ACJ Favour Amuka
Political Desk
Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Speechwriting, Enugu State
The latest tirade by Amb. Dr. Ogomegbunam Success Nwoye, alleging that Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah is “pompous,” unwilling to listen, and incapable of engaging “sound brains,” is not only hollow but betrays a deeper frustration with a leader whose results have rendered noise-making obsolete. When performance becomes this evident, opposition rhetoric naturally descends into personality attacks and tribal sentiments, for it has nothing tangible left to interrogate.
Let us be clear: what Governor Mbah met on ground in Enugu’s power sector was not a system, but a relic of dysfunction, an epileptic structure under the old EEDC that had long failed businesses, households, and investors alike. Now, in place of endless talk shops and ceremonial consultations designed merely for optics, Mbah chose the harder path, institutional restructuring backed by law, policy, and measurable deliverables.
Within a remarkably short time, his administration enacted the Enugu State Electricity Law 2023 and operationalized the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC). This was not a symbolic gesture. It was a decisive break from federal over-centralization, placing Enugu among the very first sub-national governments in Nigeria, and indeed Africa, to establish a functional, independent electricity market.
What has followed since then is not conjecture, but verifiable progress. Regulatory authority has been seamlessly transferred from the national body to EERC without the usual bureaucratic chaos. A 20-year distribution licence has been issued to Mainpower Electricity Distribution Limited, marking the first long-term, stability-driven framework of its kind in the state. Generation licences for Independent Power Projects are already in motion, laying the groundwork for localized energy sufficiency.
Beyond the paperwork, the architecture of a new power economy is taking shape. Infrastructure upgrades are ongoing. Automation systems are being deployed. Metering expansion is being aggressively pursued, with a clear policy direction to eliminate estimated billing. Even tariffs, often a sensitive issue, have been rationalized to balance consumer relief with sector sustainability.
And then comes the most ambitious stroke: a clearly articulated roadmap towards full electricity independence by 2026, including strategic plans to harness Enugu’s coal resources for up to 1,000MW through credible private investment. This is not political sloganeering; it is economic engineering. It is how serious governments think, plan, and execute.
Against this backdrop, one must ask: what exactly is the substance of Nwoye’s criticism? That the governor does not “sit down” with certain individuals? That he does not indulge in obligatory deference or ethnic patronage under the guise of “brotherhood”? If anything, that is precisely the strength of this administration. The era where governance was reduced to appeasing self-appointed power brokers and recycling familiar faces, irrespective of competence, is what crippled sectors like electricity in the first place.
Mbah’s model is different. It is anchored on merit, regulatory clarity, private-sector efficiency, and measurable outcomes. In such a system, access is not determined by who shouts the loudest or claims intellectual superiority, but by the value one brings to the table. That is the standard global best practice, and that is the standard Enugu is now aligning with.
The attempt to recast this disciplined governance style as “pompous pride” is, therefore, nothing more than a distraction, a classic diversionary tactic when facts are inconvenient. It seeks to shift public discourse from substantiated achievements to unverifiable personal narratives. Ndi Enugu must see through this.
Leadership is not a popularity contest among elite circles, nor is it a theatre for tribal validation. Leadership is about outcomes. It is about whether businesses can operate without blackout-induced losses, whether industries can thrive, and whether the broader economy can expand sustainably. On these metrics, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah is not just performing; he is redefining the possibilities of sub-national governance.
The truth is simple. Those who insist on personality debates are uncomfortable with systemic change. Those who cry about not being “consulted” are often those who benefited from the inefficiencies of the past. And those who push ethnic or fraternal arguments are merely repackaging old patronage politics in new language.
But Enugu has moved forward. The state is no longer negotiating with mediocrity. It is building institutions that will outlive individuals, attract investment, and guarantee reliable power for decades to come.
Ndi Enugu should, therefore, remain focused. Judge this administration not by the volume of its critics, but by the weight of its achievements. The transformation of the power sector is deliberate, structured, and irreversible.
Governor Mbah is not engaging in drama. He is delivering results. And in governance, results will always speak louder than rhetoric.
