The member representing Ezeagu constituency in Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chima Obieze has said that he holds no grudges against anyone as a result of the activities which followed the 2023 general elections.
Obieze in a new year message made available to JOURNALIST101 emphasized that the year 2023 was an eventful one, adding that he has learnt new lessons while assuring the people of Ezeagu that he will give his best in representing them.
He also promised to work with all elected federal lawmakers from his zone as well as the commissioner for works, Gerald Otiji and asked those he might have offended to forgive him as he has long forgiven those that offended him
Ndi Ezeagu, this is wishing you and your families a PROSPEROUS HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Bearing in mind that there is no new without the old, for its the old that gives way for the new. So, as we bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, let’s embrace the opportunities that come our way and cherish the moments that matter most. May this year be filled with joy, prosperity, and positive transformations.
May I also use this medium to in a special way, thank all the members of the PDP who remained true to our shared values, interest and aspirations, and who refused to sell out the Party at all levels at the last elections, for frivolous and mundane reasons. I am very consoled by the fact that no matter the lies, the propaganda, the campaigns of calumny, the blackmail and the deceits, time remains our very reliable ally, for it surely reveals the truth no matter how they have been twisted.
The year 2023 has been one of my most interesting and eventful years. Not because I eventually reclaimed my mandate at the Appeal court, nope. But the year brought with it lots of real life lessons, intrigues and growth. I take all the lessons, I accept all the pains, and I’m definitely going to make the experience educational.
The social media space has provided political jobbers and detractors an easy ride to spreading falsehood and making same go viral. While those things does not in anyway distract, deter nor bother us, we know for certain that a lot of our people are both vulnerable and susceptible to such cheap propaganda. We may not have to descend to the level of our detractors to counter the lies that they have spewed, but we know that those who know us(and there are many of them) know the truth and it’s only a matter of time, and with our actions, those who have been misled will naturally know the truth.
Our ambition to represent you in the last election, was borne out of a purely rational and sincere desire to be positioned to better the lot of our people and improve on our human and infrastructural development, knowing that we will work with a pragmatic Governor, His Excellency, Barr. Peter Mbah.
Unfortunately, not everyone have the same level of political understanding, maturity and outlook as we do. While we were religiously working for the Party and all her candidates, some party leaders were more concerned to pull us down. It was their conspiracy to install another candidate against us that nearly crashed the PDP in Ezeagu. If not for the timely intervention of notable Ezeagu sons and daughters in all strata, even the clergy. This was because these progressive stakeholders all saw the quality of leadership Barr. Peter Mbah has come to deliver and needed to guide the masses.
There has been much talk about zoning and rotation even when there has never been any fora where PDP members in Ezeagu met and had any agreement reached on the issue. However, I understand that in an economy like ours, where politics is seen more as an avenue to “chop”, that it is commonsensical that when one has “chopped” it becomes needful for him to step aside for another to “chop”. This is our sad reality in Africa and I dare ask where is the place for welfare of the masses in the “chop make I chop” equation.
My position in Legislative positions has been established as far back as 2010/2011, when I vocally and forcefully supported the duo of Sen. Ekweremadu and Rt. Hon. Ozomgbachi for their 3rd terms in the National Assembly. And further in 2014/2015 when I did support them again for a 4th term. As awful as this may sound to political players, who want you to “chop and come out so I can chop”, the only way the masses can benefit from a legislator is to allow the lawmaker an ample time to grow on the job. Without this, lawmaking positions will remain a poverty alleviation program or “chop make I chop” positions. Especially at the State Assemblies, where there are no provisions for financial allocations for capital projects for the lawmakers.
That said, the Nigerian Constitution provides that the main purpose of government shall be the welfare and security of the people. This has been my guiding principle and I’ve been a great voice/advocate for the masses State Assembly in the past. I’ve also gone out of my way to bring home programs that benefited our people in no little ways. I can beat my chest and say that at least we have groomed over 100 millionaire-farmers & skilled workers in Ezeagu and still counting. In the next 3 and a half years, I shall concern myself only with achieving more for our people and nothing more. Ezeagu is in dire need of development, we need both infrastructural development as much as we need economic activities happening in our dear local government. The people of Ihuonyia are in dire need of access road, same with Amankwo, same with the people of Okpogho and Awha. Ibute Olo has beautiful farm lands with poor access roads. The ikedimkpa road that transverse through Imezi Owa, Aguobu Owa down to Mgbagbu Owa and off to Enugu/Anambra boundary is a death trap and den of kidnappers. The Umana Ndiagu to Agba Umana road is still as bad as you can think of. Aguobu Umumba to Obinofia Ndiagu and Umumba Ndiagu roads are of economic importance to Ndi-Ezeagu. Our schools and health care facilities are there for all to see. I bet not many people will believe that a place like Aguoba/Omughu Obeleagu Umana is still in Ezeagu.
Now, does it make any sense that a people with such magnitude of challenges will, instead of sitting back to plan for means and ways to get the attention and intervention of government and other development agencies, be here fighting each other.
Lastly, I plead that we all use this First Day of the year (new year) as a time of sober reflection, of finding peace, of reconciliation and moving forward in the right direction. What is the right direction? It is finding ways to provide internal security within our constituency or Local Government. It is ensuring that both primary and secondary schools in Ezeagu are befitting and conducive for study. It is to ensure that hospitals and health centers in Ezeagu are up and running. It is to provide water for the locals. To give farmers and farm produce marketers and dealers access roads. To see that His Excellency the Governor makes true his promise to make Enugu State Polytechnic Iwollo a University and to bring more economic activities to Ezeagu. These few and many more are what should concern us right now. And on my honour I promise to work with the members of the National Assembly, our brother the Commissioner for works, other progressive Stakeholders and ofcourse our good leader, the Governor of Enugu State, to give these challenges and needs of our people a push.
To all those I have offended in this journey, I humbly seek your forgiveness. I am far from perfect. Please forgive me. To anyone who may have offended me I truly forgive you. But you must now forgive and absorb yourself so we can work together freely without you thinking I harbor any animosity. For certainly, I don’t and I will not hold any grudge against anyone on the events surrounding the 2023 elections. I always look at the bigger picture.
On my own as a State Legislator I can do nothing but speak up. But I will keep these challenges in mind as always and keep reminding those responsible for them to do the needful.
Luckily, we have a Governor that is determined to do the work. Let us support him to build the Ezeagu and the Enugu of our dreams.
Once again, I wish you all and your families A VERY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR! In all we do, let’s keep in mind the fact that “mmadu aburo Chukwu”.
Rt. Hon. Chima Obieze
1st January, 2024.
