By Anayo Okoli, Vincent Ujumadu, Dennis Agbo, Steve Oko, Nwabueze Okonkwo, Chinedu Adonu, ikechukwu Odu & Emmanuel Iheaka
SINCE the present set of 2015 Class of South-East governors assumed office, the region has not witnessed serious progress in many aspects of development. Rather than work together for the general good of the region, they have worked at cross purposes.
They hardly agree on any issue for the good and progress of the zone. Under their watch, poverty and under- development have taken over the region, especially in the rural areas; insecurity enveloped the zone and human life became cheaper than that of a chicken. Yet, the clueless governors and lawmakers watched, doing little. They watched non-state actors took over, dictating to citizens, the direction to go. To the embarrassment of the citizens and shame of the governors, non-state actors and hoodlums appropriated Mondays as their day and no legal
activity happens on Mondays in the region. Due to selfishness, pettiness, envy and political differences, the governors could not float a central security outfit to protect their people as done by their colleagues in other zones. Rather, they watch while their people are killed on daily basis. They never spoke with one voice on issues of common interest for the region. No doubt, this is the worst set of leaders the region has ever had.
Going forward and in view of the coming elections, the region needs political leaders who will stand with and for the people at all times; leaders who will be there to fight and protect them, who feel what they feel and seek to protect their interests; selfless leaders who know that governance is service to the people not selfishness and self enrichment.
We need leaders not treasury looters, betrayers—Abia monarch
According to the traditional ruler of Oriendu Autonomous Community, Umuahia North Council, in Abia State, Eze Philip Ajomuiwe, the people of the region should in coming elections, elect governors and lawmakers who would work for their interest and not selfish leaders who think only of their families and cronies.
Eze Ajomuiwe, a former chairman of Umuahia North Council of traditional rulers, urged South-East electorate to go for selfless political leaders in the mould of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, not people who would loot their treasury and subject them to more hardship. He said the present set of governors in the zone are only preoccupied with their personal interests and tasked the voters to identify governorship candidates with Peter Obi’s pedigree irrespective of their political parties. He warned that except patriotic and reliable persons emerge as governors and lawmakers in the forthcoming polls, South-East might become a laughing stock. He cautioned against electing betrayers.
His words: “It is unbelievable and shameful that South-East governors have not been able to establish a formidable regional security outfit like their counterparts in the South-West that established Amotekun. They touted many names, including Ebubeagu but we have not seen any working. Yet, killings go on every day. They care less about the lives of their people. Their interest is only politics of selfishness. Our people should vote for governors in the mould of Peter Obi. We don’t want betrayers. We need trusted people that can rebuild Igbo land not looters.
“We need people who will leave legacies and have integrity after their tenure. We need governors who will fight insecurity in the zone and restore the dignity and respect of the Igbo man. We need leaders who care for the people and the community, no longer selfish leaders.”
The monarch urged the electorate to look out for patriotic and honest persons not treasury looters.
Our Govs have lost legitimacy for betraying the people
According to Prof. Obasi Igwe, South-East governors have lost legitimacy for betraying the people who elected them. He alleged that they have been supervising destruction rather than development of the zone and called on the people to make good use of next month’s election to get things right.
“With very few exceptions, since 1999 those called South-East leaders have been people with doubt over their love for the region. They don’t seem to believe that you can still be patriotic without exposing your people to poverty and harm. They rigged themselves into unmerited positions, stole as much as possible, and are shielded from prosecution.
“To survive, it appears that an Igbo governor or other political leaders must willy-nilly endorse the false narratives that the security crisis in the region is Igbo killing Igbo, covering the open truth of Igbo land being invaded by Fulani terrorist killers under the watch of the Federal Government.
“Our political leaders are clueless. The true name of Abia State is a disaster zone since 1999, if in doubt, go and verify from Aba, from workers, and enter Umuahia, the plantation called state capital, from Uzuakoli. In Abia, the tradition is to transfer power to a worse individual so that the previous demon would appear better and more preferable than a current devil. In Ebonyi, there are flyovers everywhere, but no security to enjoy them.
“In Imo State, the people live under daily fear of attacks from political hoodlums. Over 400 terrorists/unknown gunmen, almost entirely non-Igbo, were arrested in Imo, but we are yet to hear of their prosecutions. INEC, prisons, police and other public facilities were burnt yet no one has been prosecuted and we have leaders in charge. “In Enugu State, from the killings at Nimbo to the latest in Eha Amufu, there is hardly a sign of genuine protest to Abuja from the leaders, at least for compensations. It was awful for an Inspector-General of Police to order a shoot-at-sight on unarmed and peaceful citizens of Enugu State in the very presence of his host. In Anambra, there are alien forces that don’t want the state to enjoy peace. And the governors have not done anything collectively tangible to tackle these evils. Most of the governors have lost legitimacy for betraying the people,” Prof. Igwe noted.
Obi will change psyche, performance of Igbo govs—Ezeife
Notable Igbo leader and former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife is of the opinion that though the present set of governors in the zone are performing abysmally below expectations, the tide would change if Peter Obi of Labour Party emerges as Nigeria’s president in the February 25 polls as he will lead with example.
“If we get the center right, the circumference can take care of itself; if we get a good President and we have the hope that Peter Obi is to be sworn in as President of Nigeria in May this year; when that happens, even the sitting or incoming governors and other political leaders up to chairmen of local government areas will be affected. They will be influenced to perform because when the top is not working, sometimes it influences the rest of the organisation.
“So, I think that we are in for a change, fantastic major change, introduced by God Himself. You can see the hand of God in what we are doing, all we now have to do is pray more that God keeps his hand until the end. We are looking for a new Nigeria where leaders must be leaders and not just people who are interested in stealing money from the people. The current governors, you can see, are not doing very well, but it is also because the rest of the political class has been very bad,” Ezeife said.
Via: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/we-need-leaders-who-are-not-betrayers-looters-stakeholders/
