2015: Senator Seeks Slot For Nsukka

Senator Ayogu Eze (PDP- Enugu North)on Saturday canvassed for an Nsukka man to be the governor of either Enugu State or the proposed Adada State in 2015.

Eze, who is the Chairman of Senate Committee on Works, made the remark during the launch of Nsukka calendar produced by Ordinary People of Nsukka (OPON), an NGO at Nsukka on Saturday.

He said that in 2015, a person of Nsukka extraction should occupy the ‘Lion Building’ in Enugu or get elected as the first governor of the proposed state, if created before then.

“It is sure that come 2015, Nsukka man must be governor.

“We should start now to mobilise maximum support for whosoever that will emerge from Nsukka zone as governor of Enugu State or Adada state in 2015.’’

He appealed to leadership of OPON to ensure that its interest did not clash with that of PDP in the zone. “I commend the initiative of the pioneers of OPON but urged the leadership to ensure the interest of the organisation did not clash our party.

“The zone will continue to support OPON to achieve its objectives,” he said. In a keynote address, Prof Malachy Okwueze, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, urged leaders in the zone to mobilise the people for political participation.

“Nsukka needs mobilisation of people for political participation in order to move the zone forward.

“A good leadership is one that carries its people along, listens to people’s suggestions as well as tells people the truth. “By the grace of PDP, Nsukka will produce governor in 2015,” he said.

Okwueze stressed the need for leaders to always provide information for the citizens, noting that with correct and adequate information people would be better informed.

“What causes problem most times between leaders and citizens is information gap.

“If leaders can always tell the people they are leading the truth there will be less friction, misunderstanding as well as unfounded allegation of funds embezzlements, “he said. Earlier, the leader of OPON and chairman of Nsukka Local Government, Mr Tony Ugwu, said that the organisation was independent.

“OPON contributed immensely to the re-election of Governor Sullivan Chime for a second term in office.

“We ensure that qualified and right persons are elected and appointed into political positions,’’ he said.

Ugwu said the calendar which contained “Who is Who” in the zone was to show that Nsukka people have personalities that could occupy any political position in the state and the country.

Our correspondent reports that about N5 million was realised at the occasion, with Eze launching the calendar with N1million. Mr Sam Onyishi, the Managing Director of Peace Mass Transit, launched it with N999,000.