By Obi Okwuibe

Yesterday, a friend called my attention to a odious piece of hoax. An old video of a rowdy session joined with images of a national pride that sprouted from Enugu State, the Pinnacle oil tank farm and some other properties purportedly belonging to other unrelated individuals were jumbled in a short video, intended to trend, but not flying anyway. Aba ma ndị Aba. Lol.

The background of the video was a song calling the wondrous Pinnacle achievement and others as “ego ndi Enugu”. Obviously, the song was designed to tarnish the hard earned reputation of that uncommon brain behind the Pinnacle Miracle, Dr Peter Mbah, the frontrunner in the Enugu governorship race, with no other candidate coming even close.

What is his sin? He only offered to serve Enugu State and replicate his private sector superlative performance that yielded a humongous national bounty, giving life to the Nigerian ailing oil and gas industry. Hmn! Politics is dirty, they say, but must we always play it dirty even when it is clean enough?! It is not surprising that some fifth columnist who could not measure up to his towering status have resorted to mudslinging albeit in its crudest form of sentimental infantilism, in a futile attempt to shoot down the moon that shineth bright. A vexatious act of the frustrated, toothless bulldog that can be described in the Igbo lexicon as “ụta ana agba ígwé”.

The Enugu people are abreast with the trajectory of a humble man who found favour before God and man, a dreamer whose dream has come true through a perfect blend of innate ingenuity and hard work propelled by uncommon determination and will to succeed. A great achiever who has recorded a groundbreaking achievement that significantly impacts the entire national economy and the lives of her citizenry positively even in thousands of jobs opportunities and wealth creation!

Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s tough but unrelenting ride to the commanding heights in his trade announced him to the world who found not just the captainship attributes but a brilliant goal oriented tactician and visionary, invested not only faith in him but also the much needed resources, rallying round him to ensure that the larger than life goal of today’s Pinnacle Oil and Gas dream has come to fruition.

Sadly, Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd, the pride of every progressive-minded onye Enugu, in fact of the entire Igbo nation, is being wickedly, maliciously and malevolently smeared on some social media platforms by ragtag minions of a sinking governorship wannabe who was roundly defeated in the PDP governorship primary after which he defected to procure the Labour Party ticket hoping to exploit the Obidient movement tidal wave, only to be sacked by the court. They naturally found warm embrace in the hired social media hands of other frustrated and envious governorship pretenders in similar fringe parties.

These are the reprobate characters maligning a man whom God has sent to reposition Enugu State in the truest sense of it. Else which sane mind would embark on a fruitless voyage to taint an Eagle cruising high in its sky-high altitude, for no just cause. It is rather nauseating that for utter selfishness, a bunch political jobbers and vagrants are mentioning the Pinnacle strategic national asset as a seed of “ego ndi Enugu”. It is indeed laughable and should be treated with deserved scorn.

But if I may pause to ask; “How is Pinnacle ego ndi Enugu?” Obviously, Peter Mbah has never been in the position to control “ego ndi Enugu”. Besides, it has been more than 15 years since he had a stint in government. Today, Enugu’s total budget projection for the 2023 financial year is N166 Billion Naira whereas Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd is a Billion Dollar investment! It is an asset that a grateful nation has celebrated as was seen recently in October when it was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari, the national leader of the APC who to his credit put politics aside to recognize a major Igbo contribution to the national economy, not minding that Mbah is in addition a governorship candidate in the opposition PDP.

Presidential endorsement and encomiums for a corporate organization does not come that easy. Before that, layers of high profile security checks must have been conducted. The shareholders, investors and the entire gamut of their financials must have been thoroughly investigated and authenticated before the nation’s number one citizen gets involved.

If these detractors understand the huge pride the Pinnacle brand brings to the people of Enugu State, the South East and indeed anyone that bears an Igbo name, they would preserve and protect it from any unwholesome mention in politics and politicking but for what it is; a great and exemplary achievement, a tangible proof of performance of Barr. Peter Mbah! Folks must select their fights properly, anything and everything should not be politics.

Peter Ndubuis Mbah remains a man of untainted personality, impeccable character and outstanding records of achievements. Here is a man who has been subjected to the most intense of scrutiny by ruthless business and political rivals, multinational incumbents displaced by his disruptive innovation in the cut-throat petroleum downstream sector, security agencies and all, and he came out unblemished! How could he have come this far if he had skeletons in his cupboard?

In saner climes, the security agents should be on the heels of those behind the attempt to defame and malign the person of Barr. Peter Mbah and cause reputational damages to the Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd’s image.

I dare say that with Mbah’s giant strides and achievements thus far in the business world, maintaining a very clean slate in his business dealings is indeed an uncommon feat at that. As the saying goes, “He who sees the Eagle should compliment it ernormously, because it is rarely seen.” Peter Ndubuisi Mbah is an eagle, a rare gem and a blessing in waiting for Ndị Enugu.

I see a new Enugu, my dream coming true!