Get Guardian on GoogleMinister of State for Industry and Director of Manufacturing & MSME Sector Mobilization of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator John Owan Enoh, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will campaign for re-election in 2027 based on his achievements since May 2023, not fresh promises.
Owan-Enoh stated this in Calabar on Sunday during the first public outing of the Directorate of Manufacturing and MSMEs, held as a town hall on the eve of the presidential campaign rally.
The minister, who described players in the manufacturing and MSME ecosystem as the lifeline of the country’s economy, said 96% of businesses in Nigeria are MSMEs, contributing 48% to GDP and 87% to employment.
He said the Directorate has compiled a selling document capturing progress made by Tinubu and making a case for re-election.
“Mr President is campaigning on his records since May 2023. Unlike 2023 when he campaigned to be elected, 2027 will be based on records,” he said.
Owan-Enoh listed interventions attracting Cross River as a beneficiary, saying his appointments have been central to state development.
“As Minister of Sports for one year, we opened sports centres in three senatorial districts, renovated U.J. Esuene Stadium, started a yearly tennis tournament in Calabar — the fourth edition holds in Ikom on December 5, 2026.”
“As Minister of State for Industry, we haven’t left Cross River behind. Federal Government has states and locals working in partnership. APC government of Senator Prince Bassey Otu brought MEDA back to life. Many in this hall passed through MEDA training, benefited from BOI, NEXIM, SMEDAN,” he said.
Announcing major industrial projects, he disclosed that “a South Korean team, Asian Economic Development Committee that will sign MoU in Abuja for manufacture of electric vehicles — we deliberately made sure it’s located in Cross River. Governor didn’t delay in giving land. The team arrived in Abuja two days ago, and will be arriving in Calabar tomorrow for a meeting with Governor Otu on November 10. Nothing better than an electric car assembling plant in Calabar for jobs and the economy.”
He added: “NADDC is constructing an automotive training centre in the University of Entrepreneurship, Akamkpa. I laid the foundation, to be completed and commissioned in one month. Same NADDC has in UNICAL a CNG conversion workshop and 65-kilowatt solar-powered EV charging station — both to be commissioned together.”
On cocoa, he noted Cross River remains the highest producer, and the Ministry launched an industrial policy on February 17 on value addition, followed by a cocoa value addition summit in Abuja to stop exporting raw beans.
On skills and grants, he said his Foundation gave free grants, not loans, to 2,000 people across the three senatorial districts trained by MEDA in four phases.
“If Tinubu did not appoint me as minister, 2,000 people would not have benefited. If Tinubu is far away in Abuja, Tinubu is represented by other functionaries delivering service and me,” he said.
He highlighted Federal Government 200 billion intervention — 50 billion nano grants, 75 billion MSME fund — and tax reforms exempting businesses earning below N100m from company income tax as an incentive to formalize MSMEs.
“The BPP launched an online portal for training MSMEs on government procurement because the public sector spends a lot and MSMEs are excluded for not knowing how to apply for contracts. We will give you the portal address before the end of this session,” he said.
Emphasizing the Nigerian First Policy, Owan-Enoh urged the business community to mobilize at local governments and voting points.
“I can stake my name; my credibility is huge in our politics. If 2,000 benefited from my Foundation, 5,000 from MEDA, imagine close to 10,000 beneficiaries in Cross River getting to field canvassing support — outside SMEDAN, NEXIM, BOI. There is a brilliant case that, for Cross River businessmen and women, it is vitally necessary to work together to get Mr President re-elected,” he declared.
