By CHARLES IWUOHA

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), on Wednesday, declared support for the Ebonyi State Governor, Engr David Umahi, toward the 2023 presidential election.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Agency, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, made the position of the NASENI known during a courtesy call to Umahi at the New Government House, Abakaliki.

According to him, Umahi deserves to be elected President of Nigeria in order to replicate nationwide, what he was doing in Ebonyi State, adding that the engineering profession would back him to emerge the President, if he agreed to contest.

He noted that Umahi had made the job easier for them, having defected to

the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He disclosed that the Nigeria Academy of Engineering had nominated him for a special award for making them proud in the governance of Ebonyi State.

According to him: “I always try to call a spade a spade. I don’t like been partisan, but today, I’m going to be a bit partisan. Your Excellency, ours is an agency, with the mandate to promote and fast-track self-reliance, technology and knowledge manufacturing and human development.

"I need not to consult my board and management before declaring you the best Governor so far as NASENI is concerned.

“Your Excellency, I’m happy that I was able to be in Ebonyi State and to see things for myself. I will tell you that at the end of this presentation why you are so selected.

“But let me tell you also that on my way, before arriving here, I have already, as a council member of the Nigeria Academy of Engineering, sent some pictures and my recommendation to the president in

Council and I have been mandated to nominate you for a special award for doing the engineering profession proud in Ebonyi State.

“The national president said I should send your curriculum vitae and I have communicated this, through the State Commissioner for Agriculture, who led

the team that went round.

“Your Excellency, to be a bit political, we are inviting you to come and duplicate what you are doing in Ebonyi State, nationwide.

“I assure you that the engineering profession of which you belong as your constituency, will be massively behind you. And I’m glad that you made our

task easier, because the platform you launched is already the ruling party.”

Professor Sani who did a presentation of what the NASENI had achieved in recent time, noted that the agency was willing to partner Governor Umahi towards full realisation of his industrialization target in Ebonyi State.

While speaking, Umahi commended the agency, describing it as the beginning and end of the problems of Nigeria, adding that the it represents the

practical demonstration of what engineering profession meant.

The Governor noted that the Agency deserved serious attention of government in order to resolve the many problems facing the nation.

“I’m so touched and lack words to describe what NASENI is doing, but I can say that, this is the hope for our country, Nigeria.

“Sometimes, we don’t know what we need as a nation. But, honestly, after food, health, and education, this is the next thing Nigeria should look after. This is the beginning and the end of our problems. I never knew this kind of thing is in existence; that you are the answer to our problems.

“I believe strongly that we can do it, looking at the things you have produced locally. Is it the science equipment, the agriculture equipment, the solar power, so many of them,” Umahi said.