By Nnamani Arinze Darlington

It is no longer news that the people of Enugu East Senatorial zone, Enugu West Senatorial Zone, CAN and other relevant bodies recently endorsed Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as their sole candidate. Political stakeholders, captain of industries, those in the academia, artisans, men and women from all walks of life who are all people from Enugu East Senatorial Zone in the state have profusely adopted and endorsed him as their preferred governorship candidate ahead of the 11th March 2023.

The most fascinating major endorsement was the unflinching support and acceptance from APC chieftains and her supporters, who categorically stated that they resolved to endorse Mbah's candidacy despite being members of the opposition party in the state because of the character, personality and exceptional manifesto presented by him.

In the wider Enugu State, traditional rulers and elder statesmen in all the zones have been unequivocal in their stand for the PDP guber candidate as their choice for the gubernatorial election. Even the former governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo expressed his joy over the immense support support the PDP gubernatorial flag bearer is enjoying among the populace, which he said was a testament that Mbah would win with rockfall votes in the election.

A group of medical doctors operating in Enugu State, known as Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have also endorsed and pledged to support the governorship aspiration of Dr. Peter, saying that they all agreed to endorse him after carefully assessing his statement of purpose for the people of Enugu State. They reiterated that there's no alternative to the candidacy of mbah.

A lot of relevant bodies have all thrown their weight behind Mbah's candidacy and the the National Disability Support Forum for Good Governance has chosen not to be left behind, as they also pledge to take ownership of the Mbah's project. The Forum believes that Mbah's philosophy and modern ideas infused with technology would protect the interest of those living with disabilities in Enugu State and even become a model for other states to learn from. 

They have looked at his antecedents and accomplishments in the private sector where he built Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd from scratch. Here was a startup with a N1 million capital base that commenced active operations in 2008 from a one-room studio apartment in Lagos State, and within 14 years rose to the pole position as the market leader in the Nigerian downstream petroleum industry. That company not only controls 23% of the market today but is ahead of multinational conglomerates and other majors. Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd’s net worth is now in excess of one billion US dollars. 

The emergence of Peter Mbah in the race has consequently given the hope to the people of Enugu State that an accomplished entrepreneur and public administrator, has thrown his hat in the ring in the gubernatorial contest. The people have seen that he is an epitome of competence, innovative and disruptive ideas made for critical times like this when the economy and security of the region and country is nosediving. His disposition, character and values with his resilient and astounding dreams, goals and visions for Enugu State resonated so well with the people at the town hall meetings across the 68 development centers of Enugu State. He is rebuilding the confidence of our people in themselves to not only overcome the many challenges facing the South East region, but also to become a pacesetting state once again.  

Mbah is a legendary achiever with a track record of goodwill, geniality and benevolence. This is why when he assures Ndị Enugu that he would grow the state's economy exponentially from $4.4billion to $30 billion; when he says he would build over 10,000 km of roads; when he says he will make Enugu the most secure state in the country; when he says he would eradicate poverty and engender agric and agro-allied revolution, we were easily convinced because he is not only well prepared, but also comes with realistic and pragmatic antecedents of doing things radically differently with humongous results. 

It's few weeks to the gubernatorial election and the opposition is yet to propose any social contract with Ndi Enugu by presenting a manifesto. 

What Enugu needs at this time is a progressive and visionary leader with deep connections and clout in the private sector, enabling the influx of investments, thereby addressing the myriad and mutually reinforcing problems of unemployment, poverty, crime and insecurity. Unfortunately, none of these aspirants in other parties comes close to the caliber of the man, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. They are unprepared and lack pedigree and capacity to govern the capital of the Igbo nation both at home and in the diaspora. 

Dr Mbah has continuously stated categorically that he shall make agriculture a profitable business that will create jobs for our teeming youths and women, increase productivity five folds, deepen agricultural markets, increase incomes to farmers and revenue contribution to the state; while also turning rural areas and dormant lands into agricultural productivity zones that will drive out insecurity and hunger in the state.

This is why the people of Enugu State have continued to show massive support, ownership of Mbah's project and acceptance to the candidacy of the PDP gubernatorial frontrunner because he is distinctively different from others who has no iota of plans for the people of Enugu State. 

Nnamani Arinze Darlington writes from Enugu