The Ebonyi Central Youth Alliance has come to the defence of Senator Kenneth Emeka Eze, dismissing reports questioning the source of his mansion as a politically motivated smear campaign designed to undermine his growing profile and legislative achievements.
In a statement issued at the weekend, the group insisted that the property at the centre of the controversy was built long before Eze ventured into partisan politics, accusing the television station behind the report of publishing unverified claims without conducting proper investigations.
The statement, signed by the National President of the association, Comrade Timothy Nwafor, described the report as misleading and urged media organisations to uphold the principles of fairness, accuracy and responsible journalism.
According to the group, Senator Eze’s success predates his election into the National Assembly and should not be misconstrued as a product of public office.
“We state categorically that the house in question was built long before Senator Kenneth Emeka Eze became a senator. Leadership is not measured by the size of a mansion but by achievements and the impact made on the lives of the people,” the statement read.
The youth body argued that there was nothing unusual about a successful businessman retaining assets acquired before assuming public office.
“Is there any constitutional provision requiring a senator to sell his house before becoming a senator? Is it the most expensive house in Nigeria?” it queried, alleging that political opponents were sponsoring the controversy to score “cheap political points.”
Defending the lawmaker’s financial background, the group traced his wealth to more than two decades of professional and entrepreneurial success before entering politics.
According to the statement, Eze began his career with the National Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), after completing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), where his performance reportedly earned him a four-year contract appointment.
“He later founded CRISPMOON Nigeria Limited and CRISPMOON Technology Nigeria Limited, which provided engineering consultancy, ICT and oil and gas services to multinational oil companies, financial institutions and government agencies,” the group stated.
It added that the establishment of ZIONGATES Construction Company Nigeria Limited further strengthened Eze’s reputation in engineering, construction and technical services for corporate organisations and government agencies.
The alliance urged Nigerians to assess the senator based on his record in office rather than speculation surrounding his personal assets.
It cited his scholarship schemes, youth empowerment initiatives, facilitation of federal employment opportunities and constituency development projects as evidence of what it described as his impactful representation of Ebonyi Central Senatorial District.
The group also called on journalists and media organisations to verify information before publication in order to avoid spreading misinformation capable of misleading the public.
“We urge the public to disregard politically motivated media sensationalism aimed at finding fault where there is none,” the statement concluded.
