George Agbakahi is the South East leader of Tinubu Support Organisation. In this interview, he speaks on the growing support President Bola Tinubu is enjoying from the South East region, how his organisation, City Boys, Renewed Hope, and a host of others are collaborating to ensure the President’s reelection and what the current administration has done in the areas of road construction and industrialisation in the region, among others, ANAYO EZUGWU reports

How deep rooted, and widespread is what has been described as a shifting pattern in terms of the choice of the elite and the electorate in the Southeast to the extent that the Southeast is now moving towards full endorsement of President Bola Tinubu. Does the position of the elite translate down to the grassroots?

First of all, the Tinubu Support Organisation, City Boys, Renewed Hope, and so many support groups, in this particular upcoming 2027 election, have a common goal. We have a common interest, which is the reelection of President Bola Ahmed. So just forget the nomenclature. We’re all working collectively for the President and the APC to win this election.

So there’s no particular group that is threatened. We talk to them, we liaise with them, and they liaise with us. So that is what you see. With respect to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s chances in the South East, politics is very dynamic, and it is becoming clearer and clearer that the President of this great country has the support of the majority of Nigerians, particular in the South East. We in the South East believe that we made a huge mistake in the last election, 2023.

So we now know the place to go, the place to go is APC. Majority of South Easterners believe in APC. If you were there two days ago, during the Zonal Congresses, it was filled with enthusiasm, it was filled with joy. Too many stakeholders, too many party faithful, even non-party, nonAPC members attended that event. It was an awesome one.

The President has done a lot for Nigerians, and more especially, in the South East. South East supporting Tinubu based on his performance –Agbakahi Are you talking about road construction? Are you talking about industrialisation? He has done a lot. That’s why you see some governors, for example, Governor Soludo of Anambra State is supporting President Bola Tinubu, even though he’s in APGA. Governor Otti of Abia State has said this publicly that his policies truly align with that of Mr President.

The establishment of the South East Development Commission is already closing the gaps in terms of infrastructure development in the South East

The area of industrialisation, the establishments of the establishment of the South East Investment Council with N150 billion take-off. People in the South East, traders, manufacturers, are already benefiting from it. The establishment of the South East Development Commission is already closing the gaps in terms of infrastructure development in the South East.

As you know very well, Aba, which is a popular city in the area of manufacturing, has been designated the manufacturing hub of the Renewed Hope Agenda. I was listening to the Governor of Abia State, Otti. He said that Aba has over 60,000 shoe manufacturers, garment manufacturers, all this under the industrial policy of the current administration.

That’s what you see happening. You cannot have industrialisation without infrastructure. But infrastructure is not the only component to encouraging industrialization. There are many key parts. I’d like you to talk about what some of the infrastructural developments in the region have led to in terms of manufacturing.

So for instance, what numbers of new manufacturing organisations have been set up? Has it improved access to funding for the traders? How many new businesses have been set up? Because the president promised the Southeasterners during his campaign that they would become what we call the Taiwan, or at least Aba, becoming the Taiwan of Africa. So I’d like to get you to talk about actuals. Not just because there should be outcome-based projects.

I always assume that you have seen outcomes. What are some of the outcomes of these projects in the Southeast? I think I’ve really discussed this particular statement by Mr. President. I think that was during the campaign in 2023 because I was in Ebonyi State where the president made that comment that South east would soon become the Taiwan of Africa.

And that is true because a lot has been done. The Bank of Industry brought 636 billion naira which has gone to medium-sized industries, to large manufacturers, to nano-industries, to small-scale industries. MSME brought 178 billion naira. And I’m telling you that some of the people in the Southeast, particularly in Aba are beneficiaries.

Let’s talk about the Southeast, jobs created, businesses started, MSMEs supported, because these are the outcomes we’re looking at, not just the fact that money has been released, announcements made. What are the tangibles that the Southeast has enjoyed based on President Tinubu’s administration and some of these monies that have been allocated? How many jobs have been created? How many young people have started businesses?

There are 7,000 new enterprises in this administration. And many of them are from the Southeast. Many of them are from Aba. That’s what I said earlier on. That the governor of Abia State said it himself, over 60,000 shoe manufacturers, garment manufacturers, in Aba.

Go to the Southeast, There is this palm Kernel refinery. It’s ongoing based on this industrialisation policy of Mr. President. So a lot is happening. And you’re talking of employment. The President is not only concerned about blue collar jobs. We are looking at sustainable development, sustainable employment.

Many people are employed, like I told you. Small and Medium Enterprises Development of Nigeria (SMEDAN) is a government project. N200 billion has been invested in SMEDAN. Many people are benefiting from SMEDAN. Look at the youth investment of N150 billion, especially from the Southeast. They also benefit from all this.

Can you give us the source of the data that said 7,000 new companies or enterprises have sprung up?

Secondly, I also want you to give me the data that says that most people are willing to vote for or most people are supporting President Tinubu in the Southeast. Can you also give us that data? Well, I think the source is from the Bank of Industry as well as the Ministry of Trade and Investment.