The federal lawmaker representing Ishielu/Ezza North in the House of Representatives, Hon. Joseph Nwobasi, said on Monday that President Bola Tinubu has addressed Southeast marginalisation by appointing Southeasterners to key government positions.

In a chat with Journalists in Abakaliki, the lawmaker mentioned the appointment of a Southeast person as Minister of Works, the inclusion of Southeast in the coastal highways and the fixing of numerous federal roads, stating that the people of Southeast are not marginalised under President Bola Tinubu.

In terms of infrastructure, Nwobasi noted, “Mr. President has awarded coastal roads, fixing some other federal roads in the Southeast. So, I don’t think the government of Bola Ahmed is marginalising the Southeast, as far as I’m concerned”.

“As soon as President Bola Ahmed came in, in terms of appointment, he considered Southeast, giving Southeast the minister of works, which is first in history, which is one of the major ministers”, he added.

Nwobasi commended President Bola Tinubu for the economic policy he has rolled out, which has revived the economy and improved security, noting that Nigerians will return him as President come 2027.

On his decision to leave the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Nwobasi said the decision was informed by Governor Francis Nwifuru’s gesture to run an all-inclusive governance, stressing that Nwifuru has united all the state’s stakeholders irrespective of political affiliations.

According to him, the first thing Governor Nwifuru did was to ensure peace across the state, adding that he also cleared the backlog of pensions and gratuities, running into billions of naira, owed to civil servants.

The lawmaker said, “One is that the performance of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Right Honourable Prince Builder Francis Ogbonna, when he assumed office, was to ensure that he maintained peace across the state. He moved into action to address areas where there is a crisis and ensure he restores peace.

“Two, he also brought together all the stakeholders of Ebonyi State, irrespective of the party you belong to. He paid the pension and gratuity arrears of civil servants. So, this is what attracted me. I said, not as if I had remained in APGA and contested for my second term, that I would not win. No. It is not like that.

“But because of what he’s doing, I felt it would be better if we were together. That’s why I said, let me join APC, so that we can at any time put things together and plan together on how to move Ebonyi forward”, he added.

He recounted his achievements as the lawmaker representing Ishielu/Ezza North federal constituency, including, but not limited to, the award of scholarships to university students, the distribution of cars, sewing machines, grinding machines, and vending machines, and the empowerment of widows.

He said, “If I were to begin recounting my achievements at the National Assembly, I think there are too many to mention, but let me mention but a few. I’ve done empowerment, which, I think, is one of its kind in the Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency.

“Empowerment, which includes motorcycles, vending machines, cars, sewing machines, and many other items, was, I think, declared open by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State.”

‘The scholarship runs from year one until they graduate, depending on the course of their choice. This scholarship started in 2024. I’ve given the widows so many helping hands. I’ve also helped some establish businesses, and their shops are booming now,” he disclosed.

He assured that he has plans to further empower his people in the subsequent years.

In terms of capital projects implementation, Hon. Nwobasi said that he has built and furnished six classroom blocks, and that the construction of the Amuzu-Izo road is ongoing, which he said would soon be asphalted.

“Then, in terms of projects, I have also attracted a six-classroom block, which has been completed. The desk has been completed. It was sited at the community secondary school, Oshiegbe.

“Then, in terms of infrastructure, I think I have the ongoing Amuzu Izzo Road, which is under construction. It’s ongoing. I think they’ve done the gutter. So, in no distant time now, they will come for the asphalt,” he said.