Edeani M. Edeani is the National President of Nkanu Youths Assembly and a Technical Assistant to Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. In this interview, he spoke on why an Nkanu man should succeed the incumbent governor, the zoning arrangement in the state among others. Excerpts…
Tell us about yourself?
I am Edeani. M. Edeani, and by God’s grace the National President of Nkanu Youth Assembly. I am an aid to the most proactive, active, and hardworking governor in Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the Executive Governor of Enugu State.
There’s a recent internal issue involving your person, this came 2 months after you shut Enugu State down with the Nkanu Cultural Fiesta. What were the issues?
Just as you know, the Nkanu Youth Assembly is the apex wing of all youths in the Enugu East Senatorial zone and as such you know politics must come in and can be funny at times. So, I expected such to happen. Some who felt that they were not fully carried along politically, during the program went out of their way to do everything possible just to bring dissension to Nkanu youths but the investigative committee has met and consequently informed the general public the truth behind the speculations. So be assured that it was a mere case of sponsored campaign and I can assure you that there’s no internal crisis in the Nkanu Youth Assembly. We are on a serious mission and we can’t let them distract us from achieving our set goals.
We must protect the interest of Nkanu youths. We must fight for the interest and advancement of our dear Nkanu nation.
Talking about 2023, it appears people from other zones are also interested, as slogans have surfaced on social media, what’s the position of Nkanu Youths Assembly on this?
I would have loved to stay calm until it’s time for action. Everyone knows that I am a man of few words but I need to guide a few ignorant people accordingly. The tripod or the triangular political zoning arrangement in Enugu is not just generally accepted, internalized but also a highly revered and respected one. It started from Sen. Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) (1999-2007, Enugu East), through Barr. Sullivan Chime (PDP, 2007-2015, Enugu West) to my boss, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (PDP, 2015 to date, Enugu North).
If you can remember, during our last Enugu youth stakeholders meeting, I warned anyone or group of political jobbers trying to truncate this peaceful pact in the state to desist or be forced to be seen as an agent of instability, an enemy of peace, and as such be ready to be rejected disgracefully.
Let me sound it that anyone aiming to contest against Nkanu candidates come 2023 is an ingrate and an agent of destruction.
A lot of people might want to know why you tagged them, ingrate, knowing it is within their inalienable rights to contest.
Yes, whoever has such selfish interest is and must be treated as an ingrate, this is because even as in 2007 when a bonafide Nkanu man, Sen. Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani extended the mantle of the state’s leadership to Bar. Sullivan Chime which later proceeded to the other zone, Nkanu nation had all it takes to retain the political seat or was it not our political right?
Remember also, in 2007, that the governor was an Nkanu man; the third political office holder in Nigeria was an Nkanu man that is our distinguished Senator Ken Nnamani (GCON) among other stakeholders. Nigeria as at then had but just PDP as the only major political party, and it would have been a walkover if ndi Nkanu had chosen to retain the governorship seat, but Nkanu being a nation of peace, equity and fairness understood that every senatorial zone should have a fair share of the state hence the zoning arrangement. Nkanu nation went on to support Sullivan’s administration and we are strongly supporting Ugwuanyi’s administration for what will be a complete 16 years by 2023. So tell me why ingrate is not even a mild word for anyone dreaming to contest against Nkanu nation in 2023?
There are arguments that the so-called zoning arrangement is not written or signed anywhere?
Wait, it is not every agreement that is written down. In law, there is what we call an implied law. The British constitution cannot be found in any book. It is an unwritten constitution, yet it is an age-long convention which has guided one of the most developed countries in the world.
The same thing applies here too. The zoning arrangement in Enugu state is entrenched in the consciousness of all the good people of Enugu State.
Please, all energy now should be channeled towards supporting the present administration of Gov. Ugwuanyi, who is doing excellently well. The zoning distractions from these political jobbers is totally unnecessary
We the Nkanu Youths are not even perturbed as our dear governor, who has a distinct record of keeping to his words has said on different fora that he is sustaining the zoning system in the state. That is why we the Nkanu youths on 29th of November last year at the 1st Cultural Fiesta held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium reminded him of the promise and equally pleaded with him to give us someone as humble and youth friendly like his Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.”
Some Nkanu Stakeholders made pledges during the Nkanu Cultural Fiesta, have they been fulfilled?
Questioning the reliability of Nkanu people is totally out of order. On the issue of pledges, we are still on it and once they are fully fulfilled, we will let the whole Nkanu youths know and immediately undertake the proposed projects
How would you rate the government of Gov. Ugwuanyi?
Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi (GburuGburu) , the executive governor of Enugu state is doing excellently well.
He is indeed laying enviable legacies in the sands of time and we the Nkanu youths are very much grateful for his inclusiveness of youths in leadership and his numerous developmental strides.
That is the very reason Nkanu youths gave him the very first award as the “Icon of Peace and Youth Development”. Gburus is indeed an institution, a God sent and a blessing to Ndi Enugu.
