Enugu State has for several years been deprived of quality leadership and representation since the creation out of Anambra. A closer review of the list of former governors has the following; Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chimaroke Nnamani, Sullivan Chime, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. From the list above, you will understand that it was only Sullivan Chime that actively did a great job in Enugu State while others were there but had no meaningful impact.
Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘Never has a man reached his destination by persistence in deviation from the straight path’. We the Enugu State people have largely followed the PDP sheepishly and stupidly which resulted in complacency, mediocrity, wickedness in the administration of our common wealth and the time to change this route is now.
I once heard from a governorship candidate in PDP who was very confident in his ability to clinch the ticket of the party and he said to me, ‘Chidi, I wish to inform you that in Enugu State, once you win the ticket of PDP, you have nothing else to worry about but to just go for Thanksgiving’. The above statement and mental thought is simply the reason for their lack of performance, nonchalant attitude towards the welfare of the people, non-execution of people-oriented projects and embezzlement of our common wealth, amongst many others.
PDP has consistently given Enugu people the shortest end of the stick, and the time for our movement to a more responsive, responsible and people focused party is now. Gen Bruce Clarke said ‘when things go wrong in your Command, start searching for the reason in increasingly large circles around your own desk’. In line with Gen Bruce Clarke’s quote, we carried out a very robust and detailed search for who will best solve the leadership problems in Enugu State hence lead the state to Promised land and the best candidate for this job happens to be Hon. Chijioke Edeoga.
Hon. Edeoga emerged as the most qualified and most consistent choice in the research carried out for the race to the Lion House in Enugu State.
Firstly, Hon Chijioke Edeoga today is the candidate of the Labour Party, a party which we all know is people focused and devoid of any known godfather; the masses are the godfathers. The party is a revolutionary party that has come to emancipate the people from the excruciating impact of bad governance and wicked leadership that have characterised the style of PDP and APC. The Labour Party is accountable to the people and not to any godfather. In Labour Party, everyone is a Chairman in his capacity and drives his group organically towards the overall structure of the party which makes it hard for the governor or elected member to please a single person to the detriment of others. Most elected people in other parties owe their allegiance to the godfathers and not to the people; this is totally different in Labour party. The godfathers determine how the state allocations will be shared. The elected candidate after settling the godfathers will then have little or nothing to work with, he will then be left with no option than to embezzle the remaining. Chijioke Edeoga has the people of Enugu State as his godfather hence will have no option than to work in the interest of the people or risk being kicked out by the people.
Peter Mba is a candidate of the PDP, a party that has held down Enugu State for more than 22 years. PDP largely believes that they are untouchable as long as you have the backing of the godfathers. They are very nonchalant, wicked and callous to the welfare of the people. In the words of Don Vito Corleaone, The godfather ‘when they come… they come at what you love’. PDP has taken away everything that we love through the godfatherism syndrome. Peter Mba currently has huge list of godfathers to settle which will leave him with no option than to dance to their tune. Most prominent in his godfathers’ list is Chimaroke Nnamani, Jim Nwobodo, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, etc. We all remembered what happened during the time of Chimaroke Nnamani; lack of project execution, killings and thuggery, embezzlement, consistent false media adverts, etc. Enugu State cannot afford to go back to Egypt or back to those dark days of Nnamani which will happen if we elect his kitchen staff Peter Mba. Sullivan Chime worked very well in Enugu State because he chased Chimaroke away from the state.
Frank Nweke Jr just like Peter Mba is another kitchen staff of Chimaroke Nnamani. Chimaroke is the one sponsoring his campaigns and will largely be in charge of his administration if he gets elected.
Enugu State time for revolutionary movement is now. A Chinese adage states that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now’. If we cannot do great things, let us do small things in a great way by going for the best candidate devoid of godfathers.
Chidi Ibudialu, Port Harcourt
