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24.05.2011 Feature Article

How to govern 16-yr old Ebonyi State

How to govern 16-yr old Ebonyi State
24.05.2011 LISTEN

Chief Martin Elechi will be sworn in as the first citizen of Ebonyi State for his second tenure of four years on 29th May, 2011 after having recorded victory in the April 26th 2011 Governorship Election. To some Ebonyi people, it is continuity for stability. For others, it is the beginning of another era of struggle to push Ebonyi forward. And for a third group, it is a continuation of the visionless leadership in the state since its creation. Has Ebonyi really made attempts to develop?


Elechi came into the state leadership mantle from against orthodox acceptance. Protests had trailed his emergence as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2007. But as a bonafide citizen of the state with no past questionable character records, he could not be stopped by even his predecessor from contesting the position of his choice.

He was and remains one of the founding fathers of the state. He is aged, one of the oldest governors in Nigeria today, but still strong in memory. And, if it is anything to go by, then he needs young, vibrant and capable young men and women whom he can influence with the initial objectives of craving for the state.

Ebonyi state was created on October 1st, 1996, decades after the late Dr. Akanu Ibiam along side with Martin and other elders fought for the birth of the state. Martin, therefore, is quite aware of the reasons for the long struggle for the state creation which culminated in several denials from the Old Imo, Enugu and Abia states as well as total marginalization

of the Old Afikpo Division and Abakaliki. Afikpo and Abakaliki which are the two main components of the state had no infrastructure of any kind. There was no water, roads, medical services and facilities or electricity, and education was a nightmare.

The state had nothing of modernity and even farming for which the Abakaliki and Afikpo Divides were renowned was locally operated and thus yielded very little for the economic being of the people. Moreover, the sharing system of political positions and appointments were characterized by injustice and denials.

Dr. Sam Egwu, being the first democratically elected governor of the state was from the Ebonyi North Senatorial District. It was quite clear that power will either shift to Ebonyi Central or Ebonyi South. Elechi is from the Central. And the Abuja political bloc then, saw it that way and backed him for the position. Remember he came from outside the Ebonyi White House. He was not a state government functionary.

So, this means that the rotational system of the governorship position is in order. The greatest implication of this assertion is that after his second tenure, he would work to

hand over to a successor from the Ebonyi South Senatorial District, preferably one who is not too exposed to the yearnings and earnings surrounding the government house.

A big challenge to the present Ebonyi government should be that nearly sixteen years after the state was created, it is still crawling. Ebonyi is still struggling to take its rightful position among her counterparts. Some critics would describe Abakaliki and Afikpo as glorified town and village respectively. Has there been any change in the way the state was governed between 1999 and 2007? Have developmental plans been articulated and the projects decentralized so as to lift the state from being a one-city one?

A thorough check of development in the state reveal that water scarcity has remained unresolved even in the capital city, talk less of Afikpo and the rural areas. The road network has been poorly initiated, projected and maintained, indication that the contracts were awarded to sub-standard contractors. For instance, parts of the only road linking Abakaliki and Afikpo have become unmotorable. Also many communities are yet to be connected with motorable roads.

Although the rural electrification project has yielded success to an extent, many communities still live in darkness. Some of those already connected always

have a loggerhead with the PHCN for insisting on collecting money for no power supplied. The state's educational system needs revamping as many pupils are still studying under trees and on the floor. Teachers' welfare is not much encouraging.

Hospitals need to be upgraded and equipped. In Afikpo North, General Hospitals are nothing to write home about. Wealth creation and job opportunities have dwindled to the extent that Ebonyians are forced to troop out in search of greener pasture, engaging in menial jobs and questionable means of livelihood. No doubt, Ebonyi people are industrious and dedicated to service.

The distribution of positions to the senatorial districts should be equal and should be based on merits, not merely on party considerations. Ebonyi should enjoy unity in diversity, thus every political, religious and school of thought must be accommodated and carried along. Elechi's victory since 2007, apart from being divinely supported was from the sweat of many political groups and individuals. Groups like Afikpo Divisional Solidarity Movement (ADSM), Solidarity Network of Nigeria (SNN), Ebonyi Youths for Democracy (EYD), amongst others disposed both human and financial capacities for the Elechi-Umahi victory. They should form part of his government even as majority of the groups' membership are card-carrying members of the PDP.

Chief Elechi told Ebonyians that his emergence as the flag bearer of PDP which started sometime in September 2006 after several closed-door meetings at various levels of the party, was a good omen for the state. During his electioneering campaigns, he was blunt enough to acknowledge, “There is youth restiveness arising from high level of youth unemployment. There is a growing army of military and police personnel retired at relatively young age. There is unstable revenue flow due to instability in oil producing areas. There is inflationary spiral which results from any and every increase in the prices of petroleum products. And there is also the general threat to peace arising from communal, ethnic and religious clashes”.

He gave assurances that the state will be politically and religiously stable and peaceful, promising a civil servant and labour-friendly government, steady pipe-born water, roads and

electricity for both rural and urban dwellers, business-friendly environment as well as private

entrepreneurship enhancement, private medical practitioners support, well standard school system, a zero tolerance for human right and child abuse, healthy environment, food, live and property security.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I want to say categorically that I would not be against critical

assessment of my conduct and business undertakings with the view to determining my stability or otherwise for a public office. On the contrary, I will welcome constructive criticisms even when they bother on attack on my person provided they are genuine,

objective and factual. That is what democracy expects. In the end, the society is the judge and only the best materials should hold the highest offices. But where out of desperation, people resort to calumny to blackmail their perceived opponents in their belief that by doing so they will have their way, they must know that the collectivity of our society is wiser

and better informed than a few miscreants”, he had proclaimed.

Four years after, what has been achieved of all these promises? Can the governor beat his chest and say he has sincerely fulfilled his pledges to Ebonyians?

Muhammad Ajah is a writer, author, advocate of humanity and good governance based in Abuja. E-mail [email protected]

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