…..Accuses him of running a draconian regime
Ahead of the 2027 general election, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Governorship Candidate in Enugu State, Ocho Obodoeze has lambasted Governor Peter Mbah of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), accusing him of running a “draconian” regime.
In a press statement to mark the intensification of the ADC Governorship Campaign in Enugu State on Tuesday, Obodoeze urged the people to vote out Mbah to end their misery under his leadership.
The ADC governorship hopeful recalled that Governor Mbah, while campaigning in 2023 promised to end perennial water scarcity and deliver clean, running pipe-borne water to every household and neighborhood in the Enugu metropolis within 180 days of taking office, and replicate same in other parts of the state, like Nsukka, Udi and Awgu, but he failed woefully.
According to him, instead of delivering potable water to homes, Mbah announced his arrival in Enugu State in May 2023 with reckless demolition of private properties in Enugu and Nsukka for the erection of mere bus terminals, depriving thousands of people of their means of livelihood in the process.
Obodoeze said many of those affected by the senseless demolitions at Old Park and Gariki Enugu and Ogige Market Nsukka, suffered depression and some died because there was no relief or compensation for them.
He regretted that those who survived the demolitions were confronted with excessive multiple taxation by the government, in a manner never witnessed since the creation of Enugu State in 1991.
He said the Mbah government did not spare daily income earners, such as tricycle (keke) and bus operators, who according to him, were subjected to outrageous levies, at the detriment of the growth of their businesses and personal survival with their families.
Quoting Obodoeze: “While Enugu people were the ones bearing the brunt of the ruthless and inhuman taxation of our Governor, he favoured people from other ethnic groups more than indigenes in appointments and contracts. What else is double jeopardy?”
“Governor Mba appointed people from other ethnic groups as the Chief Executive Officers of Enugu Air and Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS). People of other ethnic extraction are heading the Enugu State Distress Respond Squad and the Command and Control Centre, and Enugu State Forest Guard.
“Does it mean that competent people cannot be found among the over 4.6 million population in Enugu State. The worst is that some of his appointees have never worked in Enugu State or anywhere in the South East before this administration came in 2023.”
Stressing that Governor Mba has phobia for Enugu people, Obodoeze accused him of depriving meaningful job opportunities to his people, yet he wants to govern them for a second term.
He also accused the Governor of favouring other ethnic groups in major government contracts, such as the construction of the smart school projects, a large chunk of which was awarded to Sijibomi Ogundele of Sujimoto Investment.
“The same Sujimoto eloped with an advance payment of N5.7 billion without executing the contract, and when the Enugu State Government dragged him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he returned N1.2 billion. Where is the outstanding N3.5 billion?” Obodoeze queried.
He vowed to launch a probe to recover the outstanding money if he becomes the Governor of Enugu State next year.
He further raised questions about transparency and compliance with procurement rules, especially the Public Procurement Act 2007 in the award of contracts under Governor Mba, and the opaque funding of the contracts, blaming these irregularities for the failure of the smart school projects, with many abandoned, some poorly executed and others not executed at all.
Regarding the welfare of teachers, Obodoeze lamented that teachers in Enugu State were among the most poorly remunerated among their counterparts in the 36 states of the federation.
He regretted that the state government rather than address the welfare of the teachers, chose to persecute them for not attending a rally organised to endorse Governor Mbah’s second term.
He condemned the query issued to some primary school teachers in his home Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area who missed the rally, by the Local Government Education Authority.
Obodoeze described the query as a caricature of democratic ethos and principles, an abuse of state power and an affront to the Nigerian constitution, which entitles every citizen the right to association and assembly and hence, demanded for its withdrawal.
He reminded the government that the teachers were employed to educate the children and not to serve as agents of political mobilization for a particular politician or political party.
“The decision of teachers to participate in political activities must be on their own volition, without any form of threat to their person or employment,” he said.
Similarly, he warned the state government to stop muzzling the opposition parties, demanding for a level playing ground for all political parties, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obodoeze who dedicated his recent Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) prestigious award to slain opposition politician, Christopher Nworie, again condemned the wave of political violence in Enugu State since the commencement of this political season, mostly targeted against the opposition parties.
He challenged the state government to live up to its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property in the state.
He assured that an ADC government in Enugu State will prioritise security, welfare of teachers, other workers and pensioners, build infrastructure across every sector and invest heavily in agriculture and industrialisation for food security and export, to boost economic activities and job creation.
He pledged to give 98 percent of the appointments and contracts available under his government to Enugu indigenes , to empower them, the way other governors empower their people.
Signed:
Paul Anigbogu,
For
Enugu State ADC Media Team.
