Over the weekend, I read with utter dismay, Ekene Uzodinma’s diatribe against Gov. Ugwuanyi. As fallacious as it sounded and as demonic as the intent behind Uzodinma’s rant against Ugwuanyi was, it all turned out to be hog-wash, utter nonsense which, gladly, many did not stand or condone and had to wade in to make it clear that nothing of the sort alleged by Uzodinma holds water, given that Gov. Ugwuanyi’s giant strides in Enugu State are very visible to the blind and audible to the deaf.
In the write-up, he did raise many ‘salient’ issues which lacked salience, but, since it was clearly a hack-job, I decided not to give it any credence. However, having slept over it, I decided that, folly needs correction after all – especially, if its aim is to diminish, tarnish and twist.
One thing which struck me as odd is the fact that Uzodinma is a guber candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP) in Enugu State and, if he gets elected (which cannot happen anyways), would not like anyone to rip into him so maliciously, without reason, without basis. Another thing which jumped out at me was this: Uzodinma should be grateful for the distance which the incumbent has gone with the development of the state in the last three years and see how he can appreciate the evidence of good governance in Enugu State. This means, simply, that, in the next few months, he ought to do more strategizing and less talking. Sadly, he thinks he could come in handy as the hacking machete of someone else. Who needs such a stooge as governor? Not me, ask the next native of Enugu State.
Besides politics, Uzodinma must understand that the gale of endorsements enjoyed by Ugwuanyi is as a result of his work in the state in the last couple of years and not do to any form of loyalty. Everyone has seen the colour of Ugwuanyi’s heart and, clearly, it is the colour of the people. This is why they accept him all the way. This is no gimmick.
Perhaps, Uzodinma – who, clearly, has no idea of how things are done at this level – must think that his emergence as a guber candidate has suddenly bestowed him with the gift of garb and the power of the pen with which to ascend into the office of the governor. I advise him, as one young man in the arena of politics to observe more and say very little (is this not why we have just one organ for speaking and other for observing?) for the good of his party and the state he hopes to govern someday – definitely, not 2019, for his lesson for that year will be in the number of votes garnered by his party. He must not, for any reason, betray his party as being so bereft of a better choice that he had to be saddled with so great a burden that he is now at breaking point and must call out in the most bizarre fashion.
It is on record that Ugwuanyi’s administration has constructed and renovated over 379 primary and secondary schools in Enugu State. It is also on record that Ugwuanyi’s administration has recruited over 4000 primary and secondary school teachers – the highest in the history of Enugu State. So, what is Uzodinma saying? At various opportunities, organised labour has attested to this. Uzodinma should have ‘googled’ all that (but, of course, he would call it ‘media hype’; a refrain for those who feel they cannot be ‘hyped’ in the media).
I need to inform Uzodinma’s sponsors that what they thought would be welcomed as constructive criticism has become a badly botched hack-job.
Each of the 480 autonomous communities in Enugu State (including Uzodinma’s) currently has a priority development project which was commissioned by the governor’s “One Community, One Project” drive. Of course, it does not mean anything to Uzodinma and his backers.
Mr. Ekene Uzodinma’s submission on the International Conference Centre shows clearly that he is an agent of mischief, because not too long ago, it was widely reported in the media the state government’s decision to commence completion work on the project.
Another ‘revelation’ of Uzodinma’s which indicated that he knew little or nothing of what he was writing of as his view on the International Conference Centre project which the state government has long commenced completion work on.
Well, exposing those behind Uzodinma would not be difficult, for they would soon come crawling out of the woodwork; what would be difficult for him, especially, will be finding political relevance after he has played all his cards too early (the party can always find someone else who knows how to comport himself when he holds a powerful pen).
But, what do I know? This is only an advice from one young man to another.
Onyima, the publisher of Leadership Scorecard magazine wrote in from Enugu.
