…As Nsukka LG boss, Asogwa bags Best Council Chairman Award

Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s transformational leadership and developmental strides took centre stage, yet again, as Enugu Media Village honoured him with an Award of Excellence for dedication to transformational leadership and outstanding governance.

This was even as the Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area, Engr. Jude Asogwa, emerged winner of the 2025/2026 Enugu State Best Performing Local Government Chairman Award, while Isi-Uzo Council Chairman, Barr. Obiora Obeagu came second in the poll.

The awards were presented during the organisation’s 2025/2026 Best Performing Local Government Chairman Poll and Leadership Recognition Ceremony, which took place at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.

Presenting the awards on behalf of the organisation, the Board of Trustees Chairman of Enugu Media Village and former Chairman of Awgu Local Government Area, Hon. Nnanna Nze, commended Governor Mbah for what he described as his remarkable transformation of the state in just three years.

Nze noted that the governor’s developmental strides in critical sectors of the economy had continued to attract commendation from residents and stakeholders.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Founder and Director General of Enugu Media Village, Mr. Kelvin Uche Edeh, described the organisation as a media platform established to promote developmental governance and ensure that information about government projects reaches the grassroots.

He noted that Governor Mbah had demonstrated that governance was a powerful tool for transforming communities and improving lives.

“Governor Peter Mbah has shown us that governance is about changing communities and transforming systems.

“We are committed to supporting developmental governance by ensuring that information reaches the grassroots across all local government areas,” Edeh stated.

Receiving the award, Governor Mbah said the honour belonged to members of his team and the entire people of Enugu State for entrusting their mandate to him.

He, however, said that the people of Enugu State had only seen a tip of the iceberg, as he remained committed to exceeding expectations in delivering more dividends of democracy to the people.

Mbah, who was represented by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze, said the people of Enugu State deserved only the very best, hence his insistence on excellence, innovation and high performance from members of his administration.

Another major highlight of the event was the emergence of Engr. Jude Asogwa, as winner of the 2025/2026 Enugu State Best Performing Local Government Chairman Award.

The poll, which featured all 17 local government areas of the state, recorded Nsukka Local Government Area as the overall winner with 110,447 votes, ahead of Isi Uzo, Uzo Uwani, Igbo Eze North and Enugu South LGAs, in that order.

In his acceptance speech, Engr. Asogwa, who dedicated the award to God, Governor Mbah, his family and the people of Nsukka, said the recognition reflected his Council’s commitment to delivering development to all 52 communities in the LGA.

He further reaffirmed Nsukka’s support for Governor Mbah’s re-election, citing the administration’s investments in the area such as 20 Smart Green Schools, 21 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres, dualization of the over 44.1-kilometre Enugu – Opi – Nsukka Road, the 52.2km Nguru – Lejja – Aku – Akpakume Nze – Egede – Affa – Eke road, and N1 billion oxygen plant, among other development projects designed to improve lives and grow Nsukka and Enugu North Zone’s economy.

“Let me just tell us that the secret of our performance is Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. He is a leader that supports the local government council chairmen. He is a governor who does not tamper with the allocations of the LGAs. That is the secret of the results you are seeing. In addition, he has delivered 267 Smart Schools and 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres in the 260 wards.

“So, Nsukka is for Governor Peter Mbah. Also, we had earlier decided as a zone that come 2027, we will support and deliver not only the governor but also President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose administration has contributed to the growth and development of our people, including the appointment of the first indigenous Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka,” he said.

The event also featured the presentation of Awards of Excellence to distinguished public office holders and leaders in recognition of their contributions to governance, leadership and public service.

Among the awardees were Senator Osita Ngwu, representing Enugu West Senatorial District; Senator Ikeje Asogwa, representing Enugu North Senatorial District; Hon. Chimaobi Sam Atu, representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency; Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; and Chie Chukwudi Nnaji.

Nigerian security forces have rescued more than 300 abducted people in what the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, hailed as the largest single-day hostage recovery in the country’s history.

The release was announced on Wednesday after a joint operation, conducted by the military, police and counter-terrorism units, freed victims held captive in the dense forests of the Kainji Lake national park in the north-central region.

Among those who regained freedom were 163 people abducted in February during a deadly raid on the village of Woro in Kwara state, and 145 others seized primarily from the neighbouring Niger state. Both states are flanked to the west by Benin, where militant attacks have been surging in recent times. Officials confirmed the survivors are receiving medical evaluations at an army installation before being reunited with their families.

“The successful execution of this intelligence-led operation demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among our security services,” Tinubu said in a statement on the presidency’s website.

“I commend our gallant men and women in uniform for their bravery and unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives.”

The government spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said the rescue operation was part of the president’s resolve to “restore lasting peace across every corner of the nation”.

In the last decade, kidnapping for ransom has become endemic in Africa’s most populous country, especially in the north where different armed groups including bandit gangs and jihadists roam large unoccupied forests and shrublands.

Between July 2024 and June 2025, at least 4,722 people were kidnapped across 997 reported incidents, leading to at least 762 deaths, according to a report by the Lagos-based geopolitical advisory SBM Intelligence. In that 12-month period, abductors demanded ₦48bn ($35m or £26m) in payments, with families and communities ultimately handing over at least ₦2.57bn in ransom to secure the release of their loved ones.

Ahead of January’s presidential election in which Tinubu is seeking a second four-year term, the government has been ramping up reforms and rescue operations as insecurity worsens.

The latest rescue was announced in the same week the army declared the governor of Islamic State West Africa Province, Abu Musa al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, and his deputy, Amirul Jaish Muhammad Jidda, wanted. The duo run the Islamic State-affiliated Boko Haram offshoot operating primarily around the Lake Chad basin, which straddles Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.

In July, security services freed at least 40 students and teachers who had been kidnapped in May from a school in Oyo in south-western Nigeria.

Last week, the presidency announced a salary increase worth 30% to 80% for thousands of soldiers, the largest hike in years for an army once seen as one of the continent’s most powerful but now derided as underfunded and unequipped to handle concurrent insurgencies across Nigerian territory.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has said the Federal Government will continue to build stronger partnerships with Catholic Bishops and other stakeholders in a bid to address Nigeria’s challenges.

In a statement on Wednesday, Yomi Odunuga, the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to Akume, quoted the SGF as saying that the administration of President Bola Tinubu would continue to deepen consultations with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), other faith-based organisations and relevant stakeholders on issues affecting the country.

“Many of the challenges confronting our nation require partnership. Faith communities, traditional institutions, civil society, the private sector and citizens all have indispensable roles to play in promoting peace, strengthening social cohesion and advancing national development. Constructive engagement between the government and these institutions is therefore not only welcome but essential,” Akume said.

The SGF said: “The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will continue consultations with the leadership of the Catholic Bishops Conference, other faith-based organisations and relevant stakeholders on the issues raised during the meeting and on areas where greater collaboration can advance the national interest.”

Akume maintained that the government remains open to honest counsel and would continue to govern with openness, accountability and evidence-based policies.

He also assured that the Tinubu administration is neither seeking nor in support of a one-party state, just as it remains deeply respectful of the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in the spirit of true democracy.

Akume said the government was also sustaining dialogue and conflict prevention through the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), describing collaboration with religious institutions as indispensable to advancing the national interest.

According to him, the Federal Government had taken note of public reactions following the meeting between President Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops, using the opportunity to reaffirm its profound respect for the Catholic Church and its enduring contributions to Nigeria’s development through education, healthcare, humanitarian services, peacebuilding and moral guidance.

The SGF said government recognised the Church as one of Nigeria’s most important development partners and acknowledged that, like all faith communities, it had both the right and responsibility to speak on issues affecting the welfare of citizens and the country’s future.

He explained that discussions between the President and the Bishops were candid, respectful and constructive, covering concerns relating to security, economic hardship, public services, education, electoral credibility, political pluralism and religious freedom.

According to him, both parties also acknowledged progress made under the administration, including the student loan programme and recent successes by security agencies in securing the release of abducted schoolchildren and teachers.

Akume noted that while there were areas of agreement and differences in assessment, such differences should not be interpreted as a breakdown in mutual respect or detract from the shared commitment to Nigeria’s peace, unity and progress.

His comment came in the wake of the reactions following the visit of the Catholic Bishops to President Tinubu.

During the visit, the clerics had called for a credible election in 2027.

But Tinubu told them that INEC is neutral despite claims of impartiality by members of the opposition.

Following the meeting, the former Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, said the bishops told Tinubu that Nigeria was “bleeding” and that many citizens were grappling with severe economic hardship.

He also claimed the former Lagos governor rejected that assessment, insisting the economy was performing well.

The comment triggered a backlash from the presidency, which accused Onaiyekan of partisanship.