No zoning of political offices in Enugu state as group condemns Edeoga's defection.
By Clement Obinwa
A pan Nsukka socio-cultural organization 'Bridge Consortium' has reacted to the news of defection of the Labour Party's gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 elections, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga to the People's Democratic Party, PDP.
In a statement signed by the National Chairman of the organization Chief Edward Nnamdi Eze and and the National Secretary Dr. Ike C Omeh, the association described the development as shocking as well as one of the ruefully shameful episodes of the century.
The organization's press statement was followed by a news conference today in Enugu where the National Chairman, flanked by the National Secretary and the Public Relations Officer Dr. Luke Agbo, fielded questions from newsmen as follows;
"Where else in the world has a victim of daylight election robbery gone back to serve the very person who robbed him in the guise of politics? What kind of politics is that? Is it all about hunger or is there something else we do not know?
When asked whether Edeoga took into account the sensibilities of all those who risked it all and put everything on the line, to support him before taking his decision, the National Chairman has this to say;
"Obviously he did not. Politicians without honour, integrity and conscience do not often bother about such things but honestly, I never imagined Chijioke Edeoga to be one of them. I have always held him in high esteem. Do you know how many people who got maimed, rendered jobless, lost opportunities or became homeless, all because they wanted a change which Chijioke Edeoga's Labour Party epitomized during the 2023 elections? For example, a man's multi- billion naira hotel was callously demolished here in Enugu for his links with the Labour Party. The Ogige market Nsukka (sheltering over 20, 000 traders) was demolished and about 40 traders dead and others paralyzed, all because the victims supported the Labour Party against the PDP. Countless people left their jobs in the North and other places and returned home to campaign for Chijioke Edeoga, investing their life savings to fund the project and never made it back to their bases after the election. Now, the same man for whose sake tens of thousands of people are in distress and suffering, found it easy and conscionable to go back to the same person who rubished their mandate, making them a laughing stock and leaving them in immeasurable emotional trauma. Edeoga certainly does not care about those his ambition brought tragedy to, all he cares about is Enugu East senatorial ticket allegedly guaranteed him by Peter Mbah. It's good for things like this to happen from time to time, to enable the people learn vital lessons to the effect that all that glitters is not gold. Hon. Chijioke Edeoga's way of thanking Ndi Enugu for their massive support during the 2023 gubernatorial election he clearly won, is to drive a hot dagger through their hearts by running back to the same man who stole his mandate in broad daylight, less than 18 months after the election. I'm too confounded, lack words to describe what's just happened"
When asked what likely impact the development would have on Nsukka's unity and solidarity, the organization's helmsman said
"The Nkanu people's plan is to leverage on Chijioke Edeoga's impecuniosity and impatience to attempt to break Nsukka's unity and solidarity which manifested overwhelmingly in the last election. Nsukka people form the majority group in the state and thus have the numbers to do just about anything they want but were largely apolitical and disinterested in governance issues prior to 2023 elections. Those with Ph.Ds lecturing in schools felt fulfilled and regarded politics as dirty whereas less educated ones at the other side, grabbed all the opportunities in politics. Nonetheless, things are changing fast as self awareness is on the fast track. That's the fear of Enugu zonal people hence their false belief that Chijioke Edeoga, if captured, would seriously rupture Nsukka's unity and solidarity and prevent her from coming together again as one people, as they did in 2023. But what a mistake? Edeoga himself knows too well that any influence and larger than life image he enjoyed ( before now) all came from Nsukka people's support and not elsewhere. If for any reason that support is withdrawn, as it has, he would be left with nothing else to lean on except being the Okaome of Eha- Amufu"
Asked what the organization plans to do in response to the embarrassment, the National Chairman stated;
"We are warning all Nsukka people to henceforth profile critically anyone intending to use Nsukka's name only for the purpose of contesting election and thereafter abandon her and her key interests. Ugwuanyi did it and now Edeoga. Political parties in Nsukka should reject such candidates or be sure to lose woefully at the polls. They should be mindful of opportunistic candidates pretending to be who they're not. Hon. Chijioke Edeoga ran to Nsukka for both financial and moral support when Nkanu people rejected him and his ambition outrightly, telling him to his face that Enugu East's governorship ticket, at all material times, belonged to Nkanu people alone. Nsukka being a naturally kind and compassionate people, characteristically welcomed him as one of their own, with open arms and threw all their weight behind him and he won. The same man has now gone back to those who rejected, maltreated and persecuted him under the guise of returning to the PDP , while hoping to cry back to Nsukka whenever another difficult situation arises in future. We in Bridge Consortium expect well meaning Isi Uzo people to rise and condemn this behaviour"
Asked whether by reason of what happened, former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was right and justified to have successfully opposed Edeoga's gubernatorial ambition having spotted him as a man without principle, the Bridge Consortium's Chairman said:
"No! Not at all. Like you very well know, it was Ugwuanyi who did everything to stop Edeoga using both official state contacts and resources to achieve his parochial purpose in favour of his Nkanu freeloaders. He remains a monumental disgrace and will suffer eternally for what he did. What Ugwuanyi did, he did out of illwill, self-interest, jealousy and a wicked and venomous desire to be the only tree standing. He forgot that Nsukka already had Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo before him. I can assure you that Nsukka will, going forward, not nominate, let alone elect anyone who had not been thoroughly scrutinized, tested and trusted over a long time for certain positions. Most importantly, aside from character issues, only those with financial capacity to fund their elections will be supported to contest for the position of governor in future to avoid a repeat of Edeoga's experience.
Lastly, when asked whether the defection of Chijioke Edeoga would not impact negatively on the fortunes of the Labour Party in Enugu State and by extension, the chances of Peter Obi in 2027 elections, Chief Eze replied;
"I do not know about Peter Obi. Peter Obi started it all by not supporting his own gubernatorial candidate in 2023 elections. All his subterfuges, doublespeak, manauvers, and hide and seek against Hon. Edeoga were well documented and will be unveiled at the right time. Nsukka polled the largest vote for Peter Obi in the entire country but got what in return? Nonetheless, that doesn't justify Edeoga's decision to return to the same person who persecuted and robbed him right from the ballot box to the Supreme Court twice. It saviours of nothing else but shame"
Bridge Consortium used the opportunity of the press conference to reiterate its position on the abolition of zoning of governorship seat in the state.
"Zoning is dead and we've pronounced it dead and buried. Under no circumstances could we allow a minority to continue clinging on to power, using the instrumentality of an illegal and non- existent zoning agreement. Strong Nsukka candidates will contest for the office of governor come 2027. That I can assure you"
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