Setting the Records Straight: John Tochukwu Ogbodo Counters Nkanu Youths’ Misplaced Claims Against Governor Peter Mbah”

BY JOHN TOCHUKWU OGBODO,
27TH SEPTEMBER, 2025...

Distinguished members , respected leaders of thought, fellow Nkanu sons and daughters, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

Ordinarily, I would not have responded to the recent press release credited to the Nkanu Youth Organization (NYO), but as a proud Nkanu son , I find it important to put the records straight. Truth must never be left at the mercy of half truths, assumptions, and political undertones.

Let me state from the onset  the positions taken by the Nkanu Youth Organization in their statement of 26th September, 2025 are misplaced, misleading, and not in tune with reality. While I respect their right to free expression, it is necessary to counter these views with facts, reason, and sincerity.

1. On Human Capital Development
The youths claim there is a “staggering deficit” in youth empowerment and human capital development under Governor Peter Mbah. Nothing could be further from the truth.

This is a government that has revamped the education sector with the Smart Schools initiative across all LGAs, integrating digital learning and entrepreneurial training into the curriculum. Today, Nkanu youths are beneficiaries of modern classrooms, free digital skills acquisition, and scholarships.

Furthermore, through the Skills Development Centres, the government is deliberately equipping young people with vocational and tech driven skills. This is human capital development in its purest form. If infrastructural transformation is visible to all, human resource transformation is equally ongoing, though it may not be as photogenic as roads and flyovers.

To say Governor Mbah has ignored the youths is therefore untrue. The truth is that many of us are impatient for results to come overnight, forgetting that systemic reforms take time.

2. On Multiple Taxation and Empathy
The accusation that the Mbah administration is running a “capitalist government” with zero empathy is most unfortunate. What the Governor is doing is simple cleaning up decades of leakages in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) where a few individuals, not government, have been extorting our traders and SMEs in the name of taxes.

Governor Mbah’s tax reforms have introduced automation and digital payment systems to end the era of thugs and middlemen collecting cash on the streets. Far from over-taxation, Ndi Enugu now have clarity, accountability, and fairness in their civic obligations.

Those who shout “multiple taxation” are often the same people who preferred the lawless system where levies were pocketed by individuals. Today, every kobo goes into government coffers and is reinvested in schools, hospitals, roads, and water. That is empathy in action, not rhetoric.

3. On Endorsements and 2027 Politics
The Nkanu Youths allege that endorsements are premature and opportunistic. With due respect, this is a contradiction. Endorsement is a voluntary political expression, not a crime. In fact, it is a natural reaction to good governance.

Governor Mbah’s rising popularity across Enugu State, even beyond Nkanu land, is not because he has bribed anyone to endorse him but because he is delivering at record speed on his promises: water in 180 days (now flowing), massive road expansion, rural electrification, and unprecedented investment inflows.

If people choose to endorse him today, it is because leadership is about performance, not waiting for election timetables. Let the youths not disguise political undertones under the cloak of “fair politics.”

4. On Good Governance and Dividends of Democracy
The Nkanu Youth Organization listed water, security, taxation, and youth empowerment as priorities. Ironically, these are exactly the sectors where Governor Mbah has made the loudest impact:

Water: From less than 2 million liters per day, Enugu now enjoys over 120 million liters daily, courtesy of the Oji River and 9th Mile water projects. This is historic.

Security: Enugu State remains among the safest in Nigeria, thanks to the Distress Response Squad (DRS) and community security initiatives.

Youth empowerment: The Public Private Partnership (PPP) investments are deliberately opening opportunities for SMEs and start-ups to thrive.

Infrastructure: The Enugu of today is a construction site, from flyovers to rural roads. These are not empty promises; they are tangible dividends of democracy.

5. On Their Tone of “Reminder”
The youths concluded by saying their stance is not confrontational but a reminder. With respect, it is less a reminder and more a misrepresentation. No government in the history of Enugu has carried the youths along like this one. From appointments of young aides to the inclusion of youth based policies, Governor Mbah has shown uncommon faith in the next generation.

As an Nkanu man, I stand boldly to say that the Nkanu Youth Organization does not speak for all of us. Their statement, though clothed in fine grammar, is out of touch with the realities of Enugu today.

Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah  is not only rebuilding Enugu State; he is redefining governance, balancing infrastructure with human development, and restoring dignity to Ndi Enugu. Instead of casting stones, let us unite to support his transformational vision.

As a beneficiary to this Government with so many other Nkanu sons and daughters , We all have seen  a  firsthand  leader with empathy, vision, and sincerity. Our Governor is not perfect, but he is undoubtedly on the right track.

History will remember that under Governor Mbah, Enugu rose again.