ENUGU—Two first-class traditional rulers in the Enugu-East senatorial zone have spoken out in favour of the leadership style and development strides of the state governor, Sullivan Chime.

The duo, Igwe Okey Ogbuka, Udo-Oha II of Amodu Okowo, and Igwe John Nwodo, of Ugwuafor kingdom, Akpugo, spoke in separate interviews in the state capital last weekend.

Amodu Okowo and Ugwuafor Akpugo communities are all in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Commending Governor Chime on his development strategy, Igwe Ogbuka said:   “Using almost all positive indices, we seem to be in a position to compete now: infrastructure-wise, see what he has turned Enugu State into?   Enugu capital territory can now compete with any well-built city in the world.

“In almost all areas, we can now compete; the infrastructure, everything; for the first time, we now have local government councils doing asphalt roads, that never happened before in the history of Enugu State.”

Igwe Nwodo, in his own assessment, praised Governor Chime’s commitment to the infrastructure development of Enugu State, adding that his style of leadership engendered a followership based on conviction rather their coercion.

“We now know what good governance is all about; go and see the brand new state secretarial complex nearing completion and you’ll understand what am saying.

“Check out the roads both on the townships and hinterlands, and you can’t but marvel at what the Lord is doing for us using Governor Chime

“Communities like mine which never knew electricity or hospital can now count themselves lucky, an indication that the reach of the state government is wide and deep,” Igwe Nwodo said.

Igwe Ogbuka and Igwe Nwodo, both affirm that even the traditional institution in the state had had a new lease of life since the inception of Chime’s administration.

This, they argued, had bought about peaceful co-existence within and among communities.

“You hardly hear of inter-communal states these days, because   the position of the traditional rulers has been enhanced through good welfare package, while the 472 communities in the state have functional town union executives which complement peace and development efforts.

“Prior to now, this wasn’t the case as there were intermittent civil disturbances and clashes involving neighbouring communities,” Nwodo explained.

On the recent impeachment of the former deputy governor of the State, Sunday Onyebuchi, the two traditional rulers absolved Chime of any blame.