Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has approved the appointment of 23 Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants to support his administration in various areas of governance.

The appointments, contained in a Public Service Announcement signed by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, take effect immediately.
Nine of the appointees were appointed Special Advisers, while 14 were appointed Senior Special Assistants.

Among those appointed as Special Advisers are Hon. Chukwudi Ezinwa, Labour Union and Association Matters; Hon. Sunday Nnamani (Orlando), Special Duties; Mr. Williams Chukwu, Agriculture; Prince Afam Agana, Infrastructure Compliance; and Humphrey Onyima, Investment Strategy and Public Relations.

Others are Hon. Tony Ugwu, Rural Development; Chief Ernest Nweze, Party Coordination and Mobilisation; Hon. Emeka Onunze, Monitoring and Evaluation; and Mr. Robinson Odo (mni), Labour and Productivity.

Those appointed as Senior Special Assistants include Pastor Kenneth Asogwa (Ebube Muonso), Heritage and Community Relations; Pastor Tochukwu Ogbodo, Social Engagement; Barr. Lucky Chukwu, Public Affairs; Belonwu Nnaji, Cultural Orientation; and Hon. Steve Odo, Tourism.

Also appointed are Hon. Francis Ikewette Ede, Public Communication; Mr. Sunny Okafor, General Duties; Hon. Chinedu Okwu Otaka, Social Orientation and Mobilisation; Otaba Cosmas Ikechukwu, Protection of Public Utilities; Pius Okeagu, Assets Management; and Rt. Hon. Innocent Emeka Ugwu, Inter-Party Affairs.

The remaining appointees are Mrs. Eucharia Offor, Human Resource Management; Mr. Kenneth Oforma, Policy and Communication; and Kelvin Ede, Research and Strategy.

The state government said the appointments are effective immediately.

The new appointments are expected to strengthen the administration’s capacity across key sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, investment, labour, rural development, public communication, tourism, human resources and community relations.

The full statement:

ENUGU STATE GOVERNMENT

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

The Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has approved the appointment of the following persons as Special Advisers (SPAs) and Senior Special Assistants (SSAs):

1. *Hon. Chukwudi Ezinwa* — Special Adviser on Labour Union and Association Matters

2. *Hon. Sunday Nnamani (Orlando)* — Special Adviser on Special Duties

3. *Mr. Williams Chukwu* — Special Adviser on Agriculture

4. *Prince Afam Agana* — Special Adviser on Infrastructure Compliance

5. *Humphrey Onyima* — Special Adviser on Investment Strategy and Public Relations

6. *Hon. Tony Ugwu* — Special Adviser on Rural Development

7. *Chief Ernest Nweze* — Special Adviser on Party Coordination and Mobilisation

8. *Hon. Emeka Onunze* — Special Adviser on Monitoring and Evaluation

9. *Mr. Robinson Odo (mni) — Special Adviser on Labour and Productivity*

10. *Pastor Kenneth Asogwa (Ebube Muonso)* — Senior Special Assistant on Heritage and Community Relations

11. *Pastor Tochukwu Ogbodo* — Senior Special Assistant on Social Engagement

12. *Barr. Lucky Chukwu* — Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs

13. *Belonwu Nnaji* — Senior Special Assistant on Cultural Orientation

14. *Hon. Steve Odo* — Senior Special Assistant on Tourism

15. *Hon. Francis Ikewette Ede* — Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication

16. *Mr. Sunny Okafor* — Senior Special Assistant on General Duties

17. *Hon. Chinedu Okwu Otaka* — Senior Special Assistant on Social Orientation and Mobilisation

18. *Otaba Cosmas Ikechukwu* — Senior Special Assistant on Protection of Public Utilities

19. *Pius Okeagu* — Senior Special Assistant on Assets Management

20. *Rt. Hon. Innocent Emeka Ugwu* — Senior Special Assistant on Inter-Party Affairs

21. *Mrs. Eucharia Offor* — Senior Special Assistant on Human Resource Management

22. *Mr. Kenneth Oforma* — Senior Special Assistant on Policy and Communication

23. *Kelvin Ede — Senior Special Assistant on Research and Strategy*

The appointments take effect immediately.

Signed:
Prof. Chidiebere Onyia
Secretary to the Enugu State Government

Wednesday, 19th August, 2026

Suspected thugs on Wednesday attacked the convoy of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, shortly after his visit to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, triggering an exchange of gunfire with the governor’s security personnel.

The shooting, which lasted for about 12 to 15 minutes, occurred shortly after Adeleke left the palace hall where he had met with the monarch.

Adeleke had arrived at the Ataoja’s palace at about 3:15 pm in a motorcade of about 20 vehicles after leaving the Osun State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osogbo, where he received his Certificate of Return following his re-election.

An eyewitness, who spike on the telephone on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said Adeleke and his entourage were received by Oyetunji, where the governor reportedly presented his Certificate of Return to the monarch.

The eyewitness said trouble started as the meeting was winding down after the monarch had offered prayers.

According to her, Adeleke had already left the hall through an exit reserved for the monarch and his wives when the shooting started.

She said, “He was already in the bus that brought him and his close aides to the palace when we started hearing heavy gunshots. Those that attacked had come in an unregistered Sienna space bus through the Ita Olokan area of Osogbo.

“The shooting lasted for about 12 to 15 minutes before the governor’s convoy eventually left the palace. The governor’s security men and those hoodlums exchanged gunshots. Those hoodlums later fled the scene.”

A trader near the palace, identified simply as Munirat, said the assailants might have learnt of Adeleke’s visit and waited for his arrival.

She said, “We suspected that those hoodlums heard about Adeleke’s visit and had been waiting for him. They came in a Sienna space bus. They even damaged the main gate to the palace. They shot at the palace main gate, but the security men pushed them back.

“We all ran away and left our wares. They also engaged the governor near the Osogbo Central Mosque before they fled towards Ita Olokan along the Osogbo-Ilesa Road.”

The incident caused panic in the area as traders and other residents reportedly fled their businesses and sought safety during the shooting.

When contacted, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the attack.

Alimi said the governor’s security personnel successfully repelled the assailants and that no casualty was recorded.

“They are hoodlums, and the governor’s security repelled them. They attacked the governor’s convoy at Ataoja’s palace. No casualty,” he said.

As of 4:45 pm, when our correspondent left the scene, sporadic gunshots were still being heard around the area, while several business owners had hurriedly shut their shops for fear of being caught in the violence.

Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has said the outcome of the Osun State governorship election has laid the foundation for what Nigerians should expect in the 2027 general elections.

Dalung, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday. He argued that the Osun election had demonstrated that the influence of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), including what he described as “federal might,” could be defeated at the polls.

According to Dalung, the outcome of the election was a confirmation of his earlier prediction about the 2027 presidential election.

“What happened in Osun is a confirmation of what I said two years ago, that even if Tinubu appointed his wife, Remi Tinubu, as Chief Justice of Nigeria and appointed Seyi, his son, as INEC chairman, he is going to be defeated woefully in 2027,” he said.

Dalung said the Osun election had shown that the political structures and influence of the ruling party could not automatically guarantee victory.
“When the election in Osun has come and gone, it has laid the foundation that is going to play out in 2027. The issue of federal might, incumbency, APC being the party in government, has already been put to rest because Nigerians in Osun have proved that there is determination to defend democracy,” he said.

Dalung further argued that the presence of several political heavyweights and government officials in Osun did not translate into electoral victory for the APC.

“Despite the federal might, despite the 30 governors, 45 members of the National Assembly, national chairman, Senate president, Speaker, all congregating in Osun, APC suffered a humiliating defeat,” he said.

The ex-minister also criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his comments following the election, arguing that Wike should explain the resources deployed by the APC during the campaign instead of blaming the ADC.

“I think reacting to that is what my friend, the Minister of FCT, is trying to cover up. The share of how they lost in Osun, and so for him, he can relocate that blame to look at the ADC. But why is he not talking of the huge mobilisation resources from all the states wasted there and the humiliating loss APC suffered?” he asked.

Dalung maintained that the Osun result was significant because, in his view, it demonstrated that political power and government structures alone could not determine electoral outcomes.

He also disputed any suggestion that the ADC was responsible for the APC’s defeat in Osun, stressing that the party was not responsible for the outcome.

Dalung further said the 2027 presidential election would ultimately be about the choice Nigerians make at the ballot box rather than simply a contest between President Tinubu and opposition parties.

“2027 is not going to be an issue of Tinubu; it is not even going to be an issue of opposition. No. But the man Nigerians are going to be electing in 2027,” he said.

He also identified regional considerations and the performance of the president as factors that could influence the 2027 election.

“In 2027, regionalism is going to be a factor in the determination of the election. In 2027, too, the President’s performance is going to be an issue,” said the former minister.

Dalung said he remained convinced that Tinubu would ultimately be defeated, arguing that the governors who had moved into the APC would not be enough to secure victory for the president.

“But on the overall, the President will be defeated woefully because he has assembled the people who have also abandoned the people. The governors whom he has brought to his party can never bail him out. It has been established in Osun. Their gatherings were gatherings of mourners,” he said.

Beyond the 2027 election, the former minister criticised what he described as poor leadership and urged political office holders to prioritise Nigerians and their constitutional responsibilities.

“If we have leaders that believe in the people and believe in their oath of office and know that the Constitution imposes on them an obligation that they should protect lives and property and the social wellbeing of the people, they will definitely do that,” Dalung said.

He also warned political leaders against concentrating on wealth accumulation at the expense of leaving a positive legacy.

“If we have leaders who have conscience, who know that all this money they are busy stockpiling, one day they will depart this earth without anything, they will concentrate on building a legacy that they will be remembered for,” he said. (Channels)