By Victor Chigozie Eneh
It has become imperative that I call the attention of the public to the surreptitious plot by certain desperate politicians in Enugu State to launch unwarranted campaign of calumny against the present administration aimed at undermining the existing peace and good governance in the state for their selfish and unpopular political ambition ahead of 2023.
It is common knowledge that at the end of every administration in Enugu State, these set of desperate politicians resort to blackmail, lies, brazen falsehood and all sorts of smear campaign against the government in power through sponsorship of unfounded and mischievous opinion articles in the national dailies and social media platforms.
As we approach the end of this present peaceful, development and people-oriented administration in Enugu State, these political elements have been approaching me and my colleagues with mischievous and fictitious trumped-up articles, requesting us to deploy our social media platforms to cast aspersions on the government.
I am aware that they have also enlisted the services of some media consultants and executives in Lagos and equally induced them with huge resources to execute their evil plot, as they did during the end of the past administration of Sullivan Chime, ahead of the 2015 general elections.
This alarm has become necessary in view of the pressure being mounted on us by these desperate politicians to accede to their selfish request, which we have rejected based on our conviction that their plot is immoral, ungodly, and mischievous, as the allegations raised against the government were untrue and a clear case of political vendetta.
The ulterior motive of the major sponsor of the smear campaign, a self-styled “powerful” Abuja-based politician who has in his usual stock in trade displayed similar crass desperation in the build-up to the 2015 general elections, is well known by the discerning members of the public.
These detractors are obviously unhappy with the cherished peace and security being enjoyed in Enugu State today, the unprecedented achievements of the present administration in spite of all the numerous challenges it has encountered since its inception in 2015, and the enviable goodwill and solidarity the government enjoys from the people of the state and beyond.
It is on record that no past administration in Enugu State experienced one quarter of the avalanche of challenges this present administration has encountered since 2015, which border on the nation’s harsh economy, security and public health challenges.
More worrisome is the inconsistency in the allegations being fabricated by these detractors, which are at variance with the verdicts of several reputable institutions and organizations on the Enugu State government’s performance and prudent management of the state’s meager resources for development issues and wellbeing of the people.
These verdicts on the state government by institutions and organisations, according to records, include the Organised Labour (regular payment of N30,000 new minimum wage, pensions, other welfare packages and most labour-friendly governor in Nigeria award), World Bank Group (second most advanced state in Nigeria on the Ease of Doing Business), BudgIT (among the three most viable states in Nigeria) and the Economic Confidential (among the six (6) economically viable states in Nigeria that can survive without federal allocations) etc.
One wonders why some people would attempt to undermine these laudable feats, which include massive infrastructure development, such as the ongoing construction of the first Enugu State government’s flyover bridge; quality and affordable healthcare delivery and the ongoing massive construction works at the permanent site of ESUT Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine, Igbo-Eno; mass recruitment of teachers and transformation of the education sector; employment generation and youth empowerment vis-à-vis ICT innovation; rural development; grassroots sports development and investment promotion, among others.
We therefore call on the public to be wary of such mischievous publications and know that they are the handiwork of mischief makers and enemies of peace and good governance in Enugu State. It is our candid advice that those behind these untoward acts should channel their energy and resources to useful engagements that would add value to the development of Enugu State especially at this critical time the country is witnessing a lot of economic, security and public health challenges.
• Eneh writes from Trans-Ekulu, Enugu
