People of Enugu State, Finally To Be Free.
6 min readThe coming of Peter Obi and Labour Party is freedom for the people of Enugu, freedom from PDP slavery, freedom from rampant theft of the commonwealth of the people, freedom from sectionalism, freedom from division, freedom from political assassinations, freedom from mediocrity, freedom from corruption and incompetence. It is truly the perfect time to end the Ebeano dynasty that has so completely impoverished the people of Enugu.
For 24 years, i.e. 1999 to 2023, the people of Enugu State were captured by a clan of crooks and incompetent people who exploited the people of Enugu with reckless abandon. Starting with Chimaroke Nnamani, they took advantage of the fact that the people of Enugu are peaceful and easy-going. They just milked, cajoled and intimidated the people into silence and stupor. The vibrant and intelligent people of Enugu state became reduced to yes-men and women, to a people afraid to say their minds. It is a shame that the same state that produced the likes of Justice Byron Onyeama, Justice Aniagolu, Justice Nnaemeka Agu, Justice Nnamani, and more were conquered by fear and through intimidation.
From every angle you look at it, the people of Enugu have had a raw deal in the hands of Ebeano gang leaders. Valuable assets of the state were stolen from the people. For instance, the Zoo land was taken and sold by the Governor to himself and his friends. The WTC land was taken and sold and share by the Governor and his people. Even the Milken Hill valley, a potential tourist attraction in Enugu, was shared by Governor and his friends. Other valuable pieces of land that belonged to the people of Enugu were sold and shared by the Governor and his friends. They exploited our institutions – the courts were pocketed by the various Enugu State Governors such that you cannot get justice in Enugu if the Governor or his friends are interested in the case.
As they stole the heritage of the people of Enugu, they failed to develop the state. They turned Enugu State into an Ebeano State. The people were entrapped, strangled and unable to breath. It was as if all hope was lost. Then, Peter Obi and Labor Party came to Enugu and offered the people a chance to escape from slavery. Enugu people must take up that opportunity and free themselves at last. Having been submerged in the dark waters of oppression and criminality, the people of Enugu must now come up for air.
To understand the grave damage that PDP politicians did to Enugu, you need to look closely to the chain of criminal exploitation and incompetence they visited upon the people. What contribution have they made to Enugu in 24 years? Did they develop the coal mines that had once set Enugu apart from others? No! Did they develop tourism in the state given the huge potentials for tourism in Enugu? No! Did they keep peace in the state? No! Did they promote vital institutions for good Governance in the state? No! Did they develop the huge human resource potentials of the state? No! Instead, they sold state lands to themselves. What else did they not do to harm the people of Enugu?
Remember the following events: When the people of Nimbo were massacred the PDP Governor visited and all he did was to cry and tell the people of Nimbo to commit it to the hands of God. Recently, the people of Isiuzo were massacred, and nothing was done. Kidnappers seized Enugu in places like Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway around Agwu, Udi-Ozalla road around Nvene, and the Nsukka-Nike road. There was nothing concrete the state government did about these events. For over 8 years, the Milken Hill section along the Enugu -Onitsha road was in bad shape until few months ago when Federal Government paid attention to it. For 24 years, public offices were filled by selection by PDP rather than by election and democracy as the Constitution required. The PDP Governor decided by himself the person to fill the position of Local Government Chairmanship and the Councilors for in Enugu State. What a blatant theft of the destiny of the people of Enugu. No, things cannot continue like that. The youths of Enugu must end it this Saturday.
As if stealing was not enough, the leaders of Ebeano clan were linked or mentioned in several political assassinations that eliminated their political opponents. They have been linked to violence that forced many well-meaning sons and daughters of Enugu State away from home. Many sons and daughters of Enugu are afraid to return and establish something in their home state because they fear they could be killed by the killing machine managed by the Ebeano assassination squads. What other harm did they not cause the people of Enugu? They embezzled the state blind. When the EFCC seized assets from them, the assets were confiscated and given to the Federal Government, and nobody raised an eyebrow. Can you imagine; a Governor stole state money. EFCC arrested him and prosecuted him and recovered the money. And the recovered money was not returned to the state.
The Godfather of Ebeano clan remained in control in Enugu State until now. He still calls the shots. And now, he is giving you another Ebeano man as his protege to serve as your next Governor of Enugu in the chain of Ebeano successors. Look at all that Ebeano produced in Enugu since the past 24 years. The truth remains that Enugu deserves better than it has received from those who led it for the past 24 years. Enugu deserves leaders that will be available to lead them in the right direction. Unfortunately, the people of Enugu did not have that opportunity until now. Yes, it is acknowledged that most of those vying for office as Governor of Enugu today were at one time or the other in the past part of the PDP train. But we must make a distinction between those who saw the light and decided to leave the evil empire. Mr. Chijioke Jonathan Edoga, the Labour Party candidate, is the man. The people of Enugu need to come out enmass and reclaim their destiny by voting him into office. A vote for Edoga is a vote for prosperity. A vote for Labour Party in Enugu State is a vote to end the injustice and oppression and theft visited upon the people for the past 24 years.
Failure of political leadership in Enugu State has been so monumental to a point that we became the laughing stock of the world. They are jokers and comedians. This is even evident in the bizarre names they answer – Ebeano, Gburus, etc. Unfortunately, their brand of comedy only attracts ridicule to the people of the state. The leaders of Enugu were so dubious that that they even tried to steal God and turn God into their personal property. When they claimed that Enugu was in the hand of God and turned that into a political slogan, what did you think they meant? Of course, the people of Enugu have always been children of God and God has been with them. That has always been the case. God was with our forefathers. God is with us and God will remain with our children. It is not a Governor that brought God to the people of Enugu. So, when a Governor tells you that Enugu is in the hand of God as his political slogan, he is just being deceptive and manipulative. God has been with the people even before the Governor was born, and God will remain with the people even after the Governor has been kicked out of office.
Peter Obi and Labour Party have offered our people the opportunity to be free, the opportunity to say no to exploitation and bad governance. It is good to know that the people of Enugu are responding to this opportunity. They have decided to say enough is enough; it is time to be free at last. They must make sure that PDP is kicked out of office so that the people can breathe fresh air once again.
By Emeka Ugwuonye, Esquire
