By Chesa Chesa
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has declared the state’s support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election, citing what he described as growing federal interventions and a renewed partnership delivering tangible results for the South-East.
Mbah made the declaration on Tuesday during an appreciation visit to the President at the State House, Abuja, where he led a delegation of political leaders and stakeholders from Enugu State.
The governor said the visit was to express “deepest and most heartfelt gratitude” for Tinubu’s engagement with the state, stressing that the relationship between Enugu and the federal government had begun to yield visible development outcomes.
“In our culture, we say ‘Igwe bụ ike’—strength lies in unity,” Mbah said, using an Igbo parable to underscore the importance of trust and collaboration in governance.
He added that the delegation represented “over seven million grateful Enugu sons and daughters,” noting that the people of the state were already feeling the impact of federal policies and projects.
Mbah particularly highlighted the concessioning of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, describing it as a major step in opening up the South-East region to global economic opportunities.
He also commended the establishment of the South East Development Commission, saying it provides, for the first time in decades, a coordinated framework for regional development and long-term planning.
On infrastructure, the governor praised the federal government’s intervention in key road and rail projects, including the reconstruction of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway and ongoing work on the Enugu–Onitsha road.
He, however, called for sustained funding for the Port Harcourt–Enugu rail line, noting that while progress had reached Aba, completion to Enugu was critical to unlocking its full economic value.
Mbah further lauded Tinubu’s “swift intervention” following the collapse of the New Artisan Bridge, which he said eased traffic congestion and reduced hardship for commuters.
Members of the delegation included Chief of Air Staff, Kelvin Aneke, and his wife; former Senate President Ken Nnamani; former Governors Sullivan Chime, Jim Nwobodo, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; prominent cleric, Revd. Father Ejike Mbaka, ex-Minister Frank Nweke Jr; Senator Osita Ngwu, Bishop Onyia, Igwe S Asadu, Sir Osita Okechukwu, Dr Dan Sherry, and naval chief, Admiral EI Ogala.
