Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has backed President Bola Tinubu’s fuel subsidy removal policy, arguing that a return to the previous regime would undermine investor confidence, weaken the naira and reverse economic gains.
Speaking at a Meet the Candidates town hall in Enugu, Mbah described calls for the reintroduction of subsidy as economically dangerous and said Nigeria should instead focus on ensuring that the benefits of reform reach households through jobs, investment and targeted support.
He argued that restoring subsidy would send a negative signal to prospective investors and could trigger fresh uncertainty in the energy sector. According to him, private capital had begun responding to what he described as improving macroeconomic conditions, while the stock market and foreign investment flows offered signs of growing confidence.
Mbah also maintained that the previous subsidy system disproportionately benefited wealthier Nigerians. He said targeted interventions such as cash transfers and seed-capital programmes were better suited to supporting low-income households.
Turning to Enugu, the governor defended his administration’s record, citing projects in education, healthcare, transport, aviation and infrastructure. He listed the revival of Hotel Presidential, development of the International Conference Centre, Enugu Air, transport terminals, 268 Smart Green Schools and 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centers among projects his government had pursued.
He also outlined ambitions for expanded electricity generation, 24-hour power supply, lower energy costs, further road construction and new transport infrastructure, including a proposed monorail system.
Mbah urged residents to support his re-election, arguing that continuity would protect what he described as a rising standard of governance and allow the state to deepen its development agenda.
