By Magnus Aluma, Abakaliki
Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said the administration of President Bola Tinubu has, in the past three years, delivered on his promise to tackle economic and security challenges in the South-East Zone, including aggressive capital injections into the transport sector, green energy, agriculture, housing and human capital development.
He stated this on Monday, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally held at Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital. The Vice President said the Federal Government’s interventions in Ebonyi State and the South-East Zone are designed to improve regional connectivity, strengthen food security, expand economic opportunities and address longstanding development challenges that have constrained the economic potential of the region.
Senator Shettima said the Tinubu administration had demonstrated its commitment to the state through major infrastructure projects, federal appointments and policies aimed at improving the welfare of citizens.
He said, “This campaign has been a season of triumph. We have triumphed over the falsehoods of our opponents. We have triumphed over those who mistook the limits of their imagination for the limits of our reach. We have never turned our backs on you. We have answered your support with projects, and His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has honoured Ebonyi through distinguished appointments and projects across the state.
“If any state can speak with confidence about the dividends of democracy, it is Ebonyi. You have stood by us. You have assured us that a mandate is a debt of honour, repayable only through service. Yet democracy demands the humility of asking again. We have returned to seek the renewal of your mandate, to serve you, to defend you, and to stand by you.”
The Vice President maintained that the development programmes of President Tinubu’s administration reflect its determination to honour the confidence reposed in it by Nigerians, adding that public office imposes an obligation to deliver measurable improvements in people’s lives.
The Vice President identified the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa -Abuja Superhighway, which forms part of the administration’s Trans-Saharan highway vision, as a major project intended to strengthen trade and economic integration between the South-East, North-Central and other parts of the country.
He also listed the Ndibe Bridge, designed to connect Ebonyi and Cross River states, as well as ongoing work on the Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Expressway and the Okposi-Ohaozara-Ukawu-Cross River Road, as another landmark achievement of President Tinubu’s administration in Ebonyi State.
Shettima further said, “Where shall we begin the account of our work? Shall we begin with the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa -Abuja Superhighway, part of our Trans-Saharan highway vision? Or with the Ndibe Bridge, which will link Ebonyi with Cross River? We are advancing work on the Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Expressway and the Okposi-Ohaozara-Ukawu-Cross River Road. Again, I ask, where shall we begin?”
The Vice President explained that the road projects would improve the movement of agricultural produce, manufactured goods and other commodities, while reducing logistical barriers facing businesses and communities across the region. On agriculture, Senator Shettima described Ebonyi as an important contributor to Nigeria’s food security, particularly through rice and cassava production. He said the administration is supporting farmers with fertiliser distribution, interest-free FarmerMoni assistance and other agricultural development programmes.
He noted that investments in rural roads are equally important to agricultural activities, as according to him, improved access to markets would help farmers to reduce losses, increase earnings and expand production. The Vice President further disclosed that thousands of beneficiaries in Ebonyi State had received grants under the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme, while federal employment and digital skills initiatives were also creating opportunities for young people to acquire relevant skills and establish sustainable livelihoods.
Speaking on security, Shettima said the Tinubu administration had intensified efforts to restore stability across the South-East, adding that stable economic development depends on the safety of communities, businesses and critical infrastructure. He identified the establishment and commencement of operations at the Nigerian Army Recruits Training Depot at Amasiri-Edda in Ebonyi State as one of the Federal Government’s security interventions in the region.
According to him, “The security of the South-East has changed since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu became Commander-in-Chief, over three years ago. We have worked to restore order, and we will keep working.”
The Vice President also listed the establishment of the South East Development Commission, the launch of the South-East Vision 2050, and the approval of the South-East Investment Company as major institutional initiatives, intended to accelerate regional development, attract investment and create sustainable economic opportunities.
He maintained that the interventions recognise the relationship between security, economic inclusion and long-term stability, and said the Federal Government remains committed to addressing the structural challenges affecting the South-East Zone. Shettima also commended the Ebonyi State governor, Francis Nwifuru, for deploying the state’s increased resources towards development projects, describing his administration’s efforts as a demonstration of responsible stewardship.
Vice President Shettima urged the people of the state to renew their support for President Tinubu and the APC in the 2027 general elections, stressing that Tinubu’s administration had established the foundation for further economic progress and national development. He thanked the people of Ebonyi State for their continued support and urged them to stand by President Tinubu, Governor Nwifuru, and the APC in the forthcoming elections.
In their separate remarks at the rally, Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru; former APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole; and Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, commended President Tinubu’s economic reforms and infrastructure investments, urging the people of Ebonyi State to support the administration in the 2027 general elections.
Governor Nwifuru reaffirmed the support of the state for President Tinubu, saying Ebonyi State had benefited significantly from the administration’s economic reforms and special interventions in road infrastructure. Governor Nwifuru said, “Under President Tinubu, the poor roads in our state and zone are now better. We now enjoy special road interventions.
“As I assure the President that the state would deliver 80% of its votes to him in the 2027 presidential election, I also appeal to the Federal Government to support the provision of a 330kV electricity transmission line to improve power supply across Ebonyi State, because of the importance of reliable electricity to industrial development and economic growth.”
Also speaking, the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi said the massive turnout at the rally was a demonstration of Ebonyi State’s support for President Tinubu and the APC. He thanked the President for what he described as unprecedented Federal Government investments in road infrastructure across the state.
The Works Minister further urged the people of Ebonyi State to sustain their support for the Tinubu-Shettima administration, adding that he was confident that the state would deliver 1.3 million votes to the President in the forthcoming election.
On arrival in Abakaliki, the Vice President paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Izzi/Nnodo Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Eze Fidelis Nwonumara, where he was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Aka Ekpuchi Ọnwa, meaning “A Hand Cannot Cover the Moon.”
The conferment celebrated the Vice President’s public service and the longstanding bonds of friendship between the people of Northern Nigeria and the South-East. In an acceptance speech, the Vice President expressed gratitude to the Monarch and the traditional rulers. He described the honour as a personal responsibility to deepen his relationship with Ebonyi State and strengthen national unity.
The Vice President also said, “I have travelled from the far North-East to the South-East, yet I stand here among brothers and sisters. Our ancestors understood that friendship could cross rivers, mountains and kingdoms. They knew that a stranger who is received with love soon becomes a member of the household. This is the Nigeria we must preserve.”
He recalled the historic ties of trade, friendship and shared community life between the North and the South-East, noting that Nigeria’s diversity remains one of its greatest strengths.
