By Prince Ejeh Josh
The former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani, has thrown his weight behind the agitation of the people of Nkanu East local government area to produce the next governor of Enugu state in 2023.
Nnamani who stated this while addressing the leaders of Nkanu East Consultative Forum led by Prof. Bart Nnaji, former Minister for Power, who paid him a visit in his Amechi Awkunanaw home recently further declared that the movement was timely.
While baring the motive behind their visit, Professor Nnaji wooed the elder statesman to support the people of Nkanu East to produce the next guber candidate from the local government that would represent the people at the Lion Building in 2023, adding that Nkanu East council area has competent and qualified people with the zeal to serve the people of the state, and continued with the existing good governance mantra of the present administration.
According to Nnaji, aside the fact that some other councils in the zone have had their turns at the office except the council area, “Nkanu East is a very neglected area in Enugu East Senatorial Zone lacking in roads, other critical infrastructure and government presence (federal or state).”
He lamented that the absence of road network and other basic infrastructures had become a protracted problem so much that greater majority of the LGA have been forced to detour five other local government areas before accessing their council headquarters at Amagunze.
According to him, the Nkanu East axis was blessed with solid minerals and agricultural resources but remained unexploited due road problems that would connect the communities and attract development through investors and entrepreneurs.
Nnaji further asserted that, “We have sons who are well qualified to advance the interest of Enugu state. We are not asking to make any of them governor in order to help just our own localities, all we are hoping for is that if our son becomes governor, some of the winds of development that he initiates in the state will also blow in our area. This will end our marginalized condition and give us sense of belonging.
“This is why we are appealing to you as a major pillar in this state, nay in the whole country, to lend us your support and speak up for us in our cause”.
Conceding to Prof Bart Nnaji’s description, the former Senate President bluntly painted the state of the council area: “You used the term marginalization to describe the situation in Nkanu East, I’d rather you use the word backwardness. It is part of it.
“I am totally sold to the idea and if there is a way we can spread developments and other amenities in Nkanuland, I am all for it. I wholly support your move and urge you to remain resolute and steadfast in it.
“Your mission is a noble one. Follow it to the end. Leave no stone unturned and neglect none in your consultation efforts whether the person will support you or not.
“The roads in the area is horrible but you can’t blame any one government for the shortcomings. It has been a perennial problem.
“You have made no mistake by agitating for full inclusiveness in Enugu East zone, in Enugu state and in Igboland to be treated fairly as everyone else.”
Further reacting, Senator Nnamani told his visitors to bear in mind that there were two major political parties dominating the politics of the time. They were to first endeavor to help their sons make strong showings in their efforts to clinch the nomination tickets of the two parties as well as in other parties.
He went further and advised the forum on the steps to take at the appropriate time, saying the people of Nkanu East would have to come to a round table to decide who to urge to step back for the other and support the other candidate and fashion out how to urge the people to support their chosen candidate
The former senate president also asked the Nkanu East leaders to be sportsmanlike in their effort and to recognize that other parts of the state could also aspire to the same office, stating that the Constitution guarantees their inalienable right to do so.
He, however, stressed that for equity, fairness, justice and moral rectitude, other parts of Enugu East Senatorial zone that have enjoyed governorship positions and those that have received more government patronages should shelve their gubernatorial ambition for Nkanu East which many had described as the backwater and which was yet to receive even a serious government’s patronage.
He called for a concerted efforts of all sons and daughters of Enugu East Senatorial zone, and other parts of the state to queue up behind competent candidate from the area to ensure that the office went to Nkanu East as the candidate would be a governor for the entire state.
