Governor Peter Mbah Urges Ndigbo to Return to Strategic Politics
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has called on the people of the South East to return to what he described as strategic and pragmatic politics in order to reclaim a stronger position in national governance.
Mbah made the remarks on Tuesday while receiving members of the City Boy Movement, a political group advocating the reelection of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the Government House in Enugu.
Addressing the delegation, the governor expressed concern that the South East had become increasingly politically fragmented and disconnected from the center of power in recent years. According to him, the region historically played a more calculated and pragmatic role in national politics, ensuring that its interests were represented at the highest levels of government.
Mbah noted that the political forebears of the Igbo people were known for building alliances across regions whenever necessary, rather than engaging in what he described as sentimental or isolationist political strategies.
“If you go back in history and talk about our forebears, they were always willing to have a handshake across the Niger whenever it became necessary,” the governor said.
“For us as Ndi Igbo, we have never played politics that is driven by sentiment. We have always been very strategic and that is what has been bequeathed to us by our forebears. We cannot allow that legacy to erode before our very eyes.”
The governor also expressed concern that the region currently lacks strong representation in Nigeria’s political hierarchy. He pointed out that the South East is largely absent from key positions in the national order of succession, which determines who assumes leadership in the event of a vacancy in the presidency.
“We are not even at the table where critical national issues are discussed,” he said, adding that the region should normally occupy a higher position in the national political structure.
Despite these challenges, Mbah said he believes the South East is beginning to retrace its steps and rebuild political unity.
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“We have never, as a zone, until recently, been so fragmented. But I want to believe that such fragmentation has somehow ended. We are now speaking from one page in terms of leadership in the South East,” he added.
The governor also used the occasion to commend the economic policies introduced by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He acknowledged that some of the reforms initially created economic challenges for citizens but argued that they were necessary to stabilize Nigeria’s macroeconomic environment.
According to him, the reforms have helped address issues such as foreign exchange volatility and uncertainty, which previously discouraged foreign investors from bringing capital into the country.
Mbah further expressed optimism that Nigerians would ultimately support Tinubu’s reelection, particularly as the effects of the administration’s economic policies become more visible to the public.
“We must not allow ourselves to be deceived again. We have to align ourselves to be strategic and deal with the realities of politics,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, businessman Obinna Iyiegbu, who serves as the South East coordinator of the City Boy Movement, also emphasized the need for the region to rebuild strategic political alliances.
Iyiegbu acknowledged that the South East had lost significant political ground in recent years due to what he described as isolationist political decisions. However, he said the region had learned important lessons and must now focus on reconnecting with the national political structure.
He argued that the Igbo people have historically been one of the pillars of Nigeria’s political and economic development, but noted that recent electoral outcomes have shown that presidential candidates can now win elections without significant support from the region.
“We have come out to tell our people that we are solidly behind the president and his reelection bid,” Iyiegbu said.
He also highlighted the importance of political cooperation in securing infrastructure and economic development projects for the region, including improved rail networks, gas infrastructure, and other federal investments.
Other leaders of the movement, including the state director Prince Emeka Mammah and state patron Chief Charles Mbah, commended Governor Mbah’s leadership in Enugu State and pledged their support for the political movement ahead of future elections.
They also promised to mobilize support across the state to secure strong electoral outcomes for both President Tinubu and the governor in upcoming political contests.