The Enugu State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Peter Mbah has stressed that Enugu State is not landlocked, stating that he will make it oil producing state if elected as governor in 2023.
Mbah made this known yesterday while addressing a large turnout of party members and supporters in Umulokpa, the headquarters of Uzo Uwani Local Government Area during a thank you visit to the council area.
The governorship candidate later in the day paid a similar visit to Igbo Etiti Local Government Area where he also received a rousing reception from a large crowd of PDP members and supporters.
Dr Mbah in his separate visits to the two local governments said he visited to express his sincere gratitude to the people for their unalloyed support to him during the recent PDP governorship primary election in the sstate 
He assured the cheering crowds that he would reciprocate their gesture with good governance if elected as governor of the state in 2023. While explaining that his visits had nothing to do with electioneering campaign, he said it was morally and politically right for him and his team to go back to the people who had entrusted their future in his capacity to move the state forward.
Addressing the party’s stakeholders at Uzo Uwani local government headquarters, the business mogul reiterated his commitment to harness the potentials in the local government area such as agriculture, coastal bodies and mineral deposits to drive development and create jobs for the teeming youths in the council area.
According to him, his team had earlier studied the untapped assets in the council area and came up with the design and workable template on how to create an urban centre in the area, adding that he intended to industrialise the state through leveraging on the abundant resources nature had blessed the state with.
“We came here today with one primary objective, and that is to appreciate all of you for your unswerving support which you showed to me on the 25th day of May, 2022 by giving me 100% votes at the PDP governorship primary. We’ve come to express our profound gratitude and say, thank you. Since this visit is not intended to be used for campaign because it is not yet time, we shall come back once the ban is lifted for electioneering activities and tell you our programmes for this wonderful local government area.
“We came to tell you that you have not made any mistake for voting for us. You made the right choice and we are grateful. We are, therefore, determined to exploit the assets in Uzo Uwani. I’m aware that Enugu State is not a landlocked state because of the coastal bodies found in Uzo Uwani. We are going to utilise it for the people of Uzo Uwani. Enugu State is blessed with huge oil deposit and gas reserve because of Uzo Uwani. Through harnessing these resource endorsements, we are going to make Enugu State an oil producing state.
“We have inlands waterways and we are going to develop our waterway transportation. Uzo Uwani is historical in many ways; both in terms of movement of goods and movement of persons, the local government plays a preeminent role in this country,” Mbah observed.
He described the council area as a dormant and sleeping giant and promised to reinvigorate all the dormant assets to give the local government the best economic outlook through industrialisation.
Earlier on, the council boss, Hon Chukwudi Celestine Nnadozie, conveyed the local government’s appreciation to Dr. Mbah and his running mate, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, for finding time to visit them despite their busy schedules. He expressed his delight over the decision of the governorship flag bearer to commence his thank you tour with Uzo Uwani local government area.
Nnadozie who extolled Mbah’s spirit of gratitude and sense of appreciation as uncommon of many politicians pledged that the local government would continue to commit their time and energy towards PDP’s victory in the state.
The Chairman, Odimma Nsukka and PDP’s candidate for Nsukka/Igboeze South, Engr. Vita Abba, while speaking during the visit, said the PDP gubernatorial candidate is God-sent to redeem the state through his entrepreneurial wealth of experience. He further lauded Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his foresight on who would succeed him.
Describing the choice of Mbah and his deputy as innovative, he reiterated the commitment of Odimma Nsukka to work for the victory of the duo.
Other speakers who pledged maximum support for Mbah and all the PDP candidates included the member representing Uzo Uwani Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Barr. Josephat Okika, State Commissioner of Agriculture, Hon. Matthew Idu, Special Adviser to the Governor, Hon. Cornelius Onwubuya, State PDP Women Leader, Mrs Vera Ezegwu, Dr. Mike Ajogwu, SAN, Hon. Tony Chigbo, among others.
In continuation of his thank you visits, Dr Mbah and his team later visited Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area at the cpuncil headquarters in Ogbede where they were received with rousing fanfares as members of the council area trooped out en masse to welcome them.
Expressing his delight at what he saw, the awestruck oil magnate informed the people that he had only come to appreciate their support and to assure them that he would not disappoint them. “We came to assure you that because of the decision you took on the 25th May, 2022, our tomorrow is here. There is no more procrastination,” the soft-spoken technocrat said.
He further promised to reinvent the state through his economic blueprint and move the state’s economy from an annual GDP of 4 billion dollars to 30 billion dollars, saying the quantum leap would be driven by innovation and disruption. He reassured the people of inclusive administration through development, infrastructure and empowerment.
In his opening remark, the Chairman of the council area, Barr. Ikenna Nwodo, stated that the PDP has been winning all elective positions in the council since 1998 and would repeat the same feat for Mbah in 2023.
“The combination of Barr. Peter Mbah and Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai is of global standard and that is what Enugu state needs at the moment,” he told the cheering gathering.
