By Ugo Nweze
Anyone who knows Nsukka people very well will attest to the fact that they are not troublesome, greedy, clannish and divisive people.
That is not to say there are no people with such negative virtues from Nsukka. There are just like every other tribe. The political history of Enugu State cannot be complete without stating the fact that the first civilian Governor of old Enugu State is from Enugu North Senatorial zone Nsukka in the person of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo.
It was the founding fathers of Enugu State led by Chief Christian Onoh and others that stood their ground for Nsukka people to produce the first civilian Governor on the altar of equity and fairness, the fulcrum upon which the state was created in 1991.
It is on record that Onoh fought his own brother from Enugu West Senatorial zone, Dr. Hyde Onuaguluchi to a standstill for Okwy Nwodo who was used as a replacement for his brother, Dr. Joe Nwodo upon the disqualification of the latter alongside other gubernatorial aspirants of National Republican Convention (NRC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) to emerge Governor on NRC platform.
It was the sudden military intervention that truncated Nwodo’s administration and paved the way for prolonged military regimes. With the return of democracy in 1999, the people of Enugu East Senatorial Zone were supported by majority of the founding fathers of the state, including Chief Onoh to produce the Governor of the state on basis of rotation or zoning of the seat among the three senatorial zones in the state.
Unfortunately and even at that, the Nwodos who were the first benefactors of the zoning of the governorship seat in the state threw their weight behind Chief Nduka Agu from Enugu West Senatorial Zone and Onoh’s kinsman. Onoh opposed it knowing full well that it was not in line with the fair and equitable struggle that saw to the creation of Enugu State from old Anambra State. That was how Chimaroke Nnamani from Enugu East Senatorial Zone became Governor and later handed over to Barrister Sullivan Chime from Enugu West Senatorial Zone. Chime after completing his two term in office handed over to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi from Enugu North Senatorial Zone.
2023 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION
Before the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary that produced Bar. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, Governor Ugwuanyi had publicly declared that at the fullness of time, equity, justice and fairness would prevail in the choice of his successor.
That happened with the emergence of Bar. Mbah during the PDP governorship primary, despite persistent pressure from some people from Nsukka led by Former Minister and Ohanaeze president, Chief John Nnia Nwodo Jnr who hid under the Nsukka General Assembly to champion for Governor Ugwuanyi’s support for Bar. Chijioke Edeoga, an in-law to Nwodo and cousin to Governor Ugwuanyi to emerge as Governor Ugwuanyi’s successor.
It has become more obvious to people that Governor Ugwuanyi’s resistance of the pressure for another Nsukka man to emerge as the PDP governorship candidate and his likely successor, not performance is his only offence against some Nsukka politicians who incited and have been inciting Nsukka people against him.
It would be recalled that Edeoga who had initially accepted the outcome of the PDP primaries he lost to Mr. Mbah and pledged to work with him was later railroaded into the Labour Party by his in-laws, the Nwodos, who are desperately seeking for political relevance after 2023.
To gain the support and sympathy of Nsukka people, the Nwodos made Nsukka the centrepoint and fulcrum of Edeoga’s campaign. They played into the emotions of some Nsukka people hiding under phantom Nsukka interest and marginalisation.
They latched on the bandwagon of Obidient movement and church’s support for Mr. Peter Obi’s presidential ambition to win all the seats in National Assembly elections in Nsukka axis.
NSUKKA LABOUR PARTY AND EMBERS OF WAR
Since winning National Assembly seats in Enugu North Senatorial Zone (Nsukka) with the tactical support of the churches that worked assiduously for the actualisation of Obi’s presidential ambition on Labour Party platform, some elected Labour Party members have been basking in the euphoria of their undeserved victories and threatening fire and brimstone against other tribes, parties, individuals and churches.
First to fire the salvo for embers of war against Nkanu people over the forthcoming governorship election is the Senator elect of Labour Party in Enugu North Senatorial zone, Bar. Okey Ezea. In a trending video, Ezea stated categorically that the forthcoming governorship election is a war or do or die affair between Nkanu and Nsukka people. He urged the Nsukka youths to prepare for war.
As if that was not much, Bar. Edeoga declared that if elected Governor, he will destroy the Blessed Sacrament in Government House Enugu because it is not in tandem with his Anglican faith.
In line with Nsukka Labour Party members and leaders’ plan for crisis and war over the governorship election, one of their social media goons, Ikem Okuhu wrote an open letter to the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Bishop Igwubuike Godfrey Onah questioning his credibility and authority.
In the mischievous, combative, divisive and insultive open letter, Okuhu kept referencing to the Bishop’s name Igwebuike meaning that there is strength in unity. Okuhu ordered the Bishop to support Nsukka people to elect Edeoga an Nsukka man to succeed Governor Ugwuanyi the outgoing Governor, who is also an Nsukka man.
What an irredentism and ethnic chauvinism taken too far by some Nsukka hypocrites and tribalists who want to destroy the unity and peace of Enugu State for their selfish political interests. Okuhu berated Bishop Onah and the Nsukka Catholic Church for declaring support for Bar. Mbah based on capacity and competence. Another of Nsukka labourers’ social media e-rats in the person of Aniebo Nwamu has fabricated and peddled fake news that Bishop Onah and the Catholic priests in Nsukka were bribed with N500,000 million by Bar. Mbah. This was the same church and religious support that the Nsukka labourers cashed on to win seats in the National Assembly and Presidential elections in Enugu North Senatorial Zone against other parties particularly PDP.
CONSEQUENCES OF NSUKKA PEOPLE PUSHING ANOTHER GOVERNOR OF NSUKKA EXTRACTION AFTER GOVERNOR UGWUANYI
All those covertly and overtly pushing and clamouring for Edeoga, an Nsukka man to succeed Governor Ugwuanyi his maternal cousin to succeed him are enemies of Nsukka people and Enugu State in general. They are bunch of failed and old politicians who have held the Nsukka people down politically for years and are ready to destroy the political growth and future of the zone.
Their plan is to pitch Nsukka people against the people of Enugu East and West Senatorial zones and reap from at the peril of Nsukka people’s wellbeing and future. Some of them are pushing and preaching it simply because Edeoga is their in-law and they will run the government for him if he succeeds. If it is to be another person from Nsukka other than Edeoga that is in the race, the Nwodos will not support the call for another Nsukka man to succeed Governor Ugwuanyi. They will not because it won’t be in their favour. There is existing zoning of governorship seat in Enugu State. It is the turn of Enugu East Senatorial Zone to produce Governor Ugwuanyi’s successor. In Enugu East Senatorial Zone, Nkanu has over 80 percent votes and is majority in number.
There is no dominant ethnic group in Enugu State. Such can only be seen in states like Benue, Kogi and others. Even in Kogi, divine intervention has altered and placed the majority in minority in terms of political powers and positions.
Those calling for war and provided another Nsukka man in the person of Edeoga should know that they don’t have monopoly of violence and manipulations. The zoning of governorship seat has engendered peace and unity in Enugu State and must be upheld in the interest of all in the state. It is not about today or immediacy, it is about tomorrow or the future that must always come.
