...Commends Dr. Abah Joe Idenyi’s Leadership
The popularity of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has continued to soar, as the five autonomous communities in the three political wards of the Ette Ancient Kingdom, in Igbo-Eze North Local Government, hosted a historic civic reception in appreciation of the governor’s commitment to developmental projects in the area.
It was a mammoth gathering on Saturday at the Community Central School, Ette, where socio-political leaders, traditional rulers, youth leaders, men and women, young and old, and masquerades converged to express profound gratitude to Governor Peter Mbah for remembering the Igala-speaking communities in Ette after years of neglect. They also reaffirmed their readiness to continue supporting him, aligning with Governor Mbah’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The dual civic reception, which was also held in honour of the Vice Chairman of Igbo-Eze North Local Government, Dr. Abah Joe Idenyi, whose leadership the communities highly commended, featured goodwill messages from notable political leaders from the Enugu North Senatorial Zone. These included Rt. Hon. Denis Agbo, member representing Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives; Rt. Hon. Ezenta Ezeani, Deputy Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly; Hon. Ejike Jude Eze, Chief Whip and member representing Igbo-Eze North I State Constituency; and Barr. Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze, Deputy ALGON Chairman and Chairman of Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area.
In their separate remarks, the leaders reiterated the readiness of the Nsukka Zone to reward Governor Mbah’s good works with massive support in 2027, describing him as the best governor in the country and the pride of Enugu State. They praised his excellent leadership, which, they said, has transformed him into a political force, justifying their unanimous decision to defect with him to the APC.
Earlier in his speech, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who graced the occasion as a friend of the community, explained that the governor’s love for the people motivated his investments in holistic development, not only in Ette but across the entire state. The SSG, visibly impressed by the massive turnout, expressed his joy: “What I have seen today from the Ette people is quite encouraging, knowing that they have come out en masse to support Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, the governor of the state.
“It is remarkable and shows that everyone supports him because of his developmental strides and his integrity. We are all here to celebrate the governor, and Ette people have shown that they will always stand firm behind him. This is indeed a remarkable event, demonstrating their commitment to a man devoted to service.”
One of the high points of the event was the presentation of three brand-new motorcycles by Hon. Ejike Jude Eze to three lucky commercial motorcyclists (okada riders) as a token of appreciation for the Ette people’s support for Governor Mbah and their illustrious son, Hon. Abah Joe Idenyi.
“I present these three motorcycles to the youth of this community today because of the massive support Ette Kingdom has been giving to the governor, even before his assumption of office.
“It’s on record that even during the ‘Obidient Wave’ that swept across the state, out of the 20 political wards in Igbo-Eze North Local Government, it was only in the three wards of Ette that the governor won. The people of Ette supported him in anticipation that he would deliver, and today, in less than three years in office, he has performed excellently, with Ette people being prime beneficiaries. So, in appreciation of their continued support, I decided to gift these motorcycles, worth three million naira, one for each political ward,” Hon. Eze said as he handed over the motorcycles to the communities.
Meanwhile in his address, the Vice Chairman of Igbo-Eze North Local Government, Dr. Abah Joe Idenyi, thanked the governor for the political and infrastructural inclusion the Ette people now enjoy under his administration. He enumerated some of the projects being executed or approved in the community by the Mbah administration, including three Smart Green Schools, three Type-2 Healthcare Centres across the three political wards, 13.1 kilometers of internal roads captured under RAMP, as well as the 31-kilometer Nsukka-Ibagwa Aka-Ogurute-Ette-Ogugu Road, which serves as a gateway to neighboring Kogi State.
“This administration has favoured the people of Ette beyond our imagination. It’s on record that the governor recently approved the road extending from the boundary at Ogugu down to Nsukka. We know the deplorable state of this road, but with the governor’s intervention, our people will now be able to transport their agricultural produce easily, boosting our local economy. Also, the governor has awarded up to 13 kilometers of internal roads in Ette through the Rural Access and Agricultural Mobility Project (RAMP), thereby connecting the three wards of Ette. His Excellency has also given us three Smart Green Schools and three Type-2 hospitals across the wards. Our people are here to say thank you to His Excellency because he has done a lot for us. As they say, ‘Thank you is an application for more, etoo dike n’nke omere, omee ozo.’ We promise him that come 2027, Ette people will reciprocate with their votes,” he harped.
In his response, the governor thanked the people of the Ette Ancient Kingdom for their unwavering support, adding that their cordial relationship with his administration would continue to bring meaningful development to the area. The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, recalled that Governor Mbah won his 2023 election across the three political wards of Ette, further deepening the political trust between Ette and the Nkanu clan of the State since 1999. He assured them of a mutually beneficial parpartnership.
