Enugu Gov, Mbah visits Tinubu, demands Nnamdi Kanu’s release

COSMAS CHUKWU, Enugu

As part of his concerted effort to end the sit-at-home order that has paralysed economic activities in the South East, the governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, Thursday, visited President Bola Tinubu to plead for the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, Mbah, who described the meeting as heartwarming, said partnership and collaboration with the federal government were critical to actualising his administration’s agenda for Enugu State, especially in the areas of the economy, infrastructure, security, and activation of dormant assets.

He also said the meeting equally discussed the need to release the leader of the IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, saying it is a demand by the South East, which is very much in tandem with President Tinubu’s promise in his inaugural address to engender national healing and reconciliation.

“I came and frankly I brought to the President, the warm greetings and best wishes from the government and the people of Enugu state.

“But, above all, you may also know already that we made massive campaign promises to the people of Enugu. 

“And we also have expressed humongous vision. We’ve taken a bold view of what the new government could achieve in the next four years, in terms of growing our economy from the current levels to $30 billion. 

“One of our core governance philosophies is to collaborate and to have a partnership, and we have identified the federal government as our core partner.

“A lot of people do not know, but we have huge mineral resources in Enugu State. And these resources are sitting under our ground, not being productive. So, we believe with the partnership we’re trying to build with the federal government, we’re able to transform these assets into productive assets.

“Of course, you know that the growth level we have proposed is one that is going to be driven by the private sector and the private sector wants the ease of doing business; and one of the core indicators of the ease of doing business is security and infrastructure. So, we also had that conversation with Mr. President.

“And finally, we also talked about the release of Nnamdi Kanu. You know, that the South East has made a collective demand to have Nnamdi Kanu released. And we basically identified with that and request Mr President, who in his inaugural address promised the people that he’s going to engender national healing and he’s going to serve with compassion. So we’ve basically informed him that this would serve as a pointer to his administration’s extension of hands of fellowship to Ndigbo”, he said.