BY PETRUS OBI, ENUGU

The contest for the Enugu East senatorial ticket in the Peoples Democratic Party certainly promises to be one of the toughest political contests in the history of the state. The contest is between the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and the state governor, Sullivan Chime.

While the governor is banking on his powers as the leader of the party in the state, Ekweremadu is holding tight to his closeness to the National leadership of the party, as well as his Abuja connections. Of course, the sour relationship between the two leaders has continued to create division in the party in the state and also among supporters.

Thus the recent event in Udi, hometown of the governor where the Deputy Senate President was given a tumultuous reception has been receiving attention from political watchers within and outside the state.

It was meant to be a condolence visit to Udi Local Government Area that weekend, but at the end it was turned into a political carnival. The crowd was thick; the roads were blocked and even the popular Udi palm wine joints which dot both sides of the road as one drives in from the four-corner end were all under lock and key. It was unexpected, but all that was for Ekweremadu the same man in ‘battle’ with their own kinsman, Governor Chime.

The Udi people hijacked the opportunity provided by the condolence visit to the Onyia family for the death of their illustrious sons, Obiora Onyia and Emma Onyia and turned it into another political rally as men and women, young and the elderly trooped out to endorse Ekweremadu for a return to the senate.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in the local government, Hon Uche Ogbodo, started it all when in his speech he announced that PDP executive and political stakeholders in the local government had earlier met and endorsed Ekweremadu to return to the senate. Said he: “Looking around you can see who is who in Udi Local Government Area, I can see the pioneer chairman of PDP in the local government and other stakeholders, and I don’t think we still have other members left. You are all witnesses to the programmes and projects of Senator Ekweremadu in Udi ranging from water, electricity, roads and empowerment. That is why we have no option but to endorse him. On behalf of Udi PDP executive, we have resolved to endorse Ekweremadu for another four years in the senate.”

Corroborating the party chairman, other PDP stakeholders in the area, among them Hon. Mike Oba, former House of Assembly member and Hon. Austin Ene, declared their support for the endorsement, noting that Ekweremadu and President Goodluck Jonathan brought Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, among other major projects, to the South East zone.

Addressing the gathering, the Coordinator of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and Jonathan Support Group (JSG) in Udi Local Government Area, Hon. Emeka Aneke said that people of Enugu West senatorial zone had already renewed Ekweremadu’s mandate for a third term in the senate.

“This mandate is a public investment by the masses. The expected returns on this huge investment are your delivery of social justice for the masses measured in terms of quality representation, human capital development and empowerment, rural infrastructure development, accountability and prospects building”.

He highlighted some major projects attracted to the local government by Ekweremadu, pointing out that the first asphalted road and erosion control from Nkwoagu to Uwani Amokwe, the solar plant and street light at Udi town, the Enugwu Obinagu erosion control project, were attracted by Ekweremadu.

He listed other projects by the senator in Udi to include the Umuabi Abor erosion control project, construction of Oji/Udi 33kv feeder for power improvement, IKEOHA scholarship scheme, adult literacy and widowhood care programmes in all communities in the local government area.

“As our senator, we attest to the fact that you are very visible nationally and internationally and a pride of not only Enugu State but the entire Ndigbo and Nigeria.”

Addressing the people at Umuneke Udi, Ekweremadu announced that he will set up a master plan for comprehensive development of the local government area. This plan he said will make 9th Mile, the major commercial centre of the council area a hub of economic activity in the South East zone of the country. He declared that the master plan will be named “Obiora Master Plan” in memory of the late Onyia.

He observed that the people of Udi have not received fair share of infrastructural development, good governance and youth empowerment that they deserve.

He described Udi as the cradle of development in Igbo land where development started. “So, we are here to pay respect to the great people of Udi, who helped us to gain independence as Enugu people. They gave Wawa meaning, they made us proud because among the Igbo, you cannot speak about the judges without speaking about people like Justice Onyeama, Justice Nnaemeka Agu, Aniagolu and, of course, the late C. C. Onoh. We also have professors of note from Udi and also traditional rulers who gave our people character. We are here to pay our respect to this great local government that we are all proud of.

“So, I’m going to work with the elders, the leadership of Udi and, of course, the stakeholders to develop a master plan that will ensure that our people of Udi will have access to the best quality infrastructure. We are going to ensure that 9th-Mile is re-designed and re-developed so that it will be the hub of economic activities in the South East.”

A PDP stakeholders and guber aspirant from the zone, Chief Anayo Onwuegbu, who accompanied Ekweremadu, said: “Ekweremadu is one who fully embraced his opponents, we are speaking in the domain of my good friend and brother (Gov Chime) whom

I was told only yesterday that he is aspiring to– the office of the senate of Enugu West district which is presently being occupied by the Deputy Senate President; and I think it is historical that the people of Umuneke decided to come out en masse like this to sound it loud and clear that they want to identify and endorse Deputy Senate President against his opponent who happens to be the Governor of Enugu State and it is historical because it is not normal, that’s the importance of today.”

Another political leader in the zone, Emperor Baywood Ibe said: “We thank you (Udi people) for receiving warmly our brother, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, we are happy to be here, when your own deny you, you have no place to go; we have accepted our own, we are one, Udi and Awgu and all the greater Awgu people are brothers, but in the time past, some people have been treating us with contempt but they fail to understand that you cannot suppress people that are determined to move forward, you cannot bring them backward, and that is why we have decided to move forward as a group, we now have Save Awgu Forum, but now it is no more Save Awgu Forum, it is Save Enugu Forum, that is the way, because we have decided to move as one.

“This is an appeal; I can see that Udi people are eager just like us to save Enugu State. This is the time when we are going to remind our people to stand up and speak with one voice, the people have spoken, and when the people speak, they (opponents) begin to shake, so shall it be. The people have spoken that Ikeoha (Ekweremadu) is the man to beat. So, we thank you.”

Chief Mike Ugwu, a member of the House of Reps in the Second Republic also spoke, saying: “I’m a stakeholder of PDP in Enugu West and, therefore, I know everything about PDP. What I’m saying is that Ekweremadu has the capacity of being a senator, because I was a member of National Assembly, you have to talk to people, you have to lobby to get projects to your own zone and somebody who has been executive governor, should after eight years have a rest, because he will just be resting in the National Assembly.”

For Dr. Nnamdi Ene, a native of Oninagu, in Udi: “My assessment of today’s gathering is that it is actually what it should be. The people of Udi got the information, just a rumour that their senator will be coming on a condolence visit and they all thronged this place to show their solidarity and with this number of people gathered, you can imagine what will happen by the day he will be coming on a campaign; that shows that the senator is doing very well and that he is loved by the people and they will want him to go back to the senate.”


Source: Sun