By Gwiyi Solomon
In the past one month and still counting, there have been incessant and coordinated toxic publications against His Excellency, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, following the recently concluded party primaries of the PDP in the state. In the reasoning of these young and lately converted spiteful critics of the governor, the primaries ought to have ended in certain directions predictable by them, and not in the manner it finally did.
Since this development, Enugu State under Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been turned upside down by government critics on social media, including the newly recruited and eventually initiated. Their mission is to turn every stride of the present administration into laughing stocks, and then, make the governor of the state appear like ‘one weakling’ who has practically done nothing in the past 7 years.
But that is not correct. Elections have been won and lost in this state before, likewise in other climes. And just recently, across the states of Nigeria, following the recently conducted primaries of political parties, many were heartbroken (including this writer, mine was over Igboetiti/Uzo Uwani Fed. Constituency), while others came aglow with trumpets and drums in celebration of their successes. But that is now in the past. And that is the game.
Suffice it to say that real and practical politicians do not banter to this extent when they lose in a contest. They rather realign, regroup and begin re-strategizing for the next election circle. But they wouldn’t do so in Enugu state. Rather, they have chosen to destroy and bring down the roof on the governor’s head, citing several aggrieved positions to whip up emotions.
The truth is that every heavily contested office can only produce one winner and too many losers. But this barrage of fifth columnists would not accept any reason. All they want is destruction and character elimination of the helmsman and whatever he has labored for.
Unfortunately, many of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s traducers are his kinsmen from Nsukka Senatorial zone. Their grouse is that the Governor did not go in their direction, during the primaries. And for that reason, he must be treated like a scoundrel who came into office and spent eight years as Governor, with little or nothing to show for it. But records do not lie. The governor has paid his dues in Nsukka Senatorial Zone and Enugu state in general.
Hereunder are proofs of such indelible marks in Enugu North.
Construction of the 12km Opi-Nsukka dual carriageway up to University of Nigeria (UNN) gate.
Construction of the 31km Udenu Ring road with two high-tech bridges.
The construction of the 26.66km Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani road in Uzo Uwani LGA.
Reconstruction of the Enugu road (Nsukka) junction-Umuezebi-Nru Junction-University gate road, the post office Roundabout-Odenigbo Roundabout –Ogurugu Road-Ikenga roadand the Obechara Road Junction-Umakashi-Mechanic Village-Ikenga Hotel Junction road, all in the university town.
Construction of Umulokpa-Nkpologu road in Uzo Uwani LGA.
Construction of the first phase of the Enugu State Secretariat annex in Nsukka satellite town
Construction of the Nsukka Township stadium
Construction of 3 brand new classroom blocks at Uvuru secondary school.
Construction of 200-bed specialist hospital, Igboano, Enugu North Senatorial District, to serve as facilities for the ESUT College of medicine that has been relocated to Nsukka.
Construction of the 76 police mobile force squadron facility at Ekwegbe, Igboetiti LGA.
Construction of type three hospitals in Uzo Uwani, Igboeze South LGA and so on.
There is Execution of several grassroots development projects across the zone
There is construction and renovation of district hospitals and health centres in the zone (Umulokpa cottage hospital in Uzo Uwani LGA as example)
Construction of new court buildings and open registries in the judiciary divisions and magistrate districts (A visit to Nsukka High Court will help in this regard)
- There is general political empowerment of Youths and qualified individuals from Nsukka zone who today, occupy sensitive offices in the present administration.
The list is endless.
SO WHO WANTS GOV. IFEANYI UGWUANYI DEAD ON SOCIAL MEDIA? Such thoughts should be perished and their carriers discarded with a wave of the hand. It ill-conceived, ill-timed and ill-delivered.
Gwiyi Solomon is the State Media Director of Gburugburu Disciples. He wrote from Nsukka
