This report provides a comprehensive evaluation of the five serving governors in South East Nigeria based on their performance across critical governance pillars: infrastructure, education, healthcare, economic development, security, public sector reforms, and social inclusion.
Governors assessed:
- Enugu State – Dr. Peter Mbah
- Anambra State – Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo
- Abia State – Dr. Alex Otti
- Imo State – Senator Hope Uzodinma
- Ebonyi State – Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru
After a detailed comparative assessment using verifiable achievements, policy outcomes, and public impact, Dr. Peter Mbah of Enugu State emerges as the best-performing governor in the South East as of mid-2025.
1. Evaluation Criteria and Methodology
To determine the best-performing governor, the following metrics were evaluated:
| Area of Evaluation | Indicators Measured |
|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Roads, bridges, water, urban renewal |
| Education | Budget allocation, innovations, school infrastructure |
| Healthcare | Facility upgrades, accessibility, maternal care programs |
| Economy & Investment | IGR growth, FDI attraction, job creation |
| Security | Peacekeeping, crime rate, community policing |
| Governance & Reforms | Transparency, digital governance, service delivery |
| Social Inclusion | Gender representation, youth empowerment, rural inclusion |
Sources: State budgets, development indices, third-party rankings (BudgIT, SBM Intelligence), media reports, and citizens’ feedback.
2. Individual Governor Performance Overview
2.1 Enugu State – Dr. Peter Mbah
Score: 92/100 – Overall Best Performer
Strengths:
- Education: Allocated over 33% of 2024 and 2025 budgets to education—surpassing UNESCO’s 26% recommendation. Introduced Smart Green Schools across all 260 political wards.
- Infrastructure: Aggressive road construction and urban renewal drive in Enugu metropolis and rural zones. Revamp of water infrastructure with consistent urban water supply restored in record time.
- Economic Drive: Enugu ranked among top 5 states for new investments in H1 2025. Mbah has attracted both diaspora and foreign direct investment through business-friendly policies.
- Governance: Launched e-governance and digital land administration reforms, drastically improving ease of doing business.
- Security: Improved intelligence-led policing and strengthened community security architecture.
Weaknesses:
- Still addressing the backlog of dilapidated rural roads and erosion sites.
2.2 Abia State – Dr. Alex Otti
Score: 85/100
Strengths:
- Fiscal Reforms: Implemented sweeping reforms in civil service and revenue collection. Plugged leakages and improved Abia’s fiscal discipline.
- Infrastructure: Ongoing rebuilding of Aba roads, markets, and public utilities. Focus on making Aba Nigeria’s SME capital.
- Healthcare: Revitalized select general hospitals and improved workers’ salaries.
- Education: Significant teacher recruitment and school rehabilitation program.
Weaknesses:
- Internal revenue still below target; infrastructure pace slower than expected.
2.3 Anambra State – Prof. Charles Soludo
Score: 78/100
Strengths:
- Urban Planning: Aggressive road works and flyover construction, particularly in Awka, Onitsha, and Nnewi.
- Environmental Reforms: Bold ban on roadside trading and efforts to clean major cities.
- Digital Economy: Investments in digital infrastructure and e-government.
Weaknesses:
- Insecurity in some rural areas persists, especially in South Senatorial Zone.
- Citizen engagement and communication have drawn criticism for being elitist or top-down.
2.4 Ebonyi State – Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru
Score: 70/100
Strengths:
- Continued infrastructure expansion projects from predecessor.
- Focus on agriculture and rural road construction.
- Improved relationship with labour unions.
Weaknesses:
- Healthcare and education infrastructure underfunded.
- Economic development lags behind peers in the region.
2.5 Imo State – Senator Hope Uzodinma
Score: 63/100
Strengths:
- Major flyover projects and road rehabilitation ongoing in Owerri.
- Youth empowerment initiatives launched.
Weaknesses:
- Insecurity remains a major concern, particularly in Orlu and Okigwe zones.
- Allegations of poor fiscal transparency and contractor debts.
- Limited progress in health and education investment.
3. Final Ranking – South East Governors 2025 (Mid-Year)
| Rank | Governor | State | Total Score (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. Peter Mbah | Enugu | 92% |
| 2 | Dr. Alex Otti | Abia | 85% |
| 3 | Prof. Charles Soludo | Anambra | 78% |
| 4 | Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru | Ebonyi | 70% |
| 5 | Senator Hope Uzodinma | Imo | 63% |
4. Conclusion
Governor Peter Mbah stands out in the South East for his strategic vision, inclusive governance, aggressive educational reform, urban infrastructure, and economic diversification. His administration’s measurable impact across rural and urban communities, especially in restoring public trust and functional governance, places him ahead of his peers.
While other governors have made commendable progress in select sectors, Mbah’s performance shows a balanced, integrated, and accelerated development model that could serve as a blueprint for other subnational governments.
I applaud this effort even if the assessment are seemingly very subjective. Please keep it up. If continued WITH OBJECTIVITY, it should be an incentive for better competition and performance improvement amongst the SE governors.
This said, the assessment did not consider the baseline starting positions of the states. In particular, assessing Gov Alex Otti in comparison to the other 4 SE states without recognizing how behind Abia State had been in the areas of performance assessed is like having the other governors start the race at 10 meters in front and Gov Alex Otti at the 0 meter starting point, and then grading the run times at the end of the race!
If you had visited each state at the of the tenure of office of each governor, you would have had a normalized starting point for the assessment….for example: the insecurity levels, the state sanitation levels, debt/salaries owed, dilapidation levels of roads, schools, offices, etc..at the start of each governor’s tenure of office. I’m sure you will agree that starting from a better left over condition from a previous administration can make a current governor’s performance easier and more noticeable. Still I comment your efforts!
Very shameful that a times governor of Imo state came last (5 th ) in that contest as the worst Eastern governor. Even with what he gets from the federation allocation plus what comes in as an Oil producing state could not motivate him to develop the state? Even Ebonyi state that has only 13 local government council areas still beat Hope Uzodinma . Very laughable, indeed!!