By Tony Adibe
The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in the forthcoming general elections, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu has promised to make the southeast an “industrial and manufacturing hub greater than what it used to be before”, if the Igbo vote for him to become the next Nigerian President.
Asiwaju Tinubu said this while ddressing a mammoth crowd at the popular Michael Okpara Square, Enugu during a presidential campaign rally, on Wednesday. Senator Tinubu was reacting to the statement by the Enugu State APC Chairman, Chief Ugochukwu Agballah, who recalled that Enugu as capital of the defunct Eastern Region, in the First Republic, under the late Dr. Michael Okpara as the Premier, had the fastest growing economy in the whole of West Africa.
The Presidential standard bearer urged the Igbo to collaborate with the federal government, if he is elected the next Nigerian President to ensure they partake in the dividends of democracy.
“If you elect me President, we can create industrial hub in Enugu, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi and Port Harcourt. Enugu will become an industrial hub greater than what it used to be before. You Ndigbo have an incredible mineral resource to prepare your economic recovery,” Tinubu told the huge crowd.
He added: “Nothing is impossible unless you don’t put your mind to it. Together, there’s nothing that will stop us if we decide to make this Enugu State the regional business hub of Nigeria. Don’t wait for the white man to develop it for us.”
The APC Presidential standard bearer also promised to revamp the Coal mines in Enugu and use it to generate electricity for the country. He argued that since countries like the USA and Britain are still using coal to power their electricity, “We Nigerians can do the same thing with the coal deposits in Enugu State for our country.”
The politician advised the thousands of APC members who attended the event to go and collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVC), no matter the apparent frustration they might experience in their attempt to collect the PVC.
“Go and pick your PVC no matter how much they try to frustrate you; don’t be frustrated,” said Senator Tinubu, who quickly added: “We want you to work hard until we win the election. When you vote for me, and I win, you will share in the Nigerian national cake.”
He stressed that no Igbo man has no trouble doing business in Lagos, adding that ” They make profit in Lagos, and they bring the money back home here in the east.”
In his speech, the southeast zonal coordinator of the APC Presidential campaign, and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma said there was a need for the Igbo to renew their hope politically. He urged the Igbo not to play politics of exclusion which might not bring the desired results.
“We need politics that will give us results. We need politics that will take care of the elite and the masses. There’s a need for Ndigbo to take part in the national politics. We must have leaders who will be courageous to face tell their brothers and tell the truth of the matter.
“Let us be our brother’s keeper. Let’s love ourselves because without a united country, we won’t have any nation,” he said. While emphasising that they were interested in genuine and sincere partnership, Governor Uzodimma advised the party leaders to go home and convince people “as it’s time for us to work in the field.”
He further said: “I came here to campaign to win the election. We will do it. We will convince our people. We will open the eyes of our people. We’re running a unified campaign. The campaign we are doing for presidential candidate is the same campaign we are doing for the other APC candidates contesting for various positions.”
Also speaking, the Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, looking at the huge crowd said, “the mobilization is total. You can see that the street of Enugu is empty.”
Governor Umahi reiterated that Ndigbo have “to integrate ourselves into the centre and so there would be no more cry of marginalization. This is the time to move.”
He assured Asiwaju Tinubu that “we are not looking for 60%, we are looking for 90 % votes. We can do it. Nobody will intimidate us. We have to be bold about it.” Earlier, the Enugu State Chairman of the APC, Chief Ugochukwu Agballah said that the APC was determined more than before to win Enugu and take over the Government House, Enugu to restore the lost glory of the state.
He recalled that before he was elected the state party chairman, the party was not doing well in terms of mobilizing the members and winning elections, adding, however, that despite some challenges, the story of the party in Enugu has changed for the better since he came on board.
The governorship candidate of the party in Enugu State, Chief Uche Nnaji said that they were determined to get more than 30% votes for APC presidential candidate in Enugu State.
“That’s the promise I’m giving Asiwaju Tinubu and Governor Hope Uzodimma. We’re on a rescue mission which will rescue Enugu from the political and economic quagmire Enugu State has been entangled in over the years,” said Nnaji.
He assured Tinubu that “the crowd you are seeing here is not a rented crowd. The people you are seeing here are members of APC in the state. If the people here are 200,000, they are registered members of our party.”
The rally attracted dignitaries such as Asiwaju Tinubu, Governor Hope Uzodimma, Governor Umahi, former Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Azubuike Onyeabor Ihejirika (rtd), Senators Godswill Akpabio, Andy Uba, Osita Izunaso, former Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiohmole, Dimeji Bankole, Chief Emma Eneukwu, Chief Gbazue Agu Nweke Gbazue Agu (GNG), among others.
However, some notable party chieftains in Enugu State kept away from the historic event. Such personalities included the foreign affairs Minister, Dr. Geoffrey Onyeama, Senator Ken Nnamani, Sen Ayogu Eze, Chief Osita Okechukwu, Dr. Ben Nwoye, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, Chief Adolphus C. Ude, and others.
