Ex-Minister John Nwodo Rejects Appointment Into Enugu Governor Mbah’s APC Campaign Council

Nwodo explained that as the immediate past President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, he swore to remain nonpartisan.

Chief John Nwodo Jnr., a former Minister of Information and President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has publicly rejected his appointment as a member of the Advisory Council to the Chairman of Governor Peter Mbah’s Gubernatorial Campaign Council.

In a letter dated October 28, 2026, and addressed to Governor Mbah, which SaharaReporters sighted on Wednesday, he stated that he discovered his name was listed in a media advertisement as a member of the campaign council shortly after returning from a trip to the United States of America, where he had gone to see his children.

While expressing his gratitude to the Governor for the respect and confidence reposed in him, the former Minister said he "most respectfully declines to hold such an office."

Nwodo explained that as the immediate past President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, he swore to remain nonpartisan.

He maintained that even out of office, he believes he must remain a father to all and be completely nonpartisan in local politics in Igboland.

He stressed that his decision has no particular or special relevance to Governor Mbah, revealing that he presently holds no membership card of any political party and intends to keep it that way until he dies.

According to him, this stance will enable him to intervene as a father in any intra-party disputes amongst Igbos in politics.

He added that his doors remain open to all politicians in the state to counsel them on love and unity.

The former Ohanaeze Ndigbo boss, therefore, requested the Governor to instruct his staff to delete his name from all party notices, including his name as a member of the Campaign Council.

Nwodo's rejection is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the composition of campaign councils in Enugu State. 

SaharaReporters had previously reported that the Catholic Diocese of Enugu had publicly slammed the Governor Peter Mbah-led administration over the unauthorised inclusion of its Auxiliary Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Ernest Obodo, in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Enugu State Campaign Council.

Bishop Obodo, who is also the Apostolic Administrator of the Abakaliki Diocese and the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Enugu State, was listed as the Director of the party's "Faith-Based (Christians) Directorate".

The list also included other Catholic priests and the Anglican Bishop of Oji River Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Ikechukwu Joseph Egbuonu, as a member.

The diocese, in a strongly worded statement signed by its Chancellor and Secretary, Very Rev. Fr. Wilfred Chidi Agubuchie, described the inclusion as "unauthorised, misleading and unacceptable". 

The church stated categorically that Bishop Obodo was listed "without his knowledge or consent" and that the action was a "malicious act of misrepresentation and defamation".

The Catholic Diocese stressed that the Church does not engage in partisan politics, take part in political campaigns or endorse parties, maintaining that it remains politically neutral and committed to its spiritual mission. 

It demanded the immediate removal of Bishop Obodo’s name and those of all other Catholic priests listed without their consent, warning that any further unauthorised use of the bishop’s name, title, or office would attract legal action.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Enugu State also dissociated itself from the publication, with its state secretary, Innocent Offor, stating that the association "did not authorise, endorse, or consent to" the inclusion of its leadership in the campaign council.

The development has stirred fresh political reactions in Enugu State ahead of the 2027 governorship election. 

Political observers have described Nwodo’s public rejection of the appointment as a major setback for the Mbah campaign organisation, as it follows a pattern of respected non-partisan figures rejecting the unauthorised use of their names for political purposes.