Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has strongly denied allegations that he directed the management of a privately owned event centre to withdraw permission for a political town hall meeting expected to feature Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, describing claims of government interference as false and warning against defamatory accusations.
The controversy emerged on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after officials of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) alleged that Amadeo Event Centre, located along the Ebeano Tunnel in Enugu, had withdrawn its venue less than 24 hours before a gathering scheduled for Thursday, October 29, at 2 p.m. The meeting was expected to feature Obi and Kwankwaso, identified by organisers as the party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Reacting to a video circulating on social media, Mbah said he had not issued any instruction preventing the opposition party from using the facility. He rejected suggestions that his administration was responsible for the reported cancellation, insisting that the allegation misrepresented his involvement.
“My attention has just been drawn to a video circulating on some social media platforms, alleging that I gave an order denying a political party use of a private facility for their townhall event. This is preposterous and utter falsehood, because I did not,” the governor stated.
Mbah accused opposition figures of attempting to attract public attention through allegations against his administration. He maintained that democratic freedoms must be exercised responsibly and cautioned that freedom of expression does not provide unrestricted protection for defamatory statements.
“This is shameful and reveals a desperate pattern adopted by the opposition to attract attention,” he said. The governor further argued that democratic institutions provide lawful avenues for resolving grievances and warned political actors against making accusations without adequate justification.
His response followed complaints from NDC officials who said the venue had been secured and paid for weeks before the scheduled gathering. Party representatives alleged that the management unexpectedly refused to allow preparations to proceed, disrupting arrangements for the anticipated political engagement.
Princess Ada Ogbu, identified in reports as the NDC's Enugu East senatorial candidate, publicly challenged the decision in a video that circulated online. She alleged that political considerations were behind the withdrawal and questioned why organisers were being prevented from accessing a facility for which payment had reportedly been completed.
Ogbu claimed that organisers had paid ₦3.5 million for the hall and an additional ₦500,000 for an outside space. Those payment figures remain allegations attributed to the organisers, as the relevant receipts and contractual arrangements have not been independently examined.
The party further alleged that the event centre's owner, Pastor Ugo Chime, had indicated that pressure from the Enugu State Government influenced the decision. That claim has not been independently substantiated, and no documentary evidence establishing a directive from Mbah has been publicly verified.
Reports also attributed remarks to a member of the facility's management concerning possible legal action over the disputed booking. However, the precise circumstances of those conversations remain unclear, and the available accounts do not establish whether management acted independently or under external pressure.
Mbah's Senior Special Assistant, Dan Nwomeh, defended the governor, questioning why responsibility for the management of a privately owned facility should automatically be attributed to the state government. He criticised what he described as repeated attempts to blame Mbah for unrelated developments.
Nwomeh maintained that the governor remained focused on fulfilling his administration's development commitments. He also pointed out that the formal election campaign period had not begun, although the dispute concerned a proposed political engagement rather than an officially declared campaign rally.
The NDC rejected the suggestion that the controversy should prevent its planned gathering. In a statement issued through Sampson Ukwu, media aide to the party's Enugu governorship candidate, Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa, organisers described the withdrawal as an attempt to frustrate peaceful opposition activities.
Ohaa insisted that the party would proceed with its engagement despite the setback. He argued that opposition parties should be able to organise meetings and communicate with supporters without facing restrictions motivated by political differences.
The dispute has brought attention to the relationship between government authorities, private venue operators and political organisations ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections. Political parties routinely depend on privately managed facilities for meetings, consultations and public engagements, making access to suitable venues important for political participation.
Nigeria's Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, subject to lawful limitations. These protections are central to democratic participation, allowing political organisations and citizens to express opinions, associate and organise lawful gatherings.
However, the existence of constitutional protections does not automatically establish that every disagreement involving a private venue amounts to unlawful political interference. Determining whether rights were violated would require examining the contractual agreement, the reasons for withdrawing access and any evidence of improper government involvement.
The allegations against Mbah therefore raise two distinct questions. The first concerns whether the event centre breached an agreement with organisers after accepting payment. The second concerns whether any public official improperly influenced the venue's decision.
The available evidence does not conclusively resolve either question. While organisers have publicly alleged political interference, the governor has expressly denied issuing any directive, and the facility's full account of the circumstances has not been independently established.
The controversy also unfolds against a changing political landscape in Enugu State. Mbah, elected governor in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, subsequently joined the All Progressives Congress in October 2025, altering the state's political alignment ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election as the Labour Party candidate, remains a prominent opposition figure. Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor and presidential candidate in the same election, also commands political attention nationally.
Their anticipated appearance together at the Enugu meeting attracted interest because of discussions surrounding opposition political cooperation. Nevertheless, the venue controversy alone does not establish any broader electoral agreement beyond the arrangements publicly described by the organisers.
As of the latest reports, the NDC maintained that its town hall meeting would proceed, although the final venue arrangements and whether the event would take place as scheduled had not been independently confirmed.
For the organisers, the immediate issue remains securing access to a venue for their political engagement. For the governor, the dispute concerns allegations of interference that he categorically rejects.
The episode highlights the importance of transparent arrangements for political gatherings and careful scrutiny of allegations involving public officials. Establishing what happened at Amadeo Event Centre will require reliable evidence from the organisers, venue management and any other parties directly involved.
Until such evidence is available, the allegation that Governor Mbah personally ordered the withdrawal remains unproven, while his denial stands as the administration's publicly stated position.
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