Hon. Nnamdi Ugwu, the governorship candidate of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) for the 2027 Enugu State election, has formally presented his campaign manifesto, pledging to usher in “the golden age of Enugu” and expand the state’s economy from under $6 billion to $50 billion within four years of taking office.
The unveiling took place on Monday, November 2, 2026, during a press conference at the party’s state secretariat in Enugu, where party leaders and supporters gathered to witness the rollout of the strategic vision.
Describing his manifesto as a binding covenant with the citizens of Enugu, Ugwu severely criticized the state’s current economic reliance on monthly revenues from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
He noted that when FAAC stops, Enugu effectively grinds to a halt, arguing that dependence on federal allocations is not an economy but a system of begging.
He asserted that his target to build a $50 billion economy is an achievable mathematical roadmap centered on cultivating local land, establishing local manufacturing hubs, and positioning Enugu as Africa’s safest destination for capital investment.
Ugwu’s five-pillar economic program spans key sectors, projecting $12 billion from agriculture and livestock, $10 billion from manufacturing and a proposed Auto City project, $15 billion from foreign direct investment and local capital, and $5 billion from a circular, gas, and power economy.
He also pledged to offer free and compulsory public education, completely removing tuition fees, examination fees, and levies, while providing free learning materials and upgrading infrastructure.
To boost human capital and tackle unemployment, his plan includes training 100,000 youths in software development, artificial intelligence, nursing, and vocational trades with globally recognized certifications, alongside rejecting the creation of state police over potential political abuse.
Throwing his full weight behind the candidate, the Enugu State Chairman of the DLA, Christian Eze, appealed to residents and young voters across the state to entrust their future to Ugwu.
Eze emphasized that the newly registered DLA is built on the core principle of “training before practice” to ensure competent leadership at every level, declaring that young people are not merely the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today who must step up and take charge of their destiny.
