By Emmanuel Aziken

The discord and drama that once trailed relationships between governors and their predecessors in Enugu State seem to have been buried and it is no surprise that the incumbent governor seems to be drawing applause from friends and foes of his political platform.

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

It may have been a shock for some political party partisans last May when a leading female politician from the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC during an official visit to Enugu State put aside politics to eulogise the qualities of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Expressing delight at the peaceful atmosphere in Enugu State, the female senator told Gov. Ugwuanyi “the people of Enugu State are very lucky to have you as their governor,” she said adding to the discomfort of a few APC partisans, “I wish to see you back on the seat in 2019.”

Apparently carried away by the governor’s disposition and performance in office, the senator (names withheld) praised Governor Ugwuanyi for his sterling leadership even as she decreed that his second term was a guarantee.

Indeed, it is no surprise to many that many chieftains of the opposition APC rarely do have harsh words for the governor of the state. Indeed, the bitterness within the ranks of the APC in Enugu State is worse than the acrimony between it as a party and the governor.

When Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, a major leader of the APC in the Southeast visited the governor recently, he betrayed a sort of friendliness that bespoke the chumminess with which Governor Ugwuanyi has been known for.

“We cannot quarrel with anybody who is not quarreling with us,” he said. Indeed the absence of animosity between Ugwuanyi and the opposition had been a source of concern to some in his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Some had in the past, because of the lack of discord, alleged that the governor was one of those PDP governors reported in the past to be plotting to defect to the APC. However, as re-election beckons, it seems as if such news reports were essentially imaginations.

However, when push comes to shove, whether the APC will find common ground to rally against the governor could turn to an issue.

Such profusions of praise are not difficult to come the way of the governor who has easily turned aside the narrative of toughness that had come to symbolise governors of the Coal City State.

His two predecessors, Chimaroke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime, won reputations of their administrations being surfeit with many intrigues.

However, it did not take a visitor like the visiting female senator for the people of Enugu to know what they have. It is perhaps no news that various groups in the state have over the past year been clamouring for the re-election of the governor.

Among the first to identify with the campaign for the governor’s re-election were traders who were beneficiaries of the monthly Traders Empowerment Scheme, a programme that assists them with the sum of N50,000 each to grow their various businesses. The scheme which is open to traders irrespective of state of origin has so far benefited 2,400 traders since the scheme was launched in 2017.

Besides the individual scheme, the Ugwuanyi administration recently launched a community scheme under which each of the 450 autonomous communities in the state would be given the liberty to choose a project costing N10 million of greatest importance to it.

The project called the “One Community; One Project” programme aims to help ensure that communities which have been denied development in the past are upgraded.

The administration’s efforts are, however, not just human, as it has also put infrastructural developments on the ground. The 300 kilometers of new road constructed by the Ugwanyi administration since 2015 go well to speak of its efforts in lifting the state from the level where it met it.

Given the seeming approval from friend and foe, it is not difficult to see why the clergy has also drawn towards the governor.

Not too long ago, the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi, during a visit to Enugu praised the governor for his faithfulness to the church and the community.

“You (Ugwuanyi) have faithfully served the church; you are a good governor; you are a governor for everyone living in this state, Catholic and non-Catholic; from every group, you are the father of the family for everybody and of course things are not separated. I think you have found inspiration in your work as a governor; I also feel you belong to the Catholic Church”.

Similar praise has also come from the Anglican Communion which through the firebrand Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma has severally praised the governor for his devotion to peace and good governance.

The cleric at one time described him as “a non-discriminating” politician, who “respects elders” and “gives respect to whom respect is due,” and also maintains cordial relationship with leaders of other political parties.

The archbishop in reflection of his perception of the achievements of the governor told Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo during a visit that there was no vacancy in Enugu Government House.

He pointed out that “the people of Enugu State are at home and happy with the good works and uncommon leadership style of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.”

As he said: “Enugu State is in the hands of God. Ugwuanyi is not a governor that discriminates against anybody and so no vacancy in Enugu Government House, because Enugu State is in the hands of God”.

The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, who had in the past been a thorn to those he perceived as bad political leaders both in Enugu and outside has, however, had a different narrative on the incumbent governor of Enugu State.

Speaking after the recent Supreme Court judgment that affirmed Ugwuanyi as governor, Fr. Mbaka described him as “a good, kind hearted, humble, peace-loving and God-fearing leader.”

He went on to position him as “the best governor so far in Enugu State,” adding that he is “an epitome of peace; a sanctuary of conflict resolution and model for rural and urban development.”

“Our governor, God has opened doors for you, no man can close it. Those who are following him should continue to follow him; he is a good man. We have one candidate for the governorship seat in 2019 in Enugu State in the name of Gburugburu (Ugwuanyi).

“We are begging him to come and complete the good works he has started in Enugu State. Enugu State is behind him. The church, students, teachers, traditional rulers, Adoration Ministry, many others are also behind him. I, therefore, advise those who want to contest against him to please consider other elective positions”.

The prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel’ Emeka Kanu Uche had at the recent Thanksgiving Service organised by the Senator Ken Nnamani family also paid his tributes to the works of the governor saying:

“This man is using the resources given to him very well to develop the state. You have done very well that even those in the graves if they are allowed to vote, will vote for you”.

What some have described as the crowning of the endorsements for the governor could have been that of the Enugu State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) during a mega prayer rally tagged “Enugu State is in the hands of God.”

Leaders of the umbrella Christian body during the rally joined hearts and hands to pray for the second term aspiration of the governor.

The endorsements are undoubtedly a reflection of the serenity that has characterised the politics of the state in the last three years, quite a difference from the discord that was once associated with the state during the time of his predecessors.