A graduate of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Mark J. Ngene, has faulted the claims that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State promised scholarship to one Gabriel Nwodo at the 17th Convocation of ESUT in 2016.
In a statement made available to Igbere TV on Monday, in Enugu, Ngene described the report as “misleading and baseless”, saying the “wicked lies and blackmail against the Enugu governor, aimed at achieving a selfish ends must stop.”
“This trumped-up story was first peddled by one Ike Aguata, who alleged that a friend of his Gabriel Nwodo (whom he said scored the highest CGPA of 4.81/50 in the history of ESUT), told him that the Enugu State Governor “announced that the state government will place him on scholarship for his Masters degree in any university of his choice around the world,” he said.
“I wish to state categorically that I was one of the graduands at the said Convocation and there was never a time the Governor made such announcement.
“Because of the gravity of this allegation, which I know was deliberately peddled by Gabriel Nwodo and his traducers to seek cheap attention and mischievously coerce the state government to grant him scholarship without following due process, I had to ask some of my classmates present at the event, and they also said that the governor did not announce award of scholarship to anybody.
“This act of mischief undermines the genuine efforts of Governor Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi’s administration in offering scholarship to indigent students of the state as well as those who have performed excellently in their academic endeavours.
“Consequently, it is on record that the present administration has taken the issue of scholarship awards more serious than the past governments.
“This led to the transformation of the State Scholarship Board headed by Barr. Levi Abonyi”, Mr. Ngene insisted.
He noted that the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led administration had awarded scholarship to the following:
“1. 340 indigent students of Iwollo Polytechnic.
2. 340 indigent students of IMT, Enugu.
3. 300 indigent Enugu indigenes spread across the country who were offered scholarships from 2nd year to final year.
4. 22 indigent Enugu students who were sent to study medical courses in India.
5. 246 Law School Students who were paid 100k bursary allowance.
6. Miss Ali who was awarded scholarship having come first in WAEC exam.
7. Miss Nneoma who was offered scholarship to university level owing to the maltreatment by her guardians.
8. Students of Imilike Girls secondary school who were offered scholarships.”
Ngene, therefore, advised Nwodo to “follow due process and seek scholarship from Enugu State Government”, which he said he believes will be granted him, rather than “embarking on an act of mischief that will not fetch him any good.”
