The Deputy Chairman of Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Hon. Stanley Uchenna Ezediuto, has dismissed claims that Governor Peter Mbah stopped receiving visitors physically after assuming office, describing the allegation as propaganda aimed at undermining the administration.
Ezediuto made the assertion in a statement reflecting on Mbah’s leadership strategy since his inauguration in 2023, arguing that the governor deliberately created temporary restrictions around access to his office to enable him to properly study the political environment and build an effective governing team.
According to him, reports that Mbah had resorted to receiving people only through Zoom or television were false.
“As someone who is part of the government, I can categorically state that this never happened. It was propaganda taken too far, an attempt to create a false narrative around an administration that was still finding its feet,” Ezediuto stated.
He, however, acknowledged that there were periods when access to the governor was temporarily restricted, stressing that such measures were necessary and should not be confused with the claims circulated at the time.
“That said, I can acknowledge that there were temporary restrictions at certain points. Such measures were necessary and should not be confused with the absurd claims that were circulated,” he said.
Ezediuto said the experience of former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi demonstrated the importance of political leaders taking full ownership of their administrations and being prepared to accept responsibility for decisions taken under their watch.
He argued that a governor could not outsource responsibility for his government and therefore had to carefully determine those granted access to him and those allowed to influence critical decisions.
“As Governor, you cannot outsource responsibility for your government. You must own it, protect its direction and carefully choose the people who have access to you and influence your decisions,” he stated.
According to him, individuals who sought to pressure Mbah into directions they considered unsuitable for the government and the people of Enugu were kept at bay, prompting some of them to resort to what he described as propaganda.
“Unfortunately, those who wanted to besiege the Governor and push him in directions that were not necessarily in the best interest of the government and Ndi Enugu were kept at bay,” Ezediuto said.
“When their attempts failed, propaganda became a convenient weapon. They tried to create narratives that would force their way into the government, undermine the administration and, ultimately, have the opportunity to mock the same Governor they claimed to support.”
Ezediuto defends Mbah’s handling of campaign team
The Awgu LGA APC chieftain also addressed claims that Mbah had abandoned his Campaign Director-General, Hon. Ikeje Asogwa, after the 2023 election.
He described the allegation as another narrative that had been disproved by subsequent developments, pointing to Asogwa’s continued relevance and recognition within the administration.
“One of the narratives that circulated at the time was that Governor Peter Mbah had abandoned his Campaign Director-General, Hon. Ikeje Asogwa, after the election. But time, once again, has proven that narrative wrong,” he said.
“His continued relevance and recognition within the administration are clear indications that the Governor’s approach was never about abandoning those who contributed to his emergence, but about strategically deploying people based on their capacity, experience and the demands of governance.”
Ezediuto said the composition of Mbah’s administration had subsequently demonstrated that the governor’s approach to selecting his team was deliberate.
He specifically cited the Chief of Staff, Barr. Victor Udeh; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia; and Senior Special Assistant on Security, Mr. Vincent Onyeabor, among others, as officials whose performances had justified their appointments.
“Today, the composition and performance of the team selected by Governor Peter Mbah have shown that the Governor’s approach was deliberate,” he stated.
“We can take a look at the capacity and performance of the Chief of Staff, Barr. Victor Udeh; the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia; the SSA on Security, Mr. Vincent Onyeabor; and so many others who have consistently proven themselves in this administration.”
According to him, the officials’ contributions were evidence that Mbah took time to identify capable hands and strategically deploy them according to their abilities.
‘Leadership is knowing whom to trust’
Ezediuto further argued that Mbah’s approach to governance reflected a deliberate leadership strategy rather than weakness or isolation.
“The temporary restrictions were, in my view, necessary. The Governor needed the space to think, study the environment and understand the people around him before opening the doors wider,” he said.
He added that the governor had begun assessing individuals even before and during the election campaign, studying their strengths, weaknesses and areas of competence.
“That preparation has helped him determine not only who should be brought into government, but when each person should be brought in and where their abilities could be best deployed,” he said.
Ezediuto maintained that effective leadership did not necessarily require unrestricted access to the leader.
“Leadership is not about allowing everyone immediate access. It is about knowing whom to trust, when to listen, when to act and where to place the right people,” he stated.
He concluded that developments under the Mbah administration were increasingly validating the governor’s decision to carefully build his governing team.
“Sometimes, what critics describe as weakness is actually strategic leadership,” Ezediuto said.
“And today, the evidence is becoming clearer. Governor Peter Mbah’s decision to carefully build his team was not accidental. It was deliberate and the results are beginning to justify that approach.”
