…present Charter of Demand as Mbah promises flyover, urbanisation, others

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the people of Ozalla and Obe communities in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State have stated that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is their preferred political party, saying their support was based on benefits they have enjoyed from the party since 1999.

The communities, while rejecting other political parties in the area as specialists in failure due to their incompetence and predictable defeats in successive elections, commended the PDP for the impressive human empowerment it has brought to their people over the past 23 years.

Speaking at the town hall meeting held at Obe town, headquarters of Nkanu West Central Development Centre, on Thursday, stakeholders and representatives of the different bodies said they would vote for the PDP en bloc because of the positive impacts their people are enjoying today.

They described themselves as great beneficiaries of the party in terms of appointments into key positions, employment, empowerment and economic growth.

While addressing the large crowd at the event, the chairman of the council area, Hon. Uche Ejim stated that Mbah’s visit to his people had renewed their hope and faith in the party that more dividends of democracy will continue to pour in.

He described Mbah as part of the large family, saying the people had already taken ownership of the project.

“Our votes will speak for us on the day of election, and we want to use our votes to re-affirm our appreciation to the party,” the chairman noted.

Hon. Iloabuchi Aniagolu, member of the House of Assembly, who spoke at the gathering, declared that Mbah is a brand everyone will be glad to advertise, adding that his candidacy is enjoying massive acceptance among the people because of his excellent programmes.

The member representing Nkanu West/Nkanu East Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji enumerated the laudable projects enabled by the party in the area in recent years, while expressing confidence that Mbah would win in a landslide.

Presenting the priority needs of the development centre, titled “Community Charter of Demand “, their spokesperson, Hon. Dr. Kingsley Udeh appealed to Mbah to support their people in raising millionaires and billionaires by supporting their businesses and ventures in line with his economic blueprint for wealth creation.

Dr Udeh, who is the Enugu State Commissioner of Rural Development, further urged the governorship frontrunner to build a new modern city with residential, recreational and industrial layouts within the Ozalla-Udi Road forest, construct a flyover at the Four-Corners Express Junction to address the menace of traffic gridlock and accidents on the axis, and complete the RAMP-constructed earth roads linking Ozalla, Obe and Amurri communities in the area.

In their separate speeches, the President General of Ozalla Development Union (ODU) and Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Enugu Branch, Barr. CNN Nwagbara, Mrs. Patience Ngene, Hon. Chief Dons Udeh, Hon. Barr Umeadi Nkwonta, among others, dismissed the presence of opposition parties in the area, even as they observed that one of their sons was contesting for governorship in a minor party.

They, however, dismissed his ambition as inconsequential and would not affect the massive votes that the PDP will garner in the area.

Lending his voice, Hon. Dan Nwomeh, a former Chief Press Secretary in the state and head of the Peter Mbah Media Office, said the development centre had benefited immensely from the PDP, maintaining that they’re comfortable with the party.

He noted that Ozalla and Obe are strategically positioned to tap from the economic and development potentials outlined by the governorship candidate in his comprehensive manifesto and statement of purpose to Ndi Enugu. 

Stressing that the proposed flyover was not meant for Ozalla community but would benefit motorists across the state, the South East region and the nation at large, Nwomeh pointed out that it would enhance mobility and the ease of doing business in the area and beyond.

He observed that people from the development center had been appointed as Federal Minister, National Commissioners, State Commissioners, Special Advisers, Permanent Secretaries and other key appointments under the PDP, adding that they would not abandon the party that has done so much for them.

On his part, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former local government chairman in the council area, Hon. Barr. Jerry Eneh, while noting that Mbah has no rival in the state, assured that his people across parties in Obe town had declared their support for the governorship hopeful.

“I know you can deliver excellently well. You have been tested before and we are glad to tell you that your candidacy is the only project we know in Obe,” he added

Reacting to the massive endorsement from the people, Mbah maintained that he had just returned home where the people had already taken ownership of the project judging from the massive turnout from the communities.

The industrialist, while enjoining the people to deliver all their votes to the PDP in the forthcoming elections, promised that his administration will construct a super flyover or underpass at the strategic junction which will ease transportation, expand the economy of the axis and create a new market for them.

Observing that the Ozalla and Obe area is in dire need of urbanization, Dr. Mbah said strategic infrastructure and modern facilities will be attracted to the area to make the axis a new city which will decongest the capital city.

Mbah, while underscoring that the state will witness unprecedented economic boom under his leadership, disclosed that the place of the youths to achieving the state’s new economic trajectory is important and will be given a priority.

He said the youths will be empowered through training in technology, modern skills for digital economy and 21st century demands, adding that they will be productively engaged to create wealth for themselves.

On his plan for small and medium enterprises, the governorship flag bearer said his administration will make available a seed capital of 100 billion naira and encourage start ups with investment friendly environment.

Calling for massive turnout on the elections days, Mbah told the people to vote all the candidates of the party in order to continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy in the area.