By Isaac Mission 

Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has urged candidates contesting the 2027 elections on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to make the achievements of his administration a major part of their campaign message.

Mbah said the party was positioning itself for victory across the various elective positions, stressing that candidates must effectively communicate the impact of government projects to voters across the state.

The governor made the call on Monday during a strategic retreat organised for APC candidates and key party stakeholders at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.

Represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, Mbah congratulated the candidates on securing the party’s tickets and urged them to align their individual campaigns with the broader objectives of the APC.

He noted that electoral victories were built long before election day, making sustained engagement with voters and grassroots mobilisation critical to the party’s success.

According to him, candidates must be prepared to make sacrifices for the collective interest of the party and avoid allowing personal disagreements to undermine the chances of other APC candidates.

The governor further encouraged the candidates to adopt a data-driven approach to campaigning by engaging communities at the grassroots, meeting with key stakeholders and organising meetings at the kindred level.

He also called for stronger digital campaigns, urging the candidates to consistently communicate the achievements of both the Enugu State Government and the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking at the retreat, APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Dr. Benjamin Nwoye, charged the candidates to work together and pursue victory for all APC candidates rather than campaign selectively.

Nwoye said the party could not afford divided efforts, urging members to resolve internal disagreements and focus on strengthening the party ahead of the elections.

He advised candidates to take the APC message to voters through various channels, including radio, television, social media, town hall meetings, community engagements, posters and jingles.

He also stressed the importance of educating voters about the electoral process and the party’s symbol, while ensuring that information about the achievements of APC-led governments reached communities across the state.

Nwoye described the retreat as an opportunity to bring candidates, party officials, support groups and grassroots structures onto the same page ahead of the 2027 polls.

The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Victor Udeh, also expressed concern over what he described as reduced activities by some candidates following the conclusion of the party’s primaries.

Udeh urged them to return to their constituencies, reconnect with voters and begin sustained mobilisation ahead of the election.

He advised candidates to build their campaign narratives around projects and policies whose impact could be demonstrated to the electorate, adding that they should repeatedly communicate their messages and support their claims with evidence.

Udeh highlighted several projects linked to the Federal Government, including the Enugu-Port Harcourt Road, Ninth Mile-Markurdi Expressway, Enugu-Onitsha Road and Enugu-Abakaliki Road, as issues candidates could present to voters.

He also pointed to the Federal Government’s approval of a gas pipeline project through the Southeast, while defending the Tinubu administration’s economic policies and the removal of fuel subsidy.

According to him, increased allocations from the Federation Account have significantly expanded the resources available to state and local governments.

The Enugu State APC Chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, reaffirmed the party’s determination to secure victory for its candidates at the national, state and local levels.

He called for greater unity and intensified grassroots mobilisation among party members.

Responding on behalf of the candidates, Enugu West Senator, Osita Ngwu, commended Governor Mbah for what he described as projects and programmes that had provided candidates with tangible achievements to campaign with.

Ngwu encouraged the candidates to identify government projects within their constituencies and explain their benefits to the people.

He described the retreat as a wake-up call for APC candidates, saying the discussions had exposed areas requiring stronger campaign strategies and greater coordination.

Ngwu said the candidates were determined to improve on the party’s performance in the 2023 elections, stressing that winning the 2027 elections would require stronger commitment, unity and grassroots engagement.