Ahead of the 2023 general elections, communities in Igbo-Etiti North Central and Igbo-Etiti West Development Centres in Igbo-Etiti local government area of Enugu State have resolved to settle down for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Peter Mbah, stating that among the candidates vying for the office of the governor in the state, Dr. Mbah stands out as the best prepared for the job.
The people said this at town-hall meetings in Ohodo and Aku, headquarters of the two development centres, organised by Dr. Mbah as part of his efforts to have a direct interface with the people and extract information on their priority needs.
Disclosing why they preferred the candidacy of Dr. Mbah to others in the state, stakeholders who spoke at the town-hall gatherings said the ruling party’s candidate’s credible antecedent, excellent management of both human and material resources, successful entrepreneurial background and his robust manifesto have endeared him to the general public.
Reiterating that Mbah represents hope, confidence and unexampled leadership that will inspire a paradigm shift in the economic structure of the state, Hon. Ugochukwu Ezenta, a House of Assembly candidate for Igbo-Etiti East constituency, said Mbah’s visit to their development centres sent a strong message of confidence and hope of a new dawn to them.
He lauded his global business outreach and how he was able to build a leading oil and gas company, Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd, from the cradle to a world class status.
Describing Igbo-Etiti local government as the cradle of PDP in the state, Dr. Martins Oke, a House of Representatives member for Igbo-Etiti and Uzo-Uwani federal constituency, expressed optimism that his people will vote overwhelmingly for Dr. Mbah and other PDP candidates, adding that their people owed PDP gratitude for the good works the party had done.
Re-echoing the above, a former deputy governor in the state, Hon. Okechukwu Itanyi stated that they were supporting Mbah’s political aspiration because of his wealth of experience in the private sector, saying his manifesto “is one of the best manifestos in Nigeria”.
“We are happy we have people (Dr. Peter Mbah and his running mate, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai), coming from the private sector. We have no doubt in your competence to transform our state. You are capable, prepared and passionate about achieving that social contract you’ve presented to us. We are voting massively for you,” he added.
In their separate speeches, a stakeholder, Chief Crescent Attamah, a community women leader, Mrs. Amaka Ugwuagbo, a former chairman of the council area, Hon. Malachy Agbo, the Commissioner for Lands in the state, Hon. Chidi Aroh, Arch. Chris Ofor, Hon. Hillary Ekwume, and others, said they were queuing behind the candidates of the PDP in the area because of what the party had done for them in terms of new infrastructure, human capital development, provisions of social amenities, including functional hospitals and schools, stressing that they’re indebted to the party.
Commending Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for prioritizing the council area in the past 7 years through his development programmes, the people promised it’s time to pay back the party through massive mobilisation of voters for PDP candidates in the state.
The communities had, however, appealed to Dr. Mbah to help them in the construction of more roads that will facilitate movements of persons and goods, adding that Igbo-Etiti needed industries, extension of electricity, harmonisation of water reticulation system and equitable distribution of key resources to urbanize the area.
Reacting to the people’s expression of gratitude and loyalty to the PDP, Dr. Mbah expressed satisfaction with the outpouring of testimonies, saying he had visited them to renew their agreement and remind them of the task ahead which will give birth to a new state of economic prosperity.
“We are glad you acknowledged the huge impact of PDP here and your readiness to return us to power,” he said.
Reiterating his development plans, Dr. Mbah said the sort of agenda he had for the state was unprecedented, which included construction of 10,000 kilometers of roads in the next 8 years, commercialization of agriculture through the creation of special agro-allied processing zones, human capital development through employment generation, and extension of electricity to rural areas that will attract investors and boost the economy.
The PDP gubernatorial flagbearer who promised to create more wealth if elected, said access road to farmlands, establishment of skills acquisition and vocational training centres to engage young people and other radical programmes that will address unemployment and insecurity will be key priorities of his administration.
