By Nnamani Arinze Darlington

Uche Nnaji,

Your recent political attack video demanding the history of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah is noted. Since you have asked, let us examine the history, the journey, the business background, and the record of the man currently entrusted with the leadership of Enugu State.

But before we begin, let us establish one fundamental truth: *it is easy to criticise a governor; it is considerably more difficult to demonstrate that you possess the competence, character, experience, and vision to govern better.*

It is public knowledge that you are currently facing serious allegations of certificate forgery involving the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) degree certificate and NYSC discharge certificate that you presented during your ministerial screening. Both institutions have disowned the documents. An investigative panel set up by the Federal Ministry of Education found the certificates to be forged. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is prosecuting the matter in court, with charges that also touch on related issues of fraud and abuse of office. You have pleaded not guilty, and the trial is ongoing. These are not political fabrications; they are matters of public record currently before the courts and the Nigerian people.

Until you fully clear your name on these historic and serious allegations of fraudulent activity and certificate forgery, your attempts to distract Ndi Enugu with personal attacks on the Governor only raise further questions about your own credibility and fitness for public office.

Uche Nnaji

The people of Enugu State deserve a political conversation built on facts, ideas, accountability, and measurable results, not a contest of personal attacks.

If your ambition is to lead Enugu State, Ndi Enugu deserve to know what you intend to do differently.

What is your economic blueprint for Enugu State?

How will you create sustainable employment for our young people?

What is your plan for education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, security, and industrial development?

How will you improve the standard of living of ordinary citizens while strengthening the state’s economic capacity?

And what concrete policies would you implement to deliver better results than those you criticise?

These are the questions that matter.

*Political ambition is not a development plan. Criticism is not competence. And the desire to occupy Government House is not proof of the capacity to govern.*

Since you have demanded Peter Mbah’s history, let us put his background and public record into perspective.

MBAH’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Peter Ndubuisi Mbah was born on 17 March 1972 to Chief Gilbert Ekete Mbah and his wife in Owo, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. He grew up in a modest family that instilled hard work, integrity, and service. His primary education was at Army Children’s School, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate with distinction and even skipped a class due to outstanding performance. Secondary education was completed at Owode High School, Owode Egba, Ogun State, where he obtained his Senior Secondary School Certificate in 1992.

At about age 12, when family finances were strained and further education for him risked interrupting his siblings’ schooling, he chose to leave school temporarily. He was sent to Lagos to apprentice as an electronics trader at Alaba Market. He started small, trading, saving, and learning the discipline of business from the ground up. He later imported Mercedes-Benz parts from Germany, became sole representative for a Turkish company, and built a reputation for reliability and trust in international trade long before any political office.

 His Educational Background

Recognising the value of formal education while trading, he pursued law at the University of East London (UEL), United Kingdom, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) in the Upper Division in 2000. At UEL he was President of the Students’ Law Society (1998–99), transforming it into the university’s Most Productive Society of the Year; he served on the Students’ Representative Council and School of Law Board, won the university’s Mooting Competition, and represented UEL at the International Negotiation Competition.

He returned to Nigeria, attended the Nigerian Law School, and was called to the Nigerian Bar. He earned a Master’s degree in Maritime and Commercial Law from Lagos State University in 2004. He further obtained an MBA from IESE Business School, University of Navarra (Barcelona, Spain), a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategy and Innovation from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and completed the Chief Executive Programme at Lagos Business School, along with executive programmes at institutions including Harvard and Stanford. In 2021 Godfrey Okoye University awarded him an honorary Doctorate in Political Science; more recently his alma mater, the University of East London, conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws.

The significance of this background is straightforward: Peter Mbah’s professional journey did not begin when he became governor. His involvement in business and public administration preceded his emergence as the chief executive of Enugu State.

That history deserves to be examined through evidence, not reduced to political rhetoric.

2. HE WAS A BUSINESSMAN BEFORE GOVERNOR

His wealth was built through legitimate entrepreneurship over decades:

In 1992 he founded Peter Mbah Investments Limited, a trading and oil-and-gas services firm that became the Nigerian representative/sole agent for International Oil Corporation (IOC) of Fresno, California.
Between 1993 and 1997 he founded GILPEL Industries Ltd., importing and distributing general goods and domestic electrical appliances (with significant turnover).
He established Focus International Schools in Lagos — a quality primary and secondary institution reflecting his belief in education.
In 2004 he registered, and in 2008 began full operations of, Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd. from a modest one-room office with minimal capital and a tiny staff. Through innovation in petroleum product handling, storage, logistics, and customer focus, Pinnacle grew into a major indigenous player in Nigeria’s downstream sector. It developed significant infrastructure, including an ultra-modern offshore petroleum products intake and off-take facility (SPM/CBM and large storage) in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, one of the notable liquid bulk terminals of its kind in the region plus facilities in Warri, a fleet of trucks, and a network of retail stations across Nigeria. 

This is the source of his business success: starting as an apprentice trader, building import businesses, representing international partners with integrity, and then scaling an indigenous oil-and-gas company through hard work, innovation, and corporate governance not through any public office.

Of course, every claim about business success must withstand scrutiny. Questions about ownership, investments, corporate performance, and the origins of wealth are legitimate in a democracy.

But scrutiny must be based on evidence.

*If you want to challenge a man’s record, bring evidence. If you want to replace his leadership, bring a better plan.*

That is the standard Ndi Enugu should demand of every politician seeking their confidence.

3. HIS GOVERNANCE EXPERIENCE

Before becoming governor, Peter Mbah served as Chief of Staff to former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani and later as Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development in Enugu State.

These positions exposed him to government administration, public finance, economic planning, and the challenges of managing state resources.

His subsequent election as governor marked another chapter in that professional journey.

In 2003, after contesting an elective position, he was appointed Chief of Staff to then-Governor Chimaroke Nnamani. He later served as Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development. In those roles he chaired the State Tenders Board, sat on the Executive Council and State Security Council, and contributed to fiscal reforms and strategy documents that guided state development programmes. NewsWatch magazine in 2006 described him as “a man ahead of his time” for his work on the state’s fiscal operations.

Since assuming office on 29 May 2023 under the _Tomorrow Is Here_ vision, Governor Mbah has pursued a results-driven agenda focused on growing Enugu’s economy from approximately $4.4 billion toward a $30 billion target, eradicating poverty, and positioning the state as a preferred destination for investment, tourism, business, and living. Key verifiable milestones (as documented in the administration’s September 2026 scorecard and subsequent updates) include:

A. Infrastructure and Road Development

Over 1,521 kilometres of roads constructed or reconstructed across urban and rural areas, including strategic corridors such as the Owo-Ubahu-Amankanu-Ikem dual carriageway (a new gateway linking the state northward). Multiple phases of urban roads, gateway roads, and rural connectivity projects continue. The New Enugu Smart City (approximately 10,000 hectares spanning several LGAs) is under development with integrated underground infrastructure for roads, water, power, telecommunications, and sewerage.

B. Education and the Smart Green Schools Initiative

A state that invests in education invests in its future.

The administration’s Smart Green Schools initiative seeks to modernise basic education through improved classrooms, digital learning resources, ICT facilities, and other educational infrastructure.
Construction and equipping of 260–268 Smart Green Schools (one per political ward), delivering over 7,000 classrooms. These feature digital classrooms, ICT centres, robotics and AI labs, e-libraries, solar power, smart farms for practical agriculture, free uniforms, books, tablets, and daily meals for pupils. Roughly 33% of recent budgets has been allocated to education. Teacher training is ongoing through the Centre for Experiential Learning and Innovation. The schools began full transition for the 2025/2026 academic session.

C. Healthcare and the Welfare of Citizens

260 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres built and equipped across all wards, with recruitment of over 2,250–2,500 health personnel to ensure 24/7 service. Construction and equipping of the 300-bed Enugu International Hospital is advancing to reduce medical tourism outflows. Secondary facilities and related investments continue.

D. Water Supply

Significant restoration of pipe-borne water: daily production capacity raised dramatically (from low single-digit millions of litres to over 120 million litres in the municipal area through interventions including the 9th Mile scheme and supporting power generation). Reticulation and further expansion remain ongoing priorities.

E. Agriculture and Economic Revival

Development of over 260 farm estates (one per ward) supporting more than 18,000 smallholder farmers with mechanisation, storage, aggregation, and processing. Land banking of hundreds of thousands of hectares. Revitalisation of United Palm Products Limited (major investment, replanting, and resumption of commercial production), Sunrise Flour Mills, Nigergas (oxygen and industrial gases), and other moribund assets. Partnerships for agro-processing and value chains.

F. Transportation and Aviation

Launch and expansion of Enugu Air (growing fleet and routes). Increase in daily flights into Enugu from roughly 2 to 15–20. Construction of modern transport terminals (Holy Ghost, Abakpa, Nsukka, and others). Deployment of over 100 CNG buses (with more planned) and plans for additional eco-friendly taxis. Progress on the concession of Akanu Ibiam International Airport.

G. Security, Tourism, and Other Reforms

Improved security architecture enabling freer movement and business activity. Tourism projects including plans for a major zipline, cable car system, religious tourism sites, resorts, and repositioning of assets such as Hotel Presidential (major renovation advancing) and the International Conference Centre complex (including a new 5-star hotel component). Fiscal reforms have driven strong IGR growth (from around ₦26–37 billion range pre/early term to over ₦180 billion in 2024 and reports exceeding ₦400 billion in 2025). High capital expenditure ratios in successive budgets (often 80%+), Citizens’ Charter (Executive Order 001) for transparency, and institutional reforms including revenue automation and Treasury Single Account.

These are not campaign promises; they are documented deliveries and ongoing projects that the people of Enugu can see and experience. A comprehensive compendium of over 10,000 milestones was publicly presented in September 2026.

The strongest defence of any administration is not propaganda. It is a record that can withstand scrutiny.

5. UCHE NNAJI, WHERE IS YOUR ALTERNATIVE VISION?

This is the central question.

If you believe Peter Mbah’s approach to governance is wrong, what is your alternative?

If you believe Enugu’s economy should grow faster, present your economic model.

If you believe the administration’s education policies are inadequate, explain what you would change and how you would finance those changes.

If you believe the state’s infrastructure priorities are misplaced, identify the projects you would prioritise and explain why.

If you believe unemployment remains a serious challenge, present a credible job-creation strategy.

If you believe Enugu can be governed more effectively, demonstrate how your policies, institutions, and implementation plans would produce better outcomes.

The people deserve specifics, not slogans.

They deserve a vision supported by practical policies, realistic financing, measurable targets, and a credible implementation strategy.

*A serious political contender does not merely explain why another person should not lead. A serious contender demonstrates why the people should trust him to lead instead.*

That is the challenge before every politician seeking the confidence of Ndi Enugu.

6. ACCOUNTABILITY MUST APPLY TO EVERYONE

The public controversy surrounding Uche Nnaji’s educational credentials is also part of the wider conversation about accountability in public life.

The allegations involving his university degree and NYSC certificate have resulted in legal proceedings. Nnaji has pleaded not guilty, and the case remains subject to the judicial process.

The appropriate institutions and courts must determine the matters before them in accordance with the law.

Nevertheless, the broader democratic principle is clear: anyone seeking public trust must be prepared to answer legitimate questions about their record.

Accountability cannot be demanded selectively.

A politician who calls for scrutiny of another public figure must also accept scrutiny of his own background, decisions, and public conduct.

No politician should demand accountability from others while suggesting that his own record is beyond examination.

FINALLY: THE PEOPLE DESERVE SUBSTANCE, NOT NOISE

Uche Nnaji, your demand for the history of Peter Mbah presents an opportunity to have a serious conversation about leadership, accountability, and the development of Enugu State.

Peter Mbah’s professional journey encompasses business, formal education, public administration, and his current responsibilities as governor.

His administration has embarked on an ambitious programme spanning infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, transportation, and economic reform. These initiatives deserve careful examination, independent verification, and continued public scrutiny.

Where the administration has delivered results, those results should be acknowledged. Where shortcomings exist, they should be identified and addressed. Where claims are made, evidence should be available.

That is how responsible political accountability works.

But the same standard must apply to every politician.

If you have a better vision for Enugu State, present it.

If you have evidence supporting your criticisms, provide it.

If you believe the people deserve a different direction, explain precisely what that direction looks like and how you intend to achieve it.

Ndi Enugu deserve more than a politician who can criticize. They deserve leaders who can think, plan, build, deliver, and account for their stewardship.

The future of Enugu State cannot be determined by who produces the loudest political video, launches the sharpest personal attack, or commands the most attention on social media.

It must be determined by the quality of leadership offered to its people.

The people deserve competence over theatrics, substance over sensationalism, accountability over empty promises, and results over rhetoric.

Governor Peter Mbah has continued to demonstrate that his administration’s promises are translating into meaningful progress. Those who seek to challenge him must demonstrate that they possess a credible alternative.

That is the standard of leadership Enugu deserves.

That is the standard Ndi Enugu should demand.

And that is the standard by which history will judge every politician who seeks their trust.

Ndi Enugu are watching. Let the facts speak, let the ideas compete, let accountability prevail, and let substance prevail over noise.

Abba Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has pledged 10 buses to support mobilisation for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Abba made the pledge during a visit to the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat in Abuja on Friday, according to a statement issued by Yusi Buba, Senior Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation to the party’s Deputy National Chairman.

He was received by the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Bukar Dalori.

Buba said Abba commended the party’s leadership and Tinubu’s administration, expressing support for the President’s continued stay in office.

“In a demonstration of his commitment to the political engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections, Hon. Abba Atiku Abubakar announced the donation of ten buses to support activities aimed at mobilising support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima in 2027,” the statement said.

The APC aide said Dalori welcomed Abba and acknowledged his pledge, describing it as support for the party’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the elections.

The development followed Abba’s announcement of a nationwide mobilisation campaign for Tinubu’s re-election and the unveiling of the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation, a political support group established to advance the President’s second-term ambition.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Abba said the organisation would commence activities in the Federal Capital Territory before expanding to other parts of the country.

He also announced plans for a two-million-man mobilisation march across the six geopolitical zones, with the exercise scheduled to begin in Abuja.

Abba defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in January, declaring his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.

His father, Atiku Abubakar, is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general election.

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Sokoto State, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, has reportedly escaped unhurt after suspected gunmen opened fire on his convoy near the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport on Friday night.

The incident occurred at about 9pm on October 30, 2026, shortly after Dan’iya had escorted former Sokoto State Governor and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to the airport.

The candidate’s bulletproof sports utility vehicles were reportedly damaged in the shooting.

Confirming the incident, the Sokoto State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufae, said the command had received a report of the incident at the airport and would take necessary action.

Sokoto State ADC governorship candidate, Hon Manir Muhammad Daniya

He added that anyone found culpable would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Aminu Abdullahi, Dan’iya alleged that personnel of the Sokoto Marshal and the Sokoto State Community Guard blocked his convoy and prevented it from passing through the airport area.

According to the statement, the personnel claimed they were acting on directives from their superiors not to allow ADC members into Sokoto State.

It further alleged that attempts by members of Dan’iya’s security team to resolve the confrontation failed before gunshots were fired, damaging the candidate’s bulletproof vehicles.

The statement also claimed that two Department of State Services (DSS) operatives attached to the candidate’s security team were detained during the confrontation.

Dan’iya described the incident as a threat to his personal safety and a development capable of undermining democratic freedoms, political participation and peaceful coexistence in the state.

The ADC candidate also alleged that earlier on Friday, his team had observed unusual deployments of Sokoto Marshal and Community Guard personnel at various entry points into the state, where vehicles bearing ADC inscriptions were allegedly stopped from entering.

He said what initially appeared to be routine security operations had raised concerns about a possible attempt to restrict the movement and political activities of opposition members.

“If security personnel can block a gubernatorial candidate, fire gunshots during a confrontation, damage his vehicle and detain officers assigned to his protection, then the people of Sokoto deserve urgent answers.

“No one should be above the law, and no security outfit should be used to threaten political opponents,” Dan’iya was quoted as saying.

The candidate disclosed that he had visited the Commissioner of Police in the state to formally report the incident, present his account of what transpired and seek intervention.

He called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the DSS and other relevant security authorities to investigate the incident, identify those responsible and determine whether any unlawful orders had been issued.

Dan’iya also demanded the immediate release of the two DSS operatives, if they remained in custody, and urged the authorities to preserve available video footage, operational records, eyewitness accounts and other evidence for an impartial investigation.

He appealed to the Federal Government, the National Assembly, human rights organisations and the international community to pay attention to the security situation in Sokoto, warning that political intimidation and violence could threaten the credibility of the democratic process.

The ADC candidate also challenged the Sokoto State Government to clarify the alleged directives attributed to the security personnel and ensure that state-controlled security outfits operated within the law and without political interference.

“Sokoto is not the property of any government or political party. Every Nigerian has the right to enter the state, move freely and participate in lawful political activities. Any order intended to exclude ADC members from Sokoto would be unacceptable and must be investigated,” he said.

Despite the incident, Dan’iya urged his supporters to remain calm, avoid provocation and refrain from retaliation, insisting that neither intimidation nor violence would make him or the ADC abandon their constitutional and democratic rights.

He said he would continue to pursue his political ambition peacefully and lawfully, while urging security agencies to protect citizens irrespective of their political affiliations.

The allegations contained in the ADC statement had yet to be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.

There was also no official response from the Sokoto State Government, the Sokoto Marshal or the Community Guard explaining their account of the incident.

The police and other relevant security authorities are expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the reported shooting, the alleged detention of the DSS operatives and the damage to the candidate’s convoy. (Saturday Vanguard)