2027: Barth Nnaji Endorses Mbah, Tinubu for Second Term, Cites Infrastructure, Security Gains
Nnaji made his position known while speaking with Government House correspondents after a visit to Governor Mbah in Enugu.
He said although he was unable to attend the recent Enugu East Senatorial District rally where Mbah and Tinubu were endorsed for re-election, he fully aligned himself with the decision.
The former minister recalled that ahead of the 2023 governorship election, he led a delegation of stakeholders from Nkanu East Local Government Area to canvass support for the emergence of a governor from the area, arguing that the zone had suffered decades of infrastructural neglect.
According to him, the emergence of Mbah has begun to reverse that trend through strategic road construction and improved connectivity.
“It should not be a surprise that I am in support of my younger brother. During the run-up to the 2023 election, I led a group of key stakeholders in Nkanu East to campaign and appeal to stakeholders across Enugu State to consider Nkanu East for the governorship position.
“Because of that lack of opportunity, Nkanu East was about the only local government that did not have any real government presence. Today, that is changing because of the work of His Excellency, the Governor.
“You can see that to go from the Idodo area to Amagunze, our local government headquarters, is now a matter of a few minutes. That has totally changed the calculation,” Nnaji stated.
The former minister also commended the governor's investments in security, healthcare and infrastructure, describing them as critical foundations for economic growth and social stability.
He particularly highlighted the ongoing development of the Enugu International Hospital, which he said has the potential to attract highly skilled Nigerian medical professionals working abroad and reduce the country's dependence on foreign healthcare services.
“There are so many reasons why we should all encourage our governor for what he is doing and urge him to do more.
“I was discussing with him the two major factors that can reverse the ‘Japa’ syndrome. The first is security, while the second is high-quality healthcare.
“The development of the Enugu International Hospital, with world-class equipment that people often travel abroad to access, is innovative and strategic.
“We are not lacking high-quality doctors. We have them, but many have left the country. This hospital can attract them back and help reverse healthcare tourism.
“Then there are the roads and other infrastructure projects of high standard being executed across the state. These are transformational initiatives,” he said.
Nnaji further urged politicians nursing governorship ambitions for 2027 to support the governor's development agenda rather than distract from ongoing efforts aimed at consolidating progress in the state.
He described Mbah as a listening leader and encouraged stakeholders to continue offering constructive advice to strengthen governance.
“The whole idea is for all of us to join together to support the governor for the next term.
“It is okay for people to run for office, but we must ask ourselves what we are trying to achieve.
“If things are going well, then the right thing is to encourage the governor and his administration to do even more for the people.
“A governor is not God. Stakeholders should be able to advise where necessary. From my interactions with him, I know he listens,” he added.
Speaking on President Tinubu's re-election prospects, Nnaji said political stability and continuity remain important considerations in democratic governance.
“On support for the President, there is a lineup for the office, and that lineup is important. Both the up-ballot and down-ballot candidates deserve the support of clear-thinking people. That is what we are doing,” he said.
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#PeterMbah #BarthNnaji #BolaTinubu #EnuguPolitics #EnuguState #NigeriaPolitics #2027Elections #Governance #Infrastructure #Leadership
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