By: Amaka Uguru
The evolution of electoral democracy in Nigeria has been protracted and difficult. The return of democratic governance in Nigeria in 1999 remains a watershed in our history; there have been many political parties that have strut their stuff but Enugu could be described as a PDP stronghold. The governorship seat in Enugu State has seamlessly, effortlessly and peacefully moved from one Senatorial zone to another in line with the implied zoning arrangement agreed upon and instituted by the founding fathers of the state to ensure and promote equity, fairness and peaceful co-existence.
Ike Ekweremadu
It has ensured a smooth transition of power from Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, of Enugu East, to Barr. Sullivan Chime of Enugu West and now to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu North senatorial zone. In recognition of the enduring peace and harmonious co-existence this model has engendered, the Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has consistently proclaimed that after his tenure, power shall shift to the East Senatorial zone. The zone is made up of Enugu East, Enugu North, Enugu South, Izi Uzo, Nkanu East and Nkanu West local government councils of the state. The next governor must therefore come from any of these councils. Ekweremadu’s wish to truncate this peaceful template is not only unstatesmanlike, it is indeed provocative.
Mr. Ekweremadu has been deploying taxpayers’ money into renting gullible crowds—crowds, who have done nothing but hail the whited sepulcher. Mr. Ike Ekweremadu is a malignant narcissist masked by a boy-scout persona, yet any dig into his record readily exhumes mess and miasma to boot. He has only managed to sustain power through fake popularity, buoyed by a montage of propaganda, mass deceit, political bribery and brigandage and, of course, a vicious army of well-educated and well-paid bootlickers, made possible by his questionable overflowing wealth accumulated without sweat.
In view of his ill-fated declaration to contest for Governorship in 2023, he must note that the Nkanu stock (Enugu East Senatorial zone) whose turn it is to produce the next governor is potentially a very bad customer to deal with and Ekeremadu should know this as a fact. He grew up among them and the ladder through which he has climbed was actually provided for him by them. Apart from the likes of Jim Nwobodo, Chimaroke Nnamani, Ken Nnamani, etc, Ekweremadu will be confronted on all fronts, and by every standard, such that Enugu would no longer be a home for him!
He may have forgotten that he has lost his position as the Deputy Senate President, and so has the clout that comes with it. He should have noticed that the mass of vehicular and human traffic that usually announce his presence in Enugu is no longer featuring. He has as a fact lost the support of even his home base such that many pundits believe that if free and fair elections are held today in his Ani Nri local government, he would not win. He knows his statutory limitations in the family he claims and the frictions that exist therein presently; not to talk of the unhidden resentment of the people of Awgu, Oji River, Udi and Ezeagu local government councils who all believe he has serially used and dumped them.
No single individual must be allowed to destabilize a working and equitable zoning arrangement which Enugu East duly deserves at this time. The 2023 elections further serves as a positive step towards democratic consolidation in Enugu and Nigeria at large. Every form of political imbroglio can be swiftly handled so that nothing stops the ever-ascending profile of Enugu State.
