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Gov. Mbah signs N521.5bn Enugu 2024 Budget into law, lists expected gains
…Charges State Exco on revenue mobilisation, service delivery
…Speaker assures of robust oversight
Governor Peter Mbah has signed a N521.5bn Enugu State 2024 Budget into Law, saying it would engender disruptive economic growth, radical infrastructural development, and efficient service delivery.
Mbah, who said that the Enugu State 2024 Appropriation Law, consisting N414.3bn Capital Expenditure, representing 79 per cent of the budget, and N107.2 billion, representing 21 per cent of the budget, would rely heavily on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) charged members of the executive arm of government on robust revenue mobilisation and service delivery.
Speaking during the budget signing, which was witnessed by members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu, as well as Commissioners and other top government functionaries at the Government House, Enugu on Wednesday, Mbah thanked Members of the state legislature for their support across party lines.
He said that the expeditious passage of the budget was a product of executive-legislature collaboration during the making of the budget estimates, and listed the multiple gains expected from the 2024 budget.
“What this budget signing means to the people of Enugu is that we are going to be spending over N400bn on capital projects in the next year. This is the first time in the history of the state that we are spending that size of funds on capital projects because we are spending 20 times more than what has been typically our Capital Expenditure outlay in Enugu State.
“We called this the ‘Budget of Disruptive Economic Growth’ based on the size of our Capital Expenditure. It also means that we are going to have large economic activities in Enugu State. You can imagine an economy that is typically used to doing N20bn Capital Expenditure now going to witness over N400bn Capital Expenditure. It is going to be monumental in the ways our people are lifted out of poverty and in the ways
economic activities will blossom.
“Most important is that it is going to ensure that we address most of the gaps we have in our social services. In the education sector, the signing of this bill into law means that we are now looking forward to 260 smart schools across the state.
“It also means that we are looking forward to 260 Type-2 primary healthcare centres across all our wards in Enugu State. It means that we are going to have radical infrastructural development.
“We are going to build New Enugu City. We are going to have our roads paved. We are going to have feeder roads paved as well as the access roads to our farmlands.
“We talk about scaling up our production in the agriculture sector. Our Special Agro Processing Zones will come to life. The signing into law of this budget today will ensure that we grow our agriculture so that it is not going to be just for food, it is also going to be for export.
“It also means that a new sector will be introduced, the energy and minerals sector, which we hope to use to drive our revenue. It means that our resources in that sector will be harnessed for the benefits of Ndi Enugu”.
On funding of the budget, Governor Mbah said: “We are talking about less than 12 percent of our revenue size that we are going to borrow to execute this budget. That is enormous as we are expecting to mobilize over N300bn from our domestic sources, and that has not happened before.
“What this means is that we are all going to work tirelessly to ensure that these revenues are realised. It also means that for us at the Executive Council, our meetings would largely be on our revenue performance.
The governor further explained that his administration was taking other critical steps, such as the e-governance and automation of government services to ensure efficient service delivery.
“We have gone to an advanced stage on the e-governance initiate. This is going to ensure that our citizens in Enugu are able access government services without the need of actually going to the ministries or to the banks,” he stated.
Governor Mbah, however, appealed to the people of Enugu State to bear with the administration over some inconveniences that the transformation efforts might entail, saying efforts will be made to mitigate the pains occasioned by policies like the expansion of roads.
Recall the Enugu 2024 budget estimates presented by Mbah at the State House of Assembly on December 5, 2023, was passed on December 21, with the Speaker, Hon. Ugwu, assuring a robust oversight function for diligent implementation of the budget.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank our dear governor, Peter Mbah, for giving a lifeline to the economy of this state. On our part, I assure our people that it is not going to be business as usual. We are going to ensure that every fund we have appropriated is put to judicious use,” he said.
• Adeleke of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat APC’s Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu called and congratulated him shortly after he was declared winner of the August 15 governorship election.
Adeleke made the disclosure while speaking to journalists on Sunday after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him winner of the election.
He thanked President Tinubu for congratulating him, saying the president had contributed to the sustenance of democracy.
“I feel great. First of all, I thank the God Almighty for what has happened today. It’s a victory for democracy in Nigeria,” And, of course, I want to seize the opportunity to thank Mr President. Mr President has called me, and he has congratulated me, and I thank you, Mr President, for making sure democracy lives on because you fought for it, Mr President,” the governor said.
President Tinubu and Governor Adeleke have maintained a pragmatic relationship despite belonging to rival political parties. Despite their political differences, both leaders have maintained a cordial relationship, with Adeleke making high-profile visits to Tinubu and the President engaging with the Osun governor.
Victory for Osun people, Olive Branch
Speaking further, Adeleke said the result represented a victory for the people of Osun, who, according to him, had endorsed his administration’s performance in office.
“A victory for democracy. A victory for Osun people that stood by me and said, Imole, you have done a lot for us. You have given us the dividends of democracy in terms of infrastructure, improving our education, agriculture and so forth. So this is the Osun people saying, ‘Thank you, Mr Governor,’” he said.
The governor, who secured a second term after defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said his administration would focus on transforming Osun from a civil service-dependent state into an industrial hub.
“I will repay that thank you by making sure that I have a vision. My vision is to make sure that Osun State moves from a civil servant state to an industrial state. I will make sure, all across Osun State, development is on. I love you all, Osun State,” Adeleke said.
Adeleke also extended an olive branch to his opponents, describing the election as a contest without a victor or vanquished.
“Yes, this is no victor, no vanquished. I want them to come over. I’m expecting Oyebanji, even as a civilised person, to call me and congratulate me,” he said.
Asked whether he had ever feared that the election could go against him, Adeleke replied: “No. I have a God. I have a God who never fails.”
The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Peter Obi, has congratulated Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on his re-election, describing the outcome of the governorship poll as a victory for democracy and the people.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday morning declared Adeleke of the Accord Party as the winner of the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
Announcing the final results, INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, the Vice- Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti declared Adeleke winner and returned him elected.
Ogunwole announced that the Accord Party candidate secured 511,067 while his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) recorded 444,815 votes.
Adeleke trounced his major opponent with 66,252 votes amid wild jubilation by party supporters and other residents.
Reacting in a statement on his official X account, Obi said the people of Osun had spoken clearly through the ballot, while commending citizens, particularly youths, for defending their democratic mandate.
“I warmly congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election and the good people of Osun State on this important democratic victory,” Obi said.
“They, the people of Osun, have spoken with courage and clarity, reaffirming that the power to choose their leaders belongs to the people.
“Through his commitment to the people, compassion for their needs, and the strength of his work and achievements in office, Governor Ademola Adeleke has earned their renewed confidence and been entrusted once again with their mandate.
“I particularly commend the courageous youths of Osun who rose to the occasion and peacefully defended their democratic mandate.
“Their vigilance and determination demonstrate that when citizens stand firmly to protect their votes, the forces of good can overcome the forces of darkness.
“The lesson from Osun is clear: democracy is strongest when citizens are alert, conscious of their civic responsibility, and determined to ensure that their votes count.
“Every genuine vote must be respected, and every lawful mandate must be protected. This is also a clarion call as we approach 2027. Nigerians must remain informed, participate actively, vote, and protect their votes.
“The Nigerian people are the ones experiencing hunger, deprivation, insecurity, and hardship; therefore, they are also the ones with the power, through their votes, to bring about the change that will end these conditions.
“I urge all political actors to place the interests of the people above partisan considerations and to embrace peace, unity, and the rule of law.”
Obi warned that elections should never be battles of violence, but contests of ideas, competence, character, and service.
“May the Osun experience strengthen our confidence in the democratic process and inspire Nigerians everywhere to remain vigilant and committed to building a just, secure, prosperous, and truly people-centred nation. A New Nigeria is possible,” the former Governor of Anambra State added.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, was on Sunday declared elected, having won 19 out of the 30 local government areas in the governorship election held across the state on Saturday.
The State Returning Officer, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, declared the result of the poll at about 7:24 am on Sunday.
Adeleke polled a total of 511067 votes to emerge victorious in the contest.
Ogunwole subsequently returned the governor to office for another term.
The incumbent Osun governor, who contested the poll on the platform of the Accord, defeated his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who won in 11 LG areas of the state.
While Adeleke won in Ede North, Ede South, Ejigbo, Iwo, Egbedore, Ife North, Ife East, Ife Central, Oriade, Ifelodun, Orolu, Ayedaade, Ayedire, Odo Otin, Boluwaduro, Ilesa West, Ifedayo, Osogbo and Ayedire local government areas.
Oyebamiji, however, won in Irewole, Isokan, Olorunda, Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun and Obokun local government areas.
Declaring the results, Ogunwole said, “Accredited voters, 1010684, total votes received by political parties, A, 511067, AA, 2308, AAC, 1458, ADC, 17180, ADP, 2946, APC, 444815, APGA, 1475, APM, 234, APP, 114, BP, 111, NNPP, 118, PRP, 83, SDP, 155, YPP, 534, ZLP, 2482, total valid votes, 985079, rejected votes, 207, total vote cast, 1,005,800.”
After agents of the political parties have signed the results of the election, the Returning Officer declared Adeleke of the Accord as the winner of the poll.
“That Ademola Nurudeen-Jackson Adeleke having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declare the winner of the August 15 Governorship election and returned elected,” Ogunwole said.
The candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the poll, Najeem Salaam, came third in the poll.
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