By Prince Ejeh Josh
…as communities pledge massive votes, dismiss opposition
…We have adopted you sole as sole guber candidate – Igwe Agubuzu
In his determination to reposition the economy of the state and make it less dependent on the monthly federal allocations when he wins in the March 11, 2023 general election, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Peter Mbah, has vowed to unlock the rural economic potentials in the state.
Dr. Mbah said this on Tuesday at Ezeagu West and Ezeagu North Development Centres in Ezeagu local government area of the state during the town hall meetings organised to interface with the people in order to ascertain their pressing and peculiar needs which his administration is expected to tackle.
The governorship hopeful who observed that Nigeria is facing national economic challenges with dwindling revenues, vowed to rejig Enugu’s economy by looking inwards, tapping into the huge potentials in the agricultural sector and creation of special economic zones that will displace seasonal farming through a world class irrigation facilities.
Dr. Mbah, who promised to revamp some of the moribund industries in the council area such as the Premier Cashew industry, operationalize them with modern technology, upscale production in rice, yam, melon, maize farming and other agricultural production, stressed that the state under him would think outside the box to improve the welfare of the citizens.
“We’ll create special agro-allied processing zones and deploy technology to enhance farming methods. We will make Enugu State the most attractive state for private sector investment by putting in the right infrastructure,” he added.
Identifying agriculture as not only important but also fundamental to the economic growth of the state, Dr. Mbah reiterated commitment to migrate to commercial farming that will contribute, at least, $10 billion to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the state, adding that access roads and other critical infrastructure that will expand the market, attract investors, create jobs, and meaningfully engage the youths will be given priority by his administration.
The oil and gas mogul who further promised to invest in science and technology and upgrade the existing Enugu State Polytechnic at Iwollo to the status of a university of agriculture, if necessary, maintained that he would explore the rich mineral resources in the area for revenue generation.
Noting that his government’s target will be to attract over three million tourists every year to the state, the governorship flagbearer promised that he would make tourism a major revenue hub for the people, stressing that he will run an inclusive government that will accommodate all interests across the state.
Speaking earlier, the state PDP chairman, Hon. Augustine Nnamani commended the development centres for turning out en masse to present their priority needs and declaring unswerving support and commitment to the Mbah’s gubernatorial project.
He urged the people to vote Dr. Mbah and other PDP candidates to continue to enjoy more dividends of democracy, saying that Dr. Mbah had come to serve the state with transformative ideas that will improve the people’s standard of living.
Hon. Nnamani appealed to members of the communities to visit INEC designated centres for their permanent voter’s cards that will enable them vote en masse for the party, maintaining that the PDP logo in the ballot papers is umbrella.
Speaking earlier, members of the communities that make up the two development centres had pledged to queue behind Dr. Mbah at the forthcoming polls because of his excellent track record and robust programmes for the state.
In their separate speeches, chairman of the council area, Hon. Chukwudi Ozoeluba, member representing the Ezeagu State Constituency, Hon. Chima Obieze, candidate for the Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency, Dr. Festus Uzor, Enugu West senatorial candidate, Engr. Osita Ngwu, Senator Ben Collins-Ndu, Special Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Barr. Olangwa Ezekwu, among others, lauded Dr. Mbah’s uncommon initiative of engaging the people directly in the town hall meetings.
The chairman, while echoing that the local government will deliver 100% votes for Dr. Mbah, expressed optimism that a new dawn of economic revival is possible with the PDP gubernatorial frontrunner.
Lending his voice, Hon. Chima Obieze insisted that Dr. Mbah has no rival in the state as his victory is already assured even as Senator Collins-Ndu boasted that his people had already mobilized to deliver the party in the elections.
Calling on Dr. Mbah to turn the economic fortunes of the people around through his integrated rural development programmes, some of the stakeholders who further spoke on behalf of their people urged him to revamp some of the decaying state of infrastructure that were destroyed by the Nigerian Civil War.
On their part, Hon. Theodora Obi-Okeke, Hon. Johnmary Anagolu, Barr. Peter Aniagboso, and Hon. Chris Ohaagu called for the construction of the Awha Imezi-Awha Ndiagu Link Road, Awha Ndiagu-Mgbagbu-Owa Link Road, Awha Imezi-Olo Link Road, revitalisation of the Igbo, Ikenge, Awha Imezi caves, Malu Ogwu cave, Ngene Odinachi Spring, Mazi Ikwuenu Waterfalls, and the inclusion of women in active governance by his administration.
…Igwe Agubuzu endorses Mbah as sole guber candidate
Meanwhile, a first class traditional ruler in the council area, Igwe. Ambassador Lawrence Agubuzu has reiterated their unalloyed support for the governorship aspiration of Dr. Mbah, saying his people had already made him their preferred candidate.
Igwe Agubuzu, who is the traditional ruler of Ezema Olo Autonomous Community, disclosed this when Dr. Mbah paid him a courtesy visit during the town hall meetings, added that Dr. Mbah should use the wisdom God had given him to transform the state just like he did in the private sector.
