…as Hon. Nnaji hails Mbah’s thank you visit as homecoming
Prince Ejeh Josh
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship flagbearer in Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah on Tuesday received a rousing welcome at Nkwo Nike, the headquarters of Enugu East Local Government Area, even as the council Chairman, Hon. Livinus Nze Anike described his candidacy as Nike’s adopted project and aspiration which must be achieved.
Presenting the party’s gubernatorial standard bearer before the teeming PDP supporters from across the entire Nike clan, Anike stated that Mbah’s political aspiration had always been Nike’s project, stressing that Nike and Owo people were kinsmen with common boundaries and shared values.
“Owo and Nike are kinsmen and your candidacy is the same thing as our candidacy here in Nike. You’re our candidate and we are for you.
“All the sections of the local government are here to show you solidarity. Our prayer is that you’re going to win and also perform well on our mandate,” Anike, believed to be the youngest council chairman in the state, added.
Re-echoing the above position, a former commissioner and council chairman of the area, Chief Hon. Eddy Nnaji appreciated God for the successful outcome of the primary elections in the party, stating that the process went on without rancour.
Maintaining that Enugu East has the highest number of voters in the state, he narrated how the party stakeholders rallied to mobilise logistics for their people to register to obtain their permanent voters cards, adding that the effort had doubled their number of voters for next year’s general elections.
“Enugu East is your safe haven and we are solidly behind you. You have nothing to be worried about. We have one of the highest votes in the state and we have doubled our size by mobilizing for PVCs,” the former council boss further assured.
Speaking on behalf of the royal fathers in the greater Nike clan, HRH Igwe Titus Okoro of Amorji Nike who doubles as Chairman, Traditional Rulers Council in the council, prayed for the PDP gubernatorial flagbearer and other candidates vying for different positions. While pouring libations, the traditional ruler expressed confidence that Mbah would emerge victorious and render selfless service to the state.
“We are first in all we do. You have our support. We will keep praying for you. You’ll do your first and second tenures successfully,” he prayed.
… as Hon. Nnaji hails Mbah’s thank you tour as homecoming
Meanwhile the member representing Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Cornelius Nnaji has told the party’s governorship candidate that the people of Nike and the entire Enugu East Local Government Area believed that Nike clan was another home for him.
He stressed that Mbah’s governorship project belonged to the people of Nike being the eldest in Nkanuland.
Addressing Mbah, the former State ALGON Chairman said: “What you saw here today is the joy that we are at home and you’re also at your home. This is your home. Your governorship project is our project. You don’t even need to campaign when it’s time because you’re a good product that markets itself.
“We own Government House, Enugu; we are the landlords. So, we can break convention and protocol for you to win. That is why Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi sees Nike as his second home. That’s why you should also see Nike as your home. The large turnout of our people today is because we are with you. We have already declared for you and you’re going to emerge as next governor of the state”.
Responding to the various speakers, Mbah said he was honoured to have been bequeathed with the sonship of the land even though his mission was to come and express his sincere and heartfelt gratitude for what they did on the 25th of May, 2022 when they unanimously elected him the PDP governorship candidate to represent them.
“I want to adopt that phrase that my journey to Nike clan is “Homecoming”. From what you’ve said so far, this is just like I’ve come here to tell you to join me and appreciate the people of Enugu State. I came because of what you did on the 25 May, 2022. You gave us 100% votes. I won’t take that gesture for granted,” Mbah told the jubilant party supporters.
Explaining the implications of their decision, Mbah further said: “Enugu East gave us what I would call, ‘make no mistake we’re fully in support of you’ that day. So I will tell you the implications of your decision and action.
“You know Enugu State is blessed in all ramifications. PDP has been in power for the past 23 years and every local government has felt the positive and life-changing impacts of democracy brought about by the leadership of our great party.
“Moreover, in the last 7 years government has provided dividends of democracy. The leadership of His Excellency, Rt Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is paying salaries promptly and fully. Enugu State is one of the safest and most secure states to live in Nigeria. There’s peace and this is guaranteed.
“The implications of your decision is that you want the good governance to continue. We are going to build on the good works on ground.
“You know we are in a challenging time as a country with the revenue declining by the day. If you have been following the news, you would have heard that our debt-service profile to revenue generation at the national level is at 120%. This means the revenue we generate cannot even service our debt profile.
“So, you quite understood this time demands for someone with a good head, someone whose capacity and experience in both the private and public sectors cannot be questioned, someone who can do things differently. Your decision of that day shows you appreciated what today demands. That’s why you elected us to think out of the box and bring in the necessary change.
“We are going to be innovative and exponentially rejig all the recessive and dormant sectors to yield maximum results. We will no longer play second fiddle. We will look inwards and harness our economic potentials to perform. The person you’re entrusting your future and that of your children’s into his care is someone that can harness both our mineral and natural resources to achieve economic self-sufficiency.
While giving snippets of what to expect during the unveiling of his manifesto once the ban on electioneering campaign is lifted by the electoral umpire, Mbah said his approach would be three-pronged, as encapsulated in the party’s acronym, PDP, saying that it stands for peace, development and prosperity. According to him, this includes, achieving peace through integrated development programmes that would accelerate youth employment, striving to spur development in the state through integrated rural development and productive growth in all sectors that would trigger diversification and scale up production in commercial quantities.
Achieving the above would be the result of government policies that would engage and encourage investors to pick interest in the state. On prosperity, the governorship candidate assured of sustainable institutions that would make his programmes easy and flexible for people to key in and tap into the profitable ventures.
Explaining why his blueprint was unique, Mbah maintained that he understood and had a clear idea of what to do and how to go about sourcing for funds, adding that it would be achieved through private sector driven expansion of the economy.
