BY FRANCIS IGATA

Successive administrations in Enugu State have been dogged by political feud occasioned by discontent between the incumbent and the immediate past governor.

Since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999, the people of Enugu State have been treated to barrage of shenanigans between a predecessors and successors.

When, in 1998, former Governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo, foisted former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani on the people of Enugu State, the former had barely reached his residence before the bubble burst in their relationship.

Nnamani quickly built political walls and dug trenches from where he launched pointed onslaught against his benefactor. It was a case of biting the finger that fed you.

The wheels of governance trudged with billowing acrimony which served as a distraction to the performance of the administration and affected the overall output of the government.  Governance suffered.

With that, professional influence-peddlers had a field day, fanning the embers of discord. Colossal sums of money were expended on trivialities, funds which should have been channeled to productive ventures that will alleviate the sufferings of the people – which is supposed to be the main focus of government.

The same scenario played out again when, in 2007, Nnamani exhausted his two-term tenure and naively threw up immediate past Governor, Sullivan Chime.

Unfortunately for Nnamani, Chime handed him the roughest part of the stick. The crack on their friendship wall was raven beyond imagination. It was so bad and even worse, compared to the Nwobodo/Nnamani, that by the time of handover on May 29, 2007, both were already on warpath.

UGWUANYI’S PEACE INITATIVE

Ugwuanyi

However, Governor Ugwuanyi, who enjoyed the uncommon favour of being supported by Chime, is proving naysayers wrong. The rumour-mill had been rife with insinuations of a possible rift between the duo.

At a maiden parley with journalists at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Enugu, Ugwuanyi vowed not to engage in unnecessary fight with his predecessors in office, including the immediate past governor, Chime.

Hear him, “it is not worth it to engage in such war as experience from other state in the country where there is no peace because of power play by political gladiators is enough lesson to learn from.

“I will tap from the wisdom and knowledge of the council of elders, including all the past governors, which I have reconstituted. I am sure you listened to my inaugural address, all former governors were recognised. We are getting in touch with all of them to formally talk to each and every member of the council of elders we are reconstituting.

“We cannot in a state like this ignore the experience of these former leaders. Everybody is our friend. The era of politics is over. The peace we enjoy here is what we will maintain. It’s peace enmeshed in agape love covered by the Holy Spirit. We have fully taken over, we are in charge.

“The tradition, I don’t know tradition but in the past, you find a situation where once there is change of baton, the new guy will start fighting the old guy. The experience of Boko-Haram and experiences in the states where there is no peace is enough to teach us some lessons. It’s not worth it. Instead we should move from strength to strength.”

APPLAUSE TRAILS PEACE STANCE

Okey Agbo, a resident in Enugu, expressed delight at the peaceful stance adopted by Governor Ugwuanyi.

He said, “in a peaceful atmosphere, government is bound to achieve more when compared to crisis period. With the commitment to peace made by the governor, it has shown clearly that he is ready for the business of governance.

“Such a stance will certainly breed rapid growth and development. Resources which would have been deployed for the stockpiling of political weaponry will be deployed to meaningful ventures that will alleviate the sufferings of the masses which he has vowed to do.

“He should learn from the good sides of past administrations and better our lot. People usually judge the performance of government by physical infrastructure, forgetting that there will be no physical infrastructure in an atmosphere of crisis. The peaceful disposition he has adopted is invaluable.