As the 2023 general election approaches, the lawmaker representing Nkanu East/West constituency in Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Paul Nnajiofor has extolled the Enugu State governorship candidate of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for taking his campaign down to the Development Centers in the state.

Nnajiofor who made the remark in an interview with newsmen in Enugu noted that the town hall meeting has been fruitful as it avails the electorate at the grassroot level the opportunity to interact with the incoming Governor and also present their individual requests to him.

The excerpt:

Barr. Ndubuisi has been moving around the development centers, what is the message?

The message is that he is prepared for governance. He has taken time to go down to the grassroots unlike before where the party only visits the central local government for all the wards and communities. This time around he has broken them down. He has taken time to visit the 68 development areas in Enugu State not minding the location, even to the hinterlands. He has taken the message of "tomorrow is here" to the people. To the people, the message that his administration will be driven by a disruptive and innovative leadership template resonates. This defines governance and makes the people happy no matter where they are. The message is that he wants the people to know that he is ready and he is prepared. It is not going to be business as usual. He wants people to know that he would meet them to know their terrain, to know their environment, to come and meet the women and men in the rural areas. The elders and youths in rural areas are all included in his manifesto. Interacting with them will help him know their pains and problems first hand.

Given the situation of things in the country right now, obviously people are no longer voting for parties, they're voting for candidates. So how confident are you of victory come 2023?

People will vote for individuals and Peter Mbah has the capacity as an individual not just as a party candidate. The Enugu people in the entire 17 local government areas, 260 wards, 16 development centers know that Peter mbah has once served as Commissioner and as a Chief of Staff to the state government. There, he did exceptionally well. He introduced a lot of lucrative ideas in the ministry of finance. While in government house as chief of staff, Mbah introduced a lot of innovations that solved problems of internal governance with reforms. He further went to set up Pinnacle Oil and Gas and he succeeded. From operating in a one room studio, Pinnacle has now become the best among other top leading companies in the oil and gas sector. So whichever way you go about it, he is there and qualified even as an individual in all ramifications. Enugu people have heard about Peter Mbah, they have seen him, they know him, they know what he has done and are optimistic about what he will do. So he will win. His charismatic nature, his humility, and his experience are his selling points. He is a technocrat, his knowledge, his exposure, education and background will help him win. And we know that Enugu people will vote for no other person than Peter Mbah. Other candidates can not match his qualities, no other individual can match him because he has the passion to lead Enugu State. Mbah has the character, and an excellent background. He is the most qualified to lead Enugu State.

What will you say about the personality of Peter Mbah? Does he have the leadership charisma to govern a State like Enugu?

Yes, Peter Mbah has the unprecedented personality of a 21st century leader. For someone who built his company from nothing to something, do you think the oil business is an all comers business? It will take a disruptive player like Mbah to achieve meaningful heights in the downstream sector. He is class, he is innovative, he is articulated, he is prepared to do the Pinnacle wonders In Enugu State. So his personality is unprecedented and no one in the race can match him.

So what are those challenges that you would want him to address if elected as governor?

He is prepared for those challenges but most especially insecurity, unemployment, peace in our communities, inclusiveness in governance, citizens welfare, pension payments, insurance for civil servants, public servants, teachers. I expect to see a lot of innovations but I'm confident about the four point agenda in his manifesto. Once you read his manifesto, you see that he is ready. The manifesto has taken care of everything capable of making Enugu State one of the top states in Nigeria. Mbah will eradicate poverty, empower people and bring standards in governance that other states will emulate. Peter mbah is that tool to redefine governance, he is that platform to bring governance closer to the people and Enugu people will be better for it.

How will you describe this project, the town hall meetings that he embarks on considering the security challenges currently facing the state?

The town hall meeting has provided an opportunity for engagement with the people. The youths, women, elders, traditional rulers. PGs and leaders of thought were present at the event of the town hall meetings and they have begun to understand that Mbah has the solution to the security challenge facing the state. Mbah has told everyone that the panacea to the problems of insecurity is by providing employment for the youths. This is because once the industries are established, and roads to the farms tarred, every youth can engage in farming because they will have a means of transporting those produce to the market which will make them busy and not have time to engage in frivolous and negative activities.

Once you give people the right platform, they will work. Industries would be established in rural areas and nobody will think of harming anybody and the need for peace and security is part of the message. ICT infrution and other digital facilities with electricity will make our youths very busy, it is important that the people of Enugu hear him and give him a chance, because peace is the only way and gate way to development in any part of the world. So Peter Mbah's government will provide peace, an enabling environment for businesses, equal rights, and inclusiveness. This is crucial because once the youths are included, they will be busy and every negativity will be a thing of the past.