President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday pledged the Federal Government’s support for critical infrastructure requests, including a rail link from Parako to Enugu.
Tinubu made the promise when he received a delegation of Enugu State political leaders at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, where he praised Governor Peter Mbah’s development record in the state.
Mbah, who won the Enugu governorship on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2023, defected to the All Progressives Congress in October 2025.
The President addressed Enugu’s longstanding request for federal infrastructure investment, specifically the rail corridor linking Parako to Enugu, a project considered central to unlocking the economic potential of the South-East.
He said, “On the matter you raised, the rails from Parako to Enugu, the power sector reforms, the infrastructure that is the backbone of economic development, I noted it. I will do more.”
Tinubu attributed Nigeria’s historical infrastructure deficit in part to a structural funding mismatch, saying, “What has been the problem in the past is a Nigeria that is trying to finance long-term projects with short-term funding.
“We have not embarked on a serious, long-term outlook for our country.”
The President made reference to the opposition, drawing a contrast between his administration’s record and that of unnamed predecessors.
“You have leaders who privatised electricity that is not working. They gave us darkness and descent, and we are trying to get ourselves through that to build a nation of bright hope and joyful people,” he said.
Tinubu added, “Stay focused. When you are succeeding, and they are angry, leave them in their corner. Stay focused and believe in yourself as you have been doing.”
Tinubu also acknowledged Mbah’s political journey, saying, “You are in the other party; I don’t want to give them credit by naming them, but you are a member of the progressive family today. I am proud of that.”
He told the governor, “I want to say thank you very much, Peter. We will not let you down. We will continue to work hard.
“You know what you handed over to us, and we are navigating the rough waterways, but we will land this ship very well to steady Nigeria and bring prosperity to our economy.
“You have been a transformative leader, and we genuinely appreciate what is evolving in Enugu today in a manner that we are witnessing the rapid development of the state.
“The results you have outlined in security, infrastructure, education and healthcare are not abstract.
“They are the evidence that reform is working, that difficult decisions are yielding real outcomes, and that Nigeria is moving forward,” he added.
The delegation, led by Mbah, comprised three former governors, a former Senate President, two sitting senators and a cross-section of the state’s living political heavyweights.
They had arrived at the Villa at about 02:00 p.m.
The governor said the delegation was at the State House to express their solidarity and support for the President’s vision to build a solid foundation for Nigeria’s economic prosperity.
“This visit is symbolic because it speaks to our shared future and a commitment to progress. We have come to express our deepest gratitude for your engagement and investment in the people of Enugu State.
“We do not take all these for granted. If it were possible, just as the former Senate President alluded to, Your Excellency, the entire Enugu State population would have converged here at the Villa to express our gratitude.
“The delegation here represents the excited and grateful voices of over seven million sons and daughters of Enugu. We state boldly and without ambiguity that this relationship has earned our trust and support.
“On that basis, Your Excellency, we will stand proudly with you on election day in January 2027,” he said.
Mbah listed some landmark projects inaugurated by the President during his January visit to the state, saying they helped boost the state’s socio-economic development.
He also appreciated the President for his magnanimity and fatherly disposition.
“Mr President, you are a true friend of Enugu State. This was evident in your January 4, 2025, visit to Enugu. You broke a long-standing political distance between this region and the Federal Government, crossing party lines, at a time when the Enugu electorate did not favour your party.
“Yet you choose to invest in our state because you recognised what we were building. I remember very clearly. You and I stood side by side at the ceremonial ribbon cutting of several projects,” he noted.
