Enugu State Tourism Board chair Dame Rita Mbah said Michael Okpara Square was booked for Christmas and New Year and denied Gov. Peter Mbah directed officials to reject a rally request involving Peter Obi.
Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress’ (NDC) presidential candidate for 2027, appears on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) list under the name OBI PETER GREGORY.
A Nov. 12 board statement signed by Mbah and posted by Dan Nwomeh, the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Mainstream Media, said bookings made weeks beforehand covered government and other events over Christmas and New Year. Mbah said the man was told the dates had been taken but continued to ask her to accept his letter. She said at least six people were present for the exchange and that religious groups and other applicants could not book dates that were already taken. The statement gave neither the requested dates nor the names of scheduled events.
Mbah said the board handled the request under the venue’s booking schedule. Her statement said, “the Governor issued no such directive.”
An X account, @torty_mercy, said its group made the request and posted a clip it described as showing Mbah say the square was reserved for government use. The account also said its group received an acknowledgment of its letter. Its connection to the NDC and the clip’s authenticity are unverified.
The dispute follows an earlier disagreement over an NDC town hall at a private Enugu venue. In that case, Gov. Peter Mbah denied ordering the venue to refuse the town hall request, EconoTimes previously reported.
