The Northern community residing in Enugu State has pledged its support for the re-election of Governor Peter Mbah ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The pledge was made by the Sariki Hausawa of Enugu State, HRH Alhaji Yusuf Sambo, during a courtesy visit by the Asiwaju Renewed Mandate South East (ARMSE), led by its leader and former South-East spokesman to President Bola Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh.

Sambo said he was speaking on behalf of over 200,000 Northerners living in the state, assuring that the community would vote en masse for both Governor Mbah and President Tinubu.

“We have no option because Governor Peter Mbah has been friendly to us. Everything we have asked for, he has provided. We have no choice but to support his second-term bid. We will go round all the 17 local government areas in Enugu State to inform our people that he has performed well and remains our candidate for 2027.

“We will also remind our people that leaders are human and not infallible. He has our support, and we will fully back his re-election project,” Sambo pledged.

Speaking during the visit, Onoh disclosed that Enugu West and Enugu North Senatorial Districts would not field opposition governorship candidates against Mbah in 2027, citing adherence to the state’s rotational principle.
According to him, the decision is aimed at sustaining peace and preserving the existing zoning arrangement in the state.

“If another candidate other than Governor Peter Mbah emerges, it will take Enugu West another eight years to produce a governor, while Enugu North Senatorial District would have to wait 16 years or more.

“Once that understanding is breached, the beneficiary may rely on the same precedent to pick a successor from any zone, arguing that zoning no longer exists. This could result in one zone holding power for as long as 16 years. That is the danger we must avoid. This is why Governor Peter Mbah remains the safest option,” Onoh said.

He also urged the Northern community in Enugu to support President Tinubu’s second-term ambition, arguing that it would pave the way for power to return to the North in 2031.

Onoh traced the long-standing relationship between the Northern community and Enugu State to 1952, when Mallam Umaru Altine became the first elected Mayor of Enugu, serving from 1952 to 1958.

He described Altine, “a simple Fulani cattle rearer from Sokoto,” as a detribalised leader who won two terms in the heart of Igbo land under Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s NCNC party and was married to an Igbo woman, Esther Ozueh.

“Even my late father supported his re-election, including financially, when political interests attempted to push him out of the NCNC,” he added.

Onoh further recalled Altine’s contributions, including the establishment of the Enugu Islamic Centre and a cattle market, noting that the late statesman maintained strong ties with Enugu through his family and the Hausa community.

“What divides us as Nigerians is not tribe but selfishness. Sambo contributed significantly to the peace we enjoy in Enugu State today, especially during the herdsmen crisis that affected parts of the state’s rural communities over a decade ago. We are here to seek continued support for the development of Enugu State,” Onoh said.

While acknowledging that both federal and state governments have not performed optimally in all areas, Onoh stressed that improved leadership and collective effort could deliver better outcomes.

He reiterated that Enugu West and Enugu North would not present candidates in the 2027 governorship race, leaving Enugu East Senatorial District — from which Governor Mbah hails — to retain the position in line with the rotational arrangement.

Onoh also highlighted ongoing developments under the Mbah administration, including improvements in aviation services, transport systems, agriculture, infrastructure, and road connectivity across both urban and rural areas.

He urged the Northern community to clearly articulate their expectations and demands, assuring them that such concerns would be conveyed to the state government. He added that the governor remains committed to inclusive governance and collective efforts to drive the development of Enugu State.