His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will on May 29th be formally re-sworn in for a second term of office. In the elections, Governor polled a total of 449,935 votes to beat his APC opponent, Senator Ayogu Eze, who polled 10,423, according to the results announced by the INEC State Collation officer for Enugu State, Prof. Joseph Ahanekwu.
The re-election of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been hailed by a wide number of Enugu citizens and residents alike who described his victory as well deserved, given his many achievements in the last four years in office, especially in the areas of rural development, workers welfare and housing development among others. Many people have also attributed Governor Ugwuanyi’s landslide victory to his people-centered administration which, according to them, marked a clear departure from the elitist focus of past administrations, to the neglect of the common people, with particular reference to rural dwellers, the common and poor people, as distinct from the elite and wealthy class.
Others said that key among the factors that earned him mass support was his humble mien which they said distinctively marked him out from previous governors of Enugu State from the time of Okwesilieze Nwodo and the military interregnum. According to his supporters, the governor’s humble disposition translated to a warm and friendly disposition towards members of other political parties. This exhibition of personal and political camaraderie towards other party members was said to have resulted in many members of the opposition parties deciding to support the governorship of Governor Ugwuanyi at the expense of their own candidates, opting to support their own parties for the other elective positions. Long before the elections, some prominent members of the opposition parties were known to be in close relationship with the Governor, to an extent that drew some level of ire and suspicion by some party members of their leaders having sold out. In some cases, the suspicion became so intense in some of the political parties that it became an open issue at party meetings. In fact, it was rumoured that some prominent members of the opposition parties, notably the APC, were in the pay roll of Governor Ugwuanyi in addition to other political dividends. Some members of the opposition parties were even alleged to have nominated candidates in the last Enugu State Local Government elections as part of their reward for secret support as well as an incentive for more support. It was even said that some Commissioners and other government appointees were equally nominated by prominent leaders of the opposition parties.Others said that key among the factors that what earned him mass support was his humble mien which they said distinctively marked him out from previous governors of Enugu State from the time of Okwesilieze Nwodo and the military interregnum. According to his supporters, the governor’s humble disposition translated to a warm and friendly disposition towards members of other political parties. This exhibition of personal and political camaraderie towards other party members was said to have resulted in many members of the opposition parties deciding to support the governorship of Governor Ugwuanyi at the expense of their own candidates, opting to support their own parties for the other elective positions. Long before the elections, some prominent members of the opposition parties were known to be in close relationship with the Governor, to an extent that drew some level of ire and suspicion by some party of their party leaders having sold out. In some cases, the suspicion became so intense in some of the political parties that it became an open issue at party meetings. In fact, it was rumoured that some prominent members of the opposition parties, notably the APC, were in the pay roll of Governor Ugwuanyi in addition to other political dividends. Some members of the opposition parties were even alleged to have nominated candidates in the last Enugu State Local Government elections as part of their reward for secret support as well as an incentive for more support. It was even said that some Commissioners and other government appointees were equally nominated by prominent leaders of the opposition parties.
These fifth column tendencies, as some members of the opposition parties saw it. were said to be most prominent and conspicuous in the APC main opposition party which resulted in two leadership factions and which proved irreconcilable up till the elections, thus giving Governor Ugwuanyi a good edge to easy victory in the absence of a united and strong campaign front
from the APC. The APC governorship candidate, Senator Ayogu Eze, became the ultimate and sore casualty of the political game and virtuallylost his deposit with a meagre10,423 against Ugwuanyi’s 449,935 . According to reports, barely one week after his victory at the polls, Governor Ugwuanyi made a thank-the-people visit to Amechi Awkunanaw in Enugu South local government area, a visit that was construed by some observers as a tacit appreciation victory to a prominent APC leader who hails from the community.
While some opposition party members see the action of some of their members as conscionable and condemnable, members of the ruling party saw it as a result of the Ugwuanyi’s natural spirit of accommodation and good human relations, aided by his irresistible charisma and amiable personality, crowned by his stupendous leadership records which only few people can fail to admit and admire. Governor Ugwuanyi’s resounding victory in the last elections was therefore purely on merit and a logical response to good leadership and not because of buying off opposition party personalities by the Governor, so his party members and supporters say.
Meanwhile, the grapevine and political pundits have been previewing, forecasting and expressing opinions on what the shape of the Governor’s second term, both in terms of the government actors and government thrust or policy agenda. For one thing though, feelers close to Enugu Government House indicate as a matter of sure bet that Governor Ugwuanyi will dissolve the State Exco soon after the re-inauguration of his administration on May 29th, in fact as soon as one week after, while retaining a few of the incumbent Exco members.
Same will happen with top functionaries of government, over eighty per cent of whom is likely to be replaced with new people.
There is also a strong indication that the new cabinet will include persons from other political parties, as Governor Ugwuanyi is said to be desirous of running a typical all-inclusive government in his second term where other political parties will be represented both in the cabinet and in government functionaries with persons nominated by top political stakeholders from other parties as well as by politicians who lost various elective positions and even by non-Igbo communities in Enugu
THE ECHO 