robust political debate and allow voters to compare competing alternatives. Democracy is not weakened by a strong opposition; it is strengthened by one.

Ultimately, the greatest test of democratic leadership is not how effectively those in power silence their critics, but how generously they protect the rights of those who disagree with them. Political offices are temporary, but the institutions and democratic values we build must endure.

Governors must therefore resist the temptation to turn public office into an instrument of political domination. They must understand that their mandate does not confer ownership of the state or the right to determine which political parties deserve to exist and operate freely. The opposition has a legitimate place in our democracy, just as the ruling party does.

The time has come to draw a clear line against political intolerance, administrative high-handedness and the abuse of state power. Nigeria cannot build a credible democracy on the foundation of intimidation, exclusion and fear. A democracy that protects only the ruling party is no democracy at all.

The political space must remain open, competitive and accessible to all, because the ultimate owners of democracy are not governors or political parties, but the people.