The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has elected Jehu Nnaji as its governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections in Enugu State.

Mr Nnaji, who hailed from Amurri in Nkanu West Council Area of Enugu State, emerged as the sole candidate at the party’s direct primary election held at the NNPP state secretariat in Abakpa Nike, Enugu, on Saturday.

Declaring the primary successful, the NNPP chairman in Enugu State, Chuba Mgbagbu, said Nnaji was elected through a peaceful and transparent process after no other aspirant indicated interest in the governorship ticket.

“Since there was nobody else who declared interest in contesting for the governorship position in Enugu State, we did a direct primary, which everyone here observed, and it went peacefully and successfully,” Mr Mgbagbu said.

He said the party would submit its candidate’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within the stipulated window for candidate substitution or submission.

“INEC is aware that NNPP is holding their primary for the 2027 governorship election in Enugu State,” he said.

Mr Mgbagbu expressed confidence that the NNPP would take over the Enugu State government in 2027, citing rising taxes, high rent, and poor road infrastructure.

“I believe NNPP has come to change Enugu State. We believe in the candidacy of Prof. Jehu Nnaji,” he said.

He said the party had structures across the state’s 17 local government areas and was confident of victory in the 2027 governorship election.

On the September 26 Enugu State local government elections, he said the NNPP would not field candidates because the party did not believe the election would be fair.

Mr Mgbagbu also rejected the description of the NNPP as a northern party, saying the party’s founder, Chief Boniface Aniebonam, was from Anambra State.

According to him, the NNPP is a party owned by Nigerians, including people from the South-East, and should not be regarded as a northern political platform.

Describing Mr Nnaji as a credible candidate, Mr Mgbagbu said the professor had distinguished himself in academia and had a renowned record of service.

Also speaking, party member Udoka Ezeadachie described the primary as successful, saying members had chosen a candidate they believed could provide effective leadership.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Nnaji thanked the delegates, members and leadership of the NNPP for electing him as the party’s governorship candidate.

He promised that, if elected governor, his administration would pursue what he described as “total stewardship, total transformation and a total new Enugu.”

Mr Nnaji listed security, economic revival, youth employment, education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, workers’ welfare and local government autonomy among his priorities.

He pledged to secure communities, farms, and streets, making Enugu an investment hub of the South-East and creating 100,000 jobs in four years through agriculture, technology, the creative industry, and industrial clusters in Emene, 9th Mile, and Nsukka.

On education, Mr Nnaji promised free and compulsory quality primary education, renovation of public schools, free West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations for Enugu indigenes and improved welfare for teachers.

He further pledged free healthcare for pregnant women, children under five and persons aged 65 and above, as well as the revitalisation of primary healthcare centres across the 260 political wards.

The NNPP candidate promised to support farmers with mechanised equipment, improved seedlings and guaranteed markets for agricultural products, including Adani rice, Nsukka yam and palm produce.

On infrastructure, Mr Nnaji pledged quality urban and rural roads, a clean and consistent water supply in Enugu metropolis within six months, and rural electrification. 

He also promised regular salary and pension payments, saying workers would receive their salaries on the 25th of every month, while pensioners would no longer have to endure delays in receiving their entitlements. 

(NAN)