Members of the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State Chapter, on Wednesday, reassured Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of their support, loyalty and the declarations by various groups and senatorial districts mandating the governor to choose his successor as was done by his predecessors.
They gave the resssurance when they paid a solidarity visit to Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu,
The group reassured the governor of their support and solidarity. They told the governor that they are solidly behind him and his political decisions ahead of the 2023 elections.
Ugwuanyi, who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Enugu North Senatorial District in the 2023 general election and the leader of the PDP in Enugu State and the South East geo-political zone, had endorsed the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, a lawyer, to succeed him in 2023.
Speaking on behalf of the members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State Chapter, including the state and local government executives, the youth and women wings, the national officers from the state and Presidents-General of Town Unions, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the state, Prof. Fred Eze, commended Ugwuanyi for his numerous achievements in all spheres of development despite avalanche of challenges confronting the country.
Eze applauded the governor for the enduring peace he has entrenched in Enugu State, saying, “it is not surprising that your remarkable signature of peace is emblematic of everything you touch, including the ever contentious party politics.
“Thousands of kilometers of asphalted roads criss-crossing the nooks and crannies of Enugu State with state of the art bridges and drainages you have constructed.
“You constructed new hospitals and courts of justice more than any other governor in the history of Enugu State.
“You have also empowered thousands of Enugu State youths through exposure to training and skill acquisition.
“Our governor has capped it up with a world-class flyover bridge at T-Junction, Nike Lake Road; a new stadium at Nsukka and a new State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, Enugu State which has been fully licensed for operation by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
“We also acknowledge with gratitude the take-off of the Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo which you attracted from the Federal Government, Prof. Ezeh said.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo President stated that the members of the organisation in Enugu State “voluntarily and deliberately” visited Gov. Ugwuanyi “to come and honour him and express their solidarity with him.
Speaking on Gov. Ugwuanyi’s achievements in the education sector, Prof. Eze revealed that the group is exceedingly delighted at the governor’s investments in the sector which he said have started yielding bountiful results.
“The report of the latest study by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and StatiSense indicates a stellar performance by the Enugu State students at the 2021 WAEC examination with a score of 93.9 percent coming tops of all the states in Nigeria in public schools. This is an outstanding performance and it is kudos to Your Excellency,” he said.
The group said, “Your Excellency, as the current political season draws nearer, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Enugu State followed with keen interest the declarations by various groups and senatorial districts mandating you to pick your successor as was done by your predecessors.
“There was an overwhelming agreement by all and sundry in Enugu State that you should also pick your successor from Enugu East Senatorial District. We therefore wrote Your Excellency in November 2021 amplifying and aligning ourselves with the popular mandate of our people on this issue.
“It is on this highly ennobling premise that the gamut of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Enugu State Chapter including our grand patrons, patrons, 17 local government chapters, women and youth wings hereby express our unequivocal solidarity with Your Excellency (Ugwuanyi) and restate our unalloyed loyalty and support to our Father, Mentor, Leader and Provider.”
Prof. Eze expressed immense gratitude to Gov. Ugwuanyi for his “generous support of the activities of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State Chapter all these years,” and beseeched God to continue to bless and reward him abundantly.
The Chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Igwe Amb. Lawrence Agubuzu, the National Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr. Selina Ugwoke Adibua, the Chaplain and Spiritual Director, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Rev. Fr. John Amadi, and the organisation’s Patron, HRH Igwe Emmanuel Ugwu were among the delegation to the Government House, Enugu, while the state Chairman of the PDP, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, the member representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, Hon. Prince Cornelius Nnaji, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Prof. Malachy Okwueze, and the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Barr. Nestor Ezeme, were among the personalities who witnessed the event.