The vituperation from Okey Nzeogwu Ezea against Enugu State Governor were expected if not long overdue. I said expected because such Ezea’s antecedents were synonymous with mischief, vendetta, arrogance and disrespect. They were also expected in view of the outcome of the recent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Enugu State which did not go the way Ezea and his cohorts wanted.
But one thing I have come to realize about Ezea is that his level of insatiability and inability to appreciate and protect what his people have are disconcerting.
I was miffed to read Ezea’s malicious and mischievous open letter to his brother and Governor of Enugu State over the governor’s senatorial ticket, among other baseless and unfounded allegations.
After reading the letter, I was convinced that it was done in bad faith and deliberately constructed to mischievously vent anger.
I was quite disturbed and curiosity compelled me to find out what could have led to this act of rebelliousness and disrespect to the exalted office of a governor.
My findings were not far from what I suspected. I discovered that Ezea’s ranting was not unconnected with his inability to coax the governor to accede to his self-centered request that he (governor) unilaterally pick one Chijioke Edeoga from Isi-Uzo Local Government Area as his successor.
I learnt that the Edeoga in question is the governor’s maternal cousin, though he is from Enugu East Senatorial District where the governorship seat in 2023 was zoned to. I also learnt that Isi-Uzo LGA is part of Nsukka cultural zone which is currently occupying the seat of power in Enugu State.
It was generally viewed that the push to cede the governorship seat to Isi-Uzo LGA would amount to retaining power in Nsukka zone after 8 years in the saddle, a ploy that would have violated the principles of justice, equity, and fairness and created chaos between the governor and the core Nkanu people.
From my findings, I strongly believe that the governor in dealing with the sensitive issue, as a man of peace, exercised wisdom in the overall interest of the PDP and the State.
As an Udi man who spent 5 years in the University of Nigeria Nsukka, in pursuance of my academic programme, I totally disagree with Ezea’s trumped up allegation that the governor did not do anything for the people of Nsukka zone.
This kind of expression is not only wicked but satanic. It is quite painful that despite all that the governor has done for the Nsukka people in terms massive infrastructural transformation and human empowerment both in the political and administrative spaces, the likes of Ezea who actually knows the truth, will deliberately and mischievously lie that the zone has nothing to show for in the last 7 years. This is ridiculous!.
Consequently, I challenge Ezea to tell the public where these projects executed by Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration are located?
The 12km Opi-Nsukka dual carriageway up to University of Nigeria (UNN) gate; the 31km Udenu Ring road with two high-tech bridges; the 26.66km Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima- Eziani road in Uzo-Uwani LGA (RAMP-2); the 22.443km Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti inter-community road linking Isi-Uzo and Udenu LGAs (RAMP-2); the Enugu Road (Nsukka) Junction-Umuezebi-Nru Junction-University Gate road; the Post Office Roundabout-Odenigbo Roundabout-Ogurugu Road-Ikenga road; the Obechara Road Junction-Umakashi-Mechanic Village-Ikenga Hotels Junction road, the Aku Road, St. Theresa’s Road and other internal roads in the University town of Nsukka, covering over 11km.
Other projects include the Enugu State Secretariat annex in Nsukka satellite town; the 5,000-seat capacity ultra modern Nsukka Township Stadium, the massive ongoing projects at the permanent site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine, Igbo-Eno; the Amenity Hospital (ongoing) at the General Hospital Ogrute, Enugu Ezike, in Igbo-Eze North LGA, Type 3 Healthcare Centres in Igbo-Eze South, Uzo-Uwani, Udenu and Igbo-Etiti LGAs; the Cottage Hospitals with Isolation Wings in Igbo-Eze North and Udenu LGAs; the ongoing construction of 3km Eke-Likke Iheaka Junction-Amaga Uwani-Ekoi Iheaka Ihuma Owerri-Iheakpuawka Road and 3km Ibagwa-Itchi Road both in Igbo-Eze South LGA; the 76 Police Mobile Force Squadron Facility at Ekwegbe, Igbo-Etiti LGA; ultra modern fire service stations in Igbo-Eze North and Udenu LGAs, and others too numerous to mention.
How I wish that my brother and former Governor, who only developed Enugu City to earn urban guerrillas’ accolades, did one third of these projects in our senatorial zone (Enugu West) during his 8-year tenure.
I thereby challenge Ezea to tell the public whether these projects of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration in Nsukka zone amount to underdevelopment of the zone. What a mischief!
On the governor’s senatorial bid, Ezea ought to know about the long held tradition in Nigeria which sees serving governors going to the Senate after their 8-year tenure. Gov. Ugwuanyi’s turn won’t be different in all justification.
I, therefore, appeal to Ezea, who I believe is mature enough to know the gravity and consequences of his vituperations and malicious attack on the governor, to play politics with respect and dignity and refrain from chasing shadows and clandestinely dabbling into the affairs of the PDP of which he is not a member, in a failed attempt to mislead the public for his selfish political interest.
Charles Udeh wrote in from Udi, Enugu State.
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