UMUAHIA – Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara, has described Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, as “an icon, model of excellence, and a true definition of performance who needs no further campaigns for a second term in office.”
Senator Wabara who was reacting to Monday’s inauguration of Enugu Air , a state-owned commercial airline conceptualised and established by Gov. Mbah with three Embraer aircraft, hailed the Governor for the laudable project.
The former Senate President said that the strategic investment would not only enhance the aviation industry and air transport in South East but “comes with a huge economic boom for Enugu State”.
Describing Mbah as “one of the best-performing Governors in Nigeria”, as well as “one of the bests South East has ever produced”, Wabara challenged other political office holders to immortalise themselves via impactful projects.
Senator Wabara said that “Gov. Mbah’s achievements and iconic legacies are only akin to the undying legacies of the late Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr Michael Okpara which made his name a trans-generational hero”.
The PDP’s BoT Chairman recalled the complimentary remarks and encomiums on Gov Mbah by the Minister for Aviation, Festus Keyamo while inaugurating the airline, describing them as “unbiased and a confirmation of Mbah’s indisputable scorecard”.
Wabara said:”Gov. Mbah has shown capacity and competence in leadership. His monumental achievements in virtually all sectors have continued to distinguish him as a champion of transformation, shining star and a model of excellence.
” He is a testament that the PDP has a good understanding of the people’s needs, and is committed to the development and economic well-being of the masses.
“The remarks by the Honourable Minister during the inauguration yesterday was an open admittance that Enugu is a walk-over for the PDP in 2027. For a Minister to so openly acknowledge that a national ruling party is ‘scared of’ an opposition Governor simply means that Mbah has secured his second term through performance and uncommon achievements”.
Senator Wabara also commended Minister Keyamo, “for going beyond partisanship to acknowledge performance” in an opposition state, likening his frankness to his (Wabara’s) similar commendation of Gov. Alex Otti of Abia State, who he noted, “has like Mbah, posted milestone achievements that can’t be controverted”.
Wabara urged the Federal Government to “support, encourage and complement Mbah’s patriotism and developmental strides” by making the Enugu Airport a viable international airport to serve the South East geopolitical zone.
He argued that it makes economic sense for Nigeria to also have a booming international airport in the South East just the same way it has in Lagos, Abuja and Kano, “for equity, and considering the high number of passengers engaging in international trips from the zone.”
The former Senate President who said a functional International Airport would help fast-track the zone’s economic recovery and drive for foreign investment, urged South East Governors to work towards making the zone a major aviation hub in the country.
He also urged them to emulate Mbah and Otti’s “visionary leadership style and giant strides which have continued to stand them out from the crowd”.
“What Nigeria needs to move forward is visionary, focused and purposeful leadership;1 political grandstanding and blind partisanship aimed at crippling dissenting voices will only stagnate us”, Wabara thundered.
” I make bold to recommend that any state in search of good governance and performance-based leadership should go to Enugu and Abia and understudy Gov. Mbah and Otti’s templates”, Wabara added.
Describing the duo as special gifts to South East, Wabara said he had a moral obligation as an elder statesman, to “speak the bitter truth which most politicians detest”.
He expressed optimism that with the emergence of visionary leaders willing to create the needed investor-friendly climate, the South East region would reclaim its Okpara-era enviable position as the fastest-growing economy in the world.