…Says Edeoga governorship would be “monumental disaster”
One of the recent returnees to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Eha-Amufu Ward 3, Comrade Odinaka Okechukwu, has taken a swipe at the Labour Party’s governorship candidate in Enugu State, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga, saying that an Edeoga governorship would be a “monumental disaster”, as Mgbuji and Eha-Amufu had only tears and regrets to show for Edeoga’s long sojourn in politics.
Okechukwu, who hails from the same Ward and community as Edeoga, alleged the latter used his political opportunities to oppress his people and engage in land grabbing.
The political activist and politician stated this in an interview with newsmen, explaining that they initially left the PDP for many years due to Edeoga’s excesses.
He said: “We decided to return to the PDP because we have seen the light after years of dark clouds. First, remember, we did not leave the PDP because it is a bad to our community and local government. We left because of Edeoga and his cohorts, as we could not possibly work with him because he lacks progressive mindset. It has always been politics of oppression, politics of me, myself, and I.
“For 25 years now, he suppressed everybody because he wanted to permanently tag himself the leader of Mgbuji and Eha-Amufu.
“But now that he has left the PDP, and with the progressive leadership provided by the likes of the current Council Chairman, Barrister Obiora Obeagu and the State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Augustine Nnamani, we believe it is time to go back”.
He accused Edeoga and his backers in Enugu North zone of trying to whip up old Nsukka zone sentiments for their selfish gains after signing the Enugu East aspirants accord to support whomever the governor endorsed among them and congratulating Dr. Peter Mbah as PDP candidate.
He insisted that the former commissioner only wasted Mgbuji, Eha-Amufu, and Isi-Uzo opportunities.
“This Eha-Amufu and old Nsukka zone emotion Edeoga is trying to ride on will not work because he does not have what it takes to be governor in the first place. He does not have the capacity, empathy, competence, and steadfastness to be Enugu’s governor. He will be a monumental disaster.
“He has served as the Council Chairman of Isi-Uzo, Member House of Representatives Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Commissioner for Local Government in Ugwuanyi’s first term and Commissioner for Environment in the second term.
“But what has he achieved for us as a people for his 25 years in politics? Absolutely nothing. The only constituency project he managed to attract as House of Representatives Member between 1999 and 2003, located around Central School Eha-Ohuala in Eha-Amufu, remains uncompleted and in total ruins.
“The major bridge leading into our Mgbuji community has collapsed for ages. The only bridge into Mgbuji now was constructed by Senator Gil Nnaji, who is from Nike”, he stated.
He said members of Mgbuji community were in court with Edeoga over alleged abuse of power and attempts to take over their lands.
“Here is a December 2020 petition to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. As you could see, the title speaks for itself: ‘Re: Unlawful and Forceful Expropriation of land from the Umu-Ugwu Nwebe Orube Family of Omulor, Mgbuji Autonomous Community, Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo LGA of Enugu State with Threats of Morbid Dimensions: Petition Against Hon. Chijioke Edeoga, the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and his Cohorts’.
“After, they changed tactics and came under the pretence of plan to establish ‘Omulor Housing Estate’ and claimed that the Enugu State Government had taken over the land. But it was a hoax to expropriate the said land. Our people later filed a case at the Obollo Afor Division of the Enugu State High Court, which I also have here. As you can see, the suit marked OB/4/2021, has Chief Shederack Edeoga, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga and five others as defendants.
“Yet, during the pendency of the case, Edeoga’s thugs chased away the owners, and completely destroyed hectares of farm cassava belonging to these poor villagers, many of them widows. When villagers, elderly women inclusive, protested, against Chijioke Edeoga and his cohorts, which went viral in the social media, Chijioke and his cohorts arrested a classroom teacher and Umu-Ugwu Nwebe Orube family leader, Mr. Silas Ofiagu on the false allegation of threat to life and used their influence to detain him from 19th July to 2nd August 2021 without regard to the rule of law. Here is the list of over 38 villagers, whose farmlands were ruined.
“Our people petitioned against Edeoga to Governor Ugwuanyi again on 25th July 2021 asking for justice. A petition was equally sent to the Commissioner of Police over the development and before our people filed a lawsuit (E/797/2021) at the Enugu Judicial Division of the Enugu State High Court to file for the enforcement of the rights of Silas Ofiagu with Hon. Chijioke Edeoga, Deputy Superintendent of Police Suleiman Abubakar and Inspector Michael Chinedu Akalele as defendants.
“So, when such a man tells you he wants to be governor, you can imagine what he could do with full executive powers added to his mindless disposition”, he stated.
He warned Enugu voters to beware persons, who want to hide under growing popularity of the Peter Obi presidential ticket in Igbo land to “cruise” to power, urging them to interrogate every candidate on his or her own on merit in terms of character, pedigree, achievements and manifesto.
