Uche Nnaji Hails Enugu Residents for Resisting Proposed Asset Sale, Warns Against Mortgaging State’s Heritage

Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Enugu State, has commended residents for actively speaking out against the proposed disposal of several state-owned assets, cautioning the government against executing long-term private transfers without adequate transparency and scrutiny.

​Nnaji, a former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, noted in a statement titled "The Voice of the People Has Prevailed" that public assets belong to the citizens, asserting that "government is a trustee, not an owner." His remarks followed public outcry over reports concerning the proposed disposal or concession of key state assets, including the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS), the Enugu State Water Corporation, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, and the Enugu State Liaison Office in Lagos.

​He emphasized that strategic asset transactions—such as previous private-sector arrangements involving Nike Lake Resort, Hotel Presidential, Enugu United Palm Products Limited, and Sunrise Flour Mills—must not use Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a cover for secrecy. According to Nnaji, before any public property is leased, concessioned, or sold, the government must publicly disclose independent valuations, past public investments, transaction details, beneficiaries, financial returns, and control durations.

​Praising traditional rulers, youths, civil society groups, professional bodies, and media outlets for demanding accountability, Nnaji pledged that if elected governor in 2027, his administration will reject closed-door asset sales. Invoking the industrial legacy of former Eastern Region Premier, Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara, he argued that leadership should focus on building new productive assets for future generations rather than disposing of inherited heritage.