By Chukwudi Nweje
Deputy Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Chief Toby Okechukwu, has described the Enugu State Governor-elect, Dr Peter Mbah as the best choice for the state.
Okechukwu, who represents Aninri/Awgu/oji River Federal Constituency, made the remarks in Enugu on Sunday, while congratulating the new Mbah on his victory.
The lawmaker said Mbah’s election by the people of the state was a right step at a time of severe national economic challenges.
He called on the opposition candidates to drop their court cases and join hands with Mbah and work for the greater good of the state.
He said: “I pity Nigerians who see some Labour Party politicians as progressives because they moved out from the dominant parties (either PDP or APC) to the LP to cruise on the Peter Obi bandwagon.
“They won seven out of the eight House of Representatives seats in Enugu State, but PDP did not complain.
“They won the senatorial seat of the governor and even the governor’s polling booth during the Presidential and National Assembly Election, yet neither PDP nor Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi complained.
“They won the Enugu East senatorial district where Nkanu East LGA is located and celebrated it. But they would not accept the governorship result that came from the same process the same day.”
The lawmaker explained that Enugu people supported Peter Obi in the name of justice because “we believed it was South-East turn to produce the next President”.
On accusations of Mr Frank Nweke of APGA that the election was marred by irregularities, the lawmaker said, “it beats imagination how a man who managed 17,983 state-wide votes against Dr. Mbah’s 160,895 votes hoped to win the governorship election in the first place.
“On behalf of the good people of Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency, I congratulate the governor-elect of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, and the people of Enugu State on this massive victory.
“It is a hard-won victory, but it is worth it, given the quality that Mbah is expected to bring to bear on the leadership of the state.
Okechukwu commended Mbah for his commitment in his acceptance speech to run an all-inclusive government, saying that the unity and brotherhood were imperative if the state must experience the much-needed development under the Mbah administration.
He equally urged the people of the state to continue to support and pray for Mbah as he embarked on the onerous mission of building a new Enugu State.