_..Mbah: Ndigbo are strategic people, relationship builders
…Kalu: Igbo leaders not part of one-term presidency arrangement
Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, and Charles Soludo of Anambra State have called on the people of South-East region to vote massively for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election and ignore every form of deceipt and political distractions.
The governors made the call during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Mega Rally and Empowerment Programme for the South-East flagged off by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu at Okpara Square, Enugu, on Saturday.
Speaking, the host governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, urged the people of the region to support Tinubu’s re-election bid to enable him to consolidate the gains of his administration’s economic reforms.
He attributed ongoing development projects, including the construction of primary healthcare centres, to the federal government’s economic reforms.
“If I ask what future you want for your children, I’m sure you are seeing that future unfold gradually through the bold and courageous reforms of Mr. President.
“It is through those reforms that enough money has been made available to all the states. Which is why in Enugu, when you look around you, you will see the Smart Green Schools, Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres, and numerous other projects and initiatives we have undertaken in just three years.
This is happening because of the bold and courageous reforms of Mr. President and we know the job is not finished yet. A good sailor does not abandon his ship mid-sea because of challenges.
“So, we must finish the journey we all started together. We must come out on January 16 with our PVC and ensure that the good work Mr. President is doing will continue.
“Don’t listen to any voice. Those voices telling us a different thing. We, the Igbos have gone to communities outside our zone to build businesses. And we also know how to build relationships. And that is being put to test. We are not a people that are ethnic bigots. We are a people that are strategic.
“And that is why we must all come out in our numbers and support Mr. President to continue the good work. Support all our APC candidates to ensure that they are returned come January and February,” he emphasised.
Speaking on the empowerment programme targeting 5,000 women across the South-east, Mbah said the initiative followed the empowerment of more than 2,000 women, including payment of hospital bills, in Enugu by the First Lady, within 48 hours.
“When you empower a woman, you strengthen the family. When you empower a woman, you build a strong community,” he said.
Also speaking, Governor Uzodimma reiterated the commitment of the region to supporting Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
He explained that Igbos had experienced marginalisation for over 60 years, but were beginning to witness a new era of political inclusion and development under Tinubu.
He commended the president for expanding the scope of infrastructure and economic development in the South-East.
“We are now seeing good roads, electricity, health reforms as well as educational reforms in the country. A winning team must not be changed,” he said.
The governor urged the electorate to sustain the current development trajectory, saying the federal government’s economic reforms had increased resources available to states for development.
“We have more money to build Okigwe to Owerri, Umuahia to Owerri, Orlu to Owerri and Owerri to Port Harcourt roads,” he said.
Like Mbah, Uzodimma added that the improved financial position of the state had enabled his administration to pay salaries and pensions consistently, including 13th-month salaries for workers.
In his remarks, Governor Nwifuru said that the number one mission for Ndigbo in 2027 elections was to re-elect President Tinubu, describing the APC as the only political party with a clear and identifiable manifesto capable of sustaining the country’s development and truly advancing the course of Ndigbo.
He dismissed suggestions of his involvement in any political coalition, stressing that his loyalty remained with the APC, urging urged supporters to vote for APC candidates at all levels in the 2027 elections.
Similarly, Soludo, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Gilbert Ibezim, said the South-East had a responsibility to support Tinubu’s re-election in appreciation of his administration’s achievements, adding that the region stood to benefit more from continued collaboration with the federal government.
Also speaking, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, urged Igbos to embrace political inclusion by supporting Tinubu’s re-election.
Kalu said the Igbo had not produced a president of Nigeria in the past 60 years, and was therefore not party to any one-term arrangement for the Presidency of Igbo extraction by anybody.
He, however, stressed that the Igbo needed to to strengthen its political alliances across the nation to actualise a full two-term Igbo presidency in the near future.
He recalled that Tinubu, while serving as governor of Lagos State, maintained cordial relationships with Igbos and included them in his cabinet.
He commended the Tinubu administration for establishing the South East Development Commission (SEDC).
He described it as a major step towards addressing the region’s developmental challenges.
Meanwhile, addressing the rally, the First Lady conveyed President Tinubu’s goodwill message and urged Nigerians not to be discouraged by the economic challenges associated with the President’s reforms, insisting that the country was moving towards prosperity.
She likened the process to childbirth, noting that although the period of labour could be painful, it ultimately led to delivery.
“Mr. President said I should greet everyone. We have done reforms and we are now in prosperity. Don’t allow anyone to deceive you. The worst is over. We are stepping into prosperity,” she said.
The First Lady described the empowerment initiative as an indication of the APC government’s commitment to translating its promises into practical interventions, noting that the party was combining political mobilisation with economic support.
The First Lady urged the women to mobilise support for President Tinubu and APC candidates in the forthcoming 2027 general elections, asking them to hold political aspirants accountable for their records of empowerment and development interventions.
Other dignitaries at the massive rally were Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima; wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Uloma Akpabio; wives of the South East governors; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite; Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh (SAN); and Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim.
Also present were the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Dr. Ben Nwoye; National Women Leader of the APC and Director-General of the Women Wing of the Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Mary Alile-Idele; South-East Zonal Woman Leader of the APC, Dr. Oby Ajih; members of the National and State Assemblies, local government chairmen and other party stakeholders.
The rally by the Remi Tinubu-led Women Mobilisation Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, which kicked off in the South East, will also be held across the remaining five geopolitical zones of the country.
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