ACTIVITIES of the last few days have shown that certain segments of Enugu State are not comfortable with the zoning arrangement being packaged by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 elections.
Under the arrangement, the party, which has tacitly zoned the governorship to Enugu North, is allegedly steering the senatorial seat to Governor Sullivan Chime, thus displacing incumbent Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
Last year, during the first ever town hall meeting at the Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu, to showcase his administration’s achievements and plan for the future in the state, Chime mooted that his successor in 2015 would come from the Enugu North senatorial zone.
The power plan, Chime said, was aimed at giving the zone a sense of belonging in the true spirit of democracy.
Indeed, those who aligned with the governor on this plan had done so because Enugu North has produced a governor who ruled the state for only two years, since the creation of the state in 1991, while the other two zones of Enugu East and Enugu West have had eight years, respectively.
To support that move, Chime, a few weeks ago, summoned a meeting of stakeholders from Enugu North, where three-time House of Representatives member, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, was reportedly endorsed as the consensus governorship candidate from the zone for the PDP.
This aside, Chime is also reported to be packaging himself for the Senate next year, to take over from Ekweremadu, the Senate Deputy President.
However, this development may not have received the support of the old Awgu people in Enugu West senatorial zone, who alleged that the governor has not been fair in his dealings with the area.
They people have, therefore risen in opposition to the zoning arrangement of the PDP in the state. Maintaining that it was grossly manipulated against them, they vowed to hold and support their own in the 2015 general elections.
On Saturday, September 6, 2014, in what has been described as the largest gathering of the people in recent years, the area held a maiden summit where they dissociated themselves from the zoning arrangement.
Rising from the summit, under the aegis of Save Awgu Forum Enugu (SAFE), at the Ofuobi African Centre, the people said: “We are ready and prepared to field candidates for all elective positions in Enugu State for the 2015 general elections.”
In a statement, SAFE leader, Chief Baywood Ibe, said, “the so-called zoning formula/arrangement of rotation of the governorship position of Enugu State is non-existent and unacceptable to SAFE because it promotes discrimination and marginalisation of Awgu people.”
Former Military administrator of Imo State, Commodore Anthony Oguguo (Rtd.), who was the chairman of the event, set the tone when he declared that there was “serial marginalisation of Awgu in the scheme of things in the state.”
“That is why,” he said, “we have called for this summit to discuss and bring together our history of development and what the future holds for Awgu people.”
He said the occasion was to give voice to Awgu people, who had become “voiceless, give them life, home and prick the conscience of all people of good conscience.”
In his characteristic manner, fiery Catholic Priest, Rev. Father Ejike Camillus Mbaka, who took the stage after Oguguo, was more direct over the said marginalisation of Awgu in the scheme of political scheme and other affairs.
He said Enugu State, made up of Nkanu, Udi, Nsukka and Awgu, has perfectly reduced Awgu into a perpetual beggar “with the way things are programmed politically and otherwise.”
Giving a graphic picture of power allocation in the state, Rev. Mbaka said that from Nkanu, Chief Jim Nwobodo and Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani had ruled as governors at different times.
Noting that Professor Barth Nnaji was made a Minister from the area, he said impeached Deputy Governor Sunday Onyebuchi also came from the area and has been replaced by another Nkanu person, Rev. Ifeanyi Nwoye.
Udi, Rev. Mbaka said, has not only produced the late governor Christian C. Onoh and incumbent Governor Sullivan Chime, but has also produced incumbent Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, former Minister, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze and an Ambassador, an INEC Secretary, a Federal Commissioner at the NPC, and Chairman of the UNTH board, among others.
He said the Nsukka area has produced a governor, deputy governor, a minister, a national chairman of the PDP, national secretary of the PDP, an Ambassador, a federal commissioner at the NCC and an member of TETFUND, among others.
Rev. Mbaka gave further insight into how other positions are allocated in the Chime government, excluding the people of Awgu: “Speaker of Enugu House of Assembly (Nsukka); Secretary to State Government (Udi); Chief of Staff (Nkanu); Commissioners – one per local government with four from Udi; Provost, College of Agriculture (Udi); Provost, College of Education (Nkanu); CMD, ESUT Teaching Hospital (Udi) and the Liaison Office, Abuja (Udi).
Others are: President, Customary Court, Enugu (Udi); Vice Chancellor, ESUT (Nsukka); Chairman, PPSMB (Nsukka); Chairman, Civil Service Commission (Udi); Chairman, ENSIEC (Udi); Chairman, LGSC (Nkanu); Rector, IMT (Udi); Chairman, ESUT Council (Udi); Chairman, IMT Council (Nkanu); Chairman, ESCET (Udi); Chairman, College of Agriculture (Nsukka); Chairman, Board of Internal Revenue (Udi); Member, National Rural Electricity Board (Udi) and Member, National Census Bureau (Udi).
Rev. Mbaka stated that the injustice against Awgu has continued in the present administration, to the point that “no Awgu person has been found worthy enough to be named a Personal Assistant to the state governor.”
He said that the only Commissioner appointed from Awgu in the Chime government was removed without a replacement from the area.
“The only one (position) for Awgu probably is current Deputy Senate President (Ike Ekweremadu), who, though not from Awgu, is being felt by our people due to his kind heart,” he said.
“But that position, they want to remove from us and give to Udi and there is no plan to give us anything in government; we will stand to resist this.”
Apparently to give effect to their resolution, the people of Awgu have teamed up with others, to ensure that they not only play a leading role in the coming elections, but also present candidates for the positions “irrespective of what PDP and Governor Chime are saying.”
Chief Anayo Onuwegbu, who is from the area, has indicated interest to contest the governorship election of the state under the PDP.
Meanwhile, the people are giving their full support to Deputy Senator Ekweremadu, to enable him return to the upper legislative chamber for a fourth term.
All the churches in Enugu West senatorial zone are not left out, as Ekweremadu had a hectic weekend in the last but one week, attending to churches where men of God anointed him for a return to the Senate.
On that Friday, the weekly adoration, handled by Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, anointed him (Ekweremadu) to return to the Senate, saying he had done so well and deserved to be reelected.
Mbaka said: “We have had a Senate President, and we have equally had senators, but it is Senator Ekweremadu that has given the people of Enugu and the Southeast the feel of governance.
“Many of the roads and development projects you see around Awgu, Oji-River, Ezeagu, Aninri, and many parts of Enugu and the Southeast came courtesy of the quality representation by Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
“Besides, he is here with his wife. He has demonstrated the ability to keep his family, and that is the first test of leadership.”
Describing Ekweremadu as a man with a good heart and compassionate feelings, he said the Adoration Ministry would stand by the senator to ensure he is returned to continue his good work for Enugu and the Southeast
According to him: “Talking about Enugu West senatorial or Enugu State is even local politics. What is at stake here is Igbo interest in particular and Nigerian interest in general. Igbo cannot sacrifice what they have because of the selfish ambition of anybody.
“Senate is not a matter of ‘represented by’, as we know it in Enugu today. We need able, tested and trusted hand like Ekweremadu who can always stand up to be counted; who can deliver on promise; and who can treat every man with a sense of justice, equity, love, and kindness.”
The Anglican Archbishop of the Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma, at the All Saints Anglican Church, Enugu two Sundays ago, conveyed the endorsement of Senator Ekweremadu by the Anglican faithful in the state.
The Anglican cleric said: “If the people of Benue State have endorsed the Senate President, Senator Mark and the people of Cross River have endorsed the Senate Leader, Senator Ndoma-Egba to go back to the Senate, I don’t think it is a crime to endorse Senator Ekweremadu, who has done so wonderfully well“There is nothing wrong if you go back because you have performed. You have the experience. We have, therefore, endorsed you here with the Holy Spirit.
“Since you have been there, and whether anybody likes it or not, I am proud to say that in this Enugu State and Southeast, you are the most performing senator.”
Archbishop Chukwuma noted that Senator Ekweremadu, apart from being the Deputy Senate President, is also the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, adding that anybody else who goes from the senatorial zone or the state will not get that.
“He (Ekweremadu) has done so much; he has given employment to so many (and he’s involved in the) construction of dams, (provision) of electricity, scholarships, widowhood empowerment
and adult literacy through the Ikeoha Foundation,” he said.
“I challenge any of the other senators, who have a foundation, to come and tell us what they have done.
“The Youth Development Centres are also being built in all the local governments you represent, including roads. But some people are senators, who are chairmen of committees of works from Enugu State here but have left the Enugu-Onitsha road so bad; have left Enugu-Port Harcourt road so bad, but they are senators. What are they doing there?
“You (Ekweremadu) will go again. Nobody should stop you because you are the pride of the entire Southeast and we are praying that God will keep you alive and support you in Jesus name, Amen.”
Over 2000 Pastors from various Pentecostal churches from Enugu West also anointed Senator Ekweremadu at a prayer rally held at National Youth Development Centre, Achi, Oji-River.
Pastor Don Odunze of the Family Circle Ministry, on behalf of others, said: “I have gone around and I have seen politicians and I have come to discover that in Nigeria, one of the first casualties in the life of a man that assumes political office is his family.
“I am so glad to see, over the years, that the wife of Senator Ike Ekweremadu stays by his side. Let’s appreciate him for this. You would not understand but I know what I am talking about.” (Guardian Politics)
http://theadvocatengr.com/new/enugu-chief-of-staff-nwobodo-4-commissioners-resign-to-contest-nass-election/
