NDC Replies Enugu Government, Accuses Governor Mbah Of Lies After Denying Peter Obi Access To Okpara Square
NDC Replies Enugu Government, Accuses Governor Mbah Of Lies After Denying Peter Obi Access To Okpara Square
The party accused Governor Peter Mbah’s administration of political discrimination and attempting to justify the decision with what it described as unconvincing explanations.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has fired back at the Enugu State government over the alleged denial of access to Michael Okpara Square for a proposed presidential campaign rally by its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The party accused Governor Peter Mbah’s administration of political discrimination and attempting to justify the decision with what it described as unconvincing explanations.
The party rejected an explanation issued by the Executive Chairman of the Enugu State Tourism Board, Rita Mbah, insisting that the agency’s claim that the public facility was already fully booked for government and other activities during the Christmas and New Year period was an attempt to justify what it described as politically motivated discrimination.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Tourism Board chairman on Thursday claimed that Governor Mbah had no involvement in the decision to deny the NDC access to the facility.
In her explanation, Rita Mbah maintained that the square had been fully booked weeks earlier for government and other activities during the festive period, adding that the decision was strictly based on the existing booking schedule and not political considerations.
She also said that the NDC representative who approached the agency was informed that the facility was unavailable but insisted on submitting the application letter, subsequently resorting to verbal abuse.
But in a statement issued on Friday by Bishop Oscar Ossai, Enugu State Coordinator of the NDC National Campaign Council, the NDC alleged that officials of the Tourism Board initially refused to receive its formal application after discovering that it was coming from the opposition party.
The NDC reiterated that it submitted its application on November 7, 2026, seeking permission to use Michael Okpara Square on January 5, 2027, for a presidential campaign rally in support of Obi.
However, the party insisted that the agency refused to receive the correspondence, questioning why the Tourism Board subsequently issued a public statement defending its position without first addressing the alleged refusal to accept the application.
The NDC accused the state government of attempting to turn public institutions and facilities into instruments of partisan politics.
“Michael Okpara Square is a public facility built and maintained with public resources. It belongs to the people of Enugu State, not the APC or any government in power,” Ossai stated.
The party argued that the state government has a constitutional obligation to ensure that public facilities remain accessible to citizens and political parties irrespective of their political affiliations.
The NDC alleged that the Tourism Board’s Executive Chairman made statements during an interaction with its representatives indicating that public facilities in the state were meant for members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the opposition party, it possesses video recordings in which Mbah allegedly declared that “government is APC and APC is government” and indicated that she would not permit Obi to use public facilities in the state for political activities.
The NDC described the alleged remarks as unacceptable, insisting that no public officer had the authority to appropriate government-owned facilities for the exclusive benefit of a political party.
“Public officers are appointed to serve every citizen, including those who support opposition parties,” Ossai added.
The opposition party also challenged the Tourism Board to publish its booking records to substantiate its claim that Michael Okpara Square was fully booked throughout the period covering the proposed rally.
It demanded details of the organisations and events allegedly scheduled to use the facility, questioning why the agency had not provided documentary evidence to support its explanation.
The NDC further announced plans to commence what it described as lawful monitoring of activities at the square until after the 2027 general elections.
The party said the monitoring was intended to ensure that the facility was genuinely being used for the events allegedly responsible for its unavailability.
“We will not accept a situation where a public facility is declared unavailable to opposition parties while remaining accessible to the ruling party and its associates,” Ossai said.
The party also called on Governor Mbah to intervene, reminding him that he was elected to govern all residents of Enugu State and not only members of the APC.
The NDC accused Governor Mbah’s administration of encouraging a politics of exclusion and warned against treating opposition parties as enemies of the state.
“Political competition is not warfare. The NDC is not an enemy of Enugu State, and neither is our presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi,” Ossai added.
