The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, Tuesday, met with the newly elected South-East chairmen of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu.
The meeting, attended by all the newly elected ADC chairmen from the South-East alongside the party’s National Vice-Chairman for the zone, is part of efforts to strengthen internal party structures and consolidate regional political alignment ahead of the 2027 elections, NewsNGR gathered.
Our correspondent reports that among those in attendance are Professor Uche Akubue, the Enugu State Chairman-elect, alongside his counterparts from Imo, Abia, Anambra, and Ebonyi states.
A statement issued by the ADC Media Team, signed by Martins Chiedozie Ugwu, said the meeting was aimed at strengthening party cohesion, promoting internal democracy, and aligning leadership priorities across South-East.
The statement added that the meeting discussed issues affecting the political future of the South-East within Nigeria’s super structure.
It read in part, “The meeting was an opportunity for all of us to meet and discuss issues that affect Ndigbo’ political endeavours in the Nigerian project. It was a resounding success, to God be the glory!”
A member of ADC in the state, Chief Jude Onah, has however advised Mr Peter Obi to find always to unite various members of the party in Enugu State and South-East in general.
Onah, a House of Assembly aspirant, said the officials that met with Obi were factional.
“We have at least two factional chairmen of ADC in Enugu State. The group led by retired Maj Gen Chris Eze is even more formidable and pro-Obi than any other group. I expect Obi to engage the two factions to avoid imploding. Achieving this will position him as a political father of the East. Otherwise, he should expect the gradual mistrust among his organic followers.”
Meanwhile, Obi has decried the neglect of the education sector by various government all levels in Nigeria. He therefore called for urgent reforms and stronger collaboration between government, the private sector, and academia to reposition the sector for national growth and global competitiveness.
Obi stated this while delivering a lecture entitled “Repositioning Nigeria’s Education Sector Through Private Partnership for National Growth and Global Competitiveness” at Coal City University, Enugu.
He said no nation rises above the quality of its education system, adding that Nigeria’s future would be determined by the strength of its educational sector.
He identified the challenges facing the sector to include underfunding, inadequate infrastructure, outdated curricula, and weak linkage between education and industry.
Citing UNESCO’s global standards, Obi said Nigeria allocates less than 7% of its national budget to education, which is far below the recommended 15–20%.
He said the development had contributed to youth unemployment and underemployment exceeding 30%, as well as a widening gap between graduates’ skills and labour market needs. He called for stronger government support across all tiers of education, questioning the limited scope of interventions by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
He questioned why TETFund does not assist private universities. Quoting him, “Nigeria’s problem is not a lack of talent, but a failure of alignment, investment, and partnership. Repositioning the education sector is fundamental to achieving sustainable development and global competitiveness.
“Weak education systems often translate into poor health awareness, lower life expectancy, and reduced economic output.”
Obi called for increased investment in education and healthcare, curriculum reforms aligned with industry needs, expanded research and innovation funding, and stronger emphasis on skills acquisition and entrepreneurship. He also urged the private sector to view investment in education as a strategic necessity for national stability and economic growth.
The vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Icha Ituma, and the chairman of the occasion, Prof Chinedu Nebo, described Obi’s presentation as timely and thought-provoking, urging stakeholders to act on the issues raised.
