Agu Nnaji: Enyinnaya Chima Nwafor Epitomises Consistency

As the build up to securing the ticket of political parties for the 2023 general elections winds down, pundits and even clairvoyants are becoming careful with the trend of events in their analysis and forecast.

This is expected because both the serious-minded and pretenders are gradually exhausting their strategies and resources especially in the face of some ambiguities in the modus operandi of the parties both at the centre and the State levels.

One can only wish that sanity prevails this time around in the whole gamut of political processes such that the people,indeed majority of Nigerians,will have the choice in the emergence of their leaders.

Having said that, political activities in Abia State have become quite intriguing and of expected interest even by other Nigerians who are wishing a breath of fresh air for the State. The past leadership recruitment process in the State seems to be begging for change, not necessarily based on outright condemnation, but in consonance with the axiom that you don’t do the same thing all the time and expect different results.

Abians are yearning for a re-engineered state of affairs where the wholesome dreams of majority of the people are realised based on competence, broader world view, measurable agenda and commensurate drive of the in-coming Governor. It’s not just about a litany of academic qualifications, nor the longest experience in party politics.

It’s not necessarily about where the person comes from nor the size of his pocket. Neither is it about the apparatchik or godfathers behind the aspirant. Rather it’s about consistency in putting the welfare and needs of the people above all other considerations.

While the former qualities are in various degrees of abundance in virtually all the gubernatorial aspirants across party lines in Abia State, the former seems to be the icing on the cake for Engineer Enyinnaya Chima Nwafor.

In various newsrooms and amongst formal commentators in the public space, his GRACE agenda seems to resonate with the expectations of the people. At the time when his co-aspirants in PDP were waiting for various kinds of human anointing and clique endorsements, this entrepreneurial enigma and philanthropist had gone round the State, severally, marketing his detailed vision and program to stakeholders, leaders and the masses in different fora.

It was easy and seamless in access and reception for him because of his long standing interface with the people whether in the course of his business endeavours, his humanitarian service or plain socialisation. These have inadvertently given him some political advantage too long to catch up with at this rush hour.

This to the minds of discerning Nigerians is what modern day politics should be in Abia State. Oyo State tried it with Makinde and laid to rest a drowning anointing paradigm. Nasarawa State did it with an entirely private-sector groomed professional,and you can’t imagine the transformation going on there now. Just to mention a few.

Enyinnaya Nwafor seems to fit very well in this mould of leaders. So it’s not out of place to expect Abians to root for the next Governor with this paradigm shift and consistency in his vision, approach and time-laced agenda and favourable disposition to a better Abia for all beyond the rhetorics of ethnocentricism.

However, a few questions have been raised about the contracting status of his companies with the State and his relationship with the incumbent Governor.

Hear him: ” The existence of my construction company predates the emergence of the present administration in the State and the records are there for anybody to see through the FOI law. However, in view of the respect I have for the Governor and my interest in the development of the State, I restrain myself from publicly stating between the State and I, who holds the short end of the stick even as we speak”.

Prodded further, this reporter left with an impression of a man clearly focused with his commitment to bring his wealth of experience, God’s given resources and goodwill to impact the generality of his State as a Governor.

According to him,” mine is not a condemnation of the past or present but a determination to make a difference based on studied appraisal of the past, informed needs assessment of the present in order to unleash a better future for Abians”

It is this consistency of thoughts and plans devoid of mudslinging, arrogance and misinformation, that has come to define Nwafor’s participation and chances in the emergent political dynamics of Abia State. It is however left for the delegates that will nominate the flagbearer of the party to vote either for light at the end of the tunnel or for a hazy unpredictable future.