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From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The governorship candidate of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) in Enugu State, Nnamdi Ugwu, has promised to grow the state’s economy from less than $6 billion to $50 billion within four years if elected in 2027.
Ugwu, who unveiled his manifesto at a press conference in Enugu, said his administration would usher in what he described as the “golden age of Enugu” through an economic development plan anchored on five pillars.
Describing the $50 billion target as a covenant with the people, he said the proposed economy would be driven by agriculture and livestock, manufacturing, investments, energy, human capital, and other service sectors.
He said agriculture and livestock would contribute $12 billion, the proposed Auto City project and manufacturing $10 billion, foreign direct investment (FDI) and local investments $15 billion, while the circular, gas and power economy would generate $5 billion. Human capital, services, tourism, and ICT would account for the remaining $8 billion. The DLA candidate faulted the state government’s claims of improved internally generated revenue (IGR), arguing that Enugu remained heavily dependent on federal allocations.
“When FAAC stops, Enugu stops. When Abuja sneezes, Enugu catches cold. That is not the economy. That is begging,” he said.
He maintained that the $50 billion target was achievable, declaring: “It is maths.”
“We will do it without waiting for Abuja and we will do it by farming our land, not selling it. We will do it by building factories on our land, not sharing it to politicians. We will do it by making Enugu the safest place to put money in Africa,” he said.
Ugwu also promised to train 100,000 youths in software, artificial intelligence, welding, auto-mechanics and nursing, with globally recognised certifications, saying tertiary institutions in the state would be transformed into talent-exporting centres.
On security, he promised to establish a well-trained and equipped security outfit but rejected the creation of state police, arguing that governors could abuse the institution by using it against political opponents and ordinary citizens.
“I don’t support state police. We know how governors behave across Nigeria. You can imagine what they will do if they have legal backing to set up state police,” he said.
He argued that the major challenge confronting the country is not the absence of state police but a lack of political will to effectively tackle insecurity. The governorship hopeful also criticised Governor Peter Mbah’s development agenda, accusing the administration of neglecting the human consequences of its projects.
He insisted that development should serve the people rather than destroy their means of livelihood, ancestral lands, and homes.
Describing his vision for Enugu, Ugwu promised a state where every citizen would have access to quality education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, irrespective of social background.
The Enugu DLA Chairman, Christian Eze, urged residents, particularly youths, to support the party, describing it as a platform founded on the principle of “training before practice”.
He said the party believes that “youths are not leaders of tomorrow. They are leaders of today”.
