Let the opposition parties tell us their plans for Ndi Enugu. A few weeks to election, the Labour Party and APC are yet to unveil any manifestos to the people and there is nothing to hold them to account. Rather than churning out these childish propaganda, let them invest their time in drawing up a blueprint and presenting it to the people. Election is here.
I toured almost the entire 68 development centres with Dr. Peter Mbah as he interacted directly with the people in town hall meetings, which was concluded last Friday with Nkanu East Development Areas – Amankanu, Nkanu East Central, Nkanu South, and Asu Nkanu – bringing the rear. The rural people had the opportunity to explain their peculiar needs, community by community. They had the opportunity to interview him as a job seeker. He took time to explain his blueprint and their questions. This is apart from other engagements with professional bodies, trade unions, the chamber of commerce, traditional institutions, the churches, both the Bishops, priests, and laity, etc.
I’m also aware that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been on the road, campaigning from community to community. He has been meeting with the people.
Meanwhile, traversing the length and breath of Enugu with Dr. Mbah for the town hall meetings afforded me the opportunity to see first hand what Ugwuanyi has been able to do in Enugu North within the available resources. People should fear God now. See, I won’t accuse any living being of a crime he hasn’t committed. In the area of uplifting Nsukka zone, Ugwuanyi has done so well. Apart from the roads that I saw, there is the state medical university at Igboano. From Orba all the way to Obollo Eke to Ikem in Isi-Uzo, we drove on asphalt road. You needed to move around Nsukka zone to see things for yourself. I’m not saying he did all. No one could have done all. But he did enough to deserve better than this campaign of calumny by some Nsukka zone elements. Go and look at the ratio of political or regular appointments too.
As for some elements in Nsukka, Ugwuanyi’s only sin is that he refused to hand power back to old Nsukka zone, Isi-Uzo to be specific. How greedy can some people be? That would be 16 unbroken years.
The person they are projecting is from Enugu East, quite alright, but neither he nor his puppeteers are pretending that he is running on behalf of Enugu East. He is running on behalf of what they call old Nsukka zone. Go back to their arguments and presentations. Their argument is that the old Enugu zone (the present Enugu East and Enugu West Senatorial Districts) have done 16 years through Dr. Nnamani and Barr. Chime. They insist that old Nsukka zone (which is Enugu North Senatorial District as presently constituted, plus just one LGA, being Isi-Uzo) must have another 8 years. As far as they are concerned, the zoning is no longer about the 3 senatorial districts. But if they want to press this argument of cultural zones, then I think the people of Greater Agwu have the best arguments because they are the only cultural zone that hasn’t occupied Enugu’s seat of power.
The few promoters of this argument and those trying to poison Nsukka people’s minds against Ugwuanyi are not coming to equity with clean hands and I won’t support them. The same people sang Ugwuanyi’s praise as the best thing that has ever happened to Enugu and Nsukka up till a few months ago. The same people were in the PDP until June last year when they lost in the primary election and consequently in their parochial agenda. I don’t know any of the visible candidates or so-called opposition leaders that is not a PDP brought up or enjoyed PDP patronage. One of them became President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo courtesy of the PDP. Even Ugo Agballah, the current chairman of the riotous Enugu APC was a National Delegate for Udi LGA PDP in the 2018 national convention and presidential primary of the PDP for the 2019 election. The Labour Party candidate served as a member of the House of Representatives under the PDP. He was an Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate under Ekweremadu, who is PDP. He was a Special Assistant to Jonathan under the PDP. He served as Commissioner from 2015 to March 2022 under the same PDP and Ugwuanyi that have both become evil in their estimation overnight. Every abuse they throw at Ugwuanyi or the PDP is like a foolish mad man laughing at his anus.
It is a crying shame that the same people, who said it must be by senatorial zones; that it is Enugu East or nothing; that ebe o (Governor) siri anyi jebe, anyi ejebe; and the same people who came together to sign pacts in their own hand writings to support whomever Ugwuanyi endorsed as his successor are the same people kicking against an arrangement they all signed on to without duress. Even the Ekweremadu that appeared the odd man had since June 2, 2022 withdrawn from the race in a statement he personally signed and said he would throw his structures and all he has got to support Mbah, the party’s choice. But the same people who said ebe osiri anyi jebe anyi ejebe are the people jumping to other parties trying to stoke disaffection among Ndi Enugu. Shame!
Let us tell ourselves the truth. If you praised Ugwuanyi from 2015 to June 2022, what moral right do you have to begin to upbraid him now? Just Google, you will see all the wonderful things these same people said about him. You will see all the encomiums. So, their change of mind is not for the good of Enugu. It is a game of power and nobody should be deceived.
The irony, though, is than the rural people don’t share in the conspiracy and greed of the few elites whipping up the sectional (Nsukka) sentiments against Mbah, Ugwuanyi, and the PDP. I have friends across the length and breath of the state. And as I said, I traversed the state during the town hall meetings. These few greedy politicians are on their own as far as Nsukka people are concerned and the results of Feb 25 and March 11 polls will expose them as clergy without congregations. Please, save this post and let’s talk about it over it at Eke Otu Amechi Uwani over some glasses of palm wine and that meat they sell there.
Ha jee zuo ike, biko.
Mazi
