The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign train for the Wednesday February 23 local government council elections in Enugu state ended on Sunday with Enugu North local government being reckoned and as the progenitor, the doyen and the undisputed head of local government councils in Eastern Nigeria.
It was the progenitor himself, Onoh, who recalled to the electrified campaign train of how the arena they stood produced the first Mayor of Enugu, Umaru Altine in 1952, thus setting the stage of detribalized politics, liberal democracy and egalitarian society.
Denge Dr. Josef-Ken Onoh showcased Enugu-North local government as a trailblazer and pacesetter for inclusive local government administration in Nigeria, that is yet to be equaled by any other council in Nigeria, including the present Federal Capital Territory councils that were created to be symbolic centers of Nigeria unity.
Speaking amid frenzy and jubilant supports that ushered him into the area, Onoh elevated Enugu north local government council as center of unity, when he greeted the assembly in Nigeria’s major three languages – Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. With inferences, Onoh pointed Enugu north local government as the epicenter of political administration, the master and the knowledgeable, pivotal in the Enugu east senatorial district chess game for 2023 governorship of the state.
His entry and speech silenced the other agitating local government councils of the zone that had previously shouted Nkanu Ogbuzuru in the campaign rallies at other local government councils. From the ovation and silence, it was an apparent pointer that Onoh is in the frontline calculation.
Quoting the bible succinctly, Onoh told Governor Ifeanyi that “even Jesus nominated his successor, Peter, and called him Peter the Rock upon which he built his Church and which no power on earth destroyed. “And so Your Excellency, no powers on earth can destroy your choice of successor. Nobody has opposed Jesus Christ for bringing a successor, and so why won’t you?”
Onoh further told Ugwuanyi that where he stood was his fathers’ land from generations and the heartbeat of the Igbo nation; recalling that in 1952, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe supported Umaru Altine, a Fulani man from Sifawa in Sokoto Caliphate, to become the first elected Mayor of the coal city. He said that the Alhaji Altine precedence was a manifestation of Enugu as an embodiment of unity and capacity for inclusion by the aborigines of Enugu, who are essentially located in Enugu north local government area, the hub of Enugu east senatorial district from where the next governor of Enugu state, it has been agreed, will come from.
He went on to express joy at seeing an incumbent governor and a past one (Chimaroke Nnamani) sitting side by side in a campaign rally and praised Ugwuanyi’s political mannerism that brought back the former governor back to mainstream politics. Onoh said it was only under Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration that a deputy governor was not threatened with impeachment and a state House of Assembly not revolting against the executive arm.
“All these people clamouring for you to name your successor don’t like you and you don’t need to do that. You should name your successor when the time is right and you should focus on the remaining projects you have to do. Go to Isaiah 30:15, the Bible said ‘in quietness and in your confidence shall be your strength’ so keep being silent. Even the President said he will not name his successor because he will be killed. So anybody asking you to name your successor doesn’t like you. Your major preoccupation should be to focus and deliver your projects in Enugu North and when the time is ripe, you will call us and let us see who will come against you,” Onoh said.
Ever since Onoh spoke at the rally, tongues have been wagging, insinuating that the Igede cultural dance may have shifted from Nkanu to Ngwo, particularly with Onoh’s liberalism of accommodation for Isi-Uzo local government. The ‘Ka-Isi-Uzo Jee’ campaigners in the area made Onoh to underscore the point that Enugu North is the center of unity after Ngwo and Ogui ceded their land upon which everyone is now clamouring to rule.
It is pertinent to not that Enugu north local government hosts major political, administrative and economic hub of Enugu state and it is gradually becoming clear that Onoh is a major contender in the 2023 governorship pursuit, with fear hitting contenders who have been mounting pressures for the state governor to endorse them as their successor.
Onoh as the Chairman of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) has been able to tame the city metropolises of physical distortion nuisances and his leadership ability is no longer in doubt and for a man that has the Enugu city under his grip, Governor Ugwuanyi’s calculation of a successor may not be far from such a Man which may be the reason the Governor chose Enugu north as destination for closure of the PDP campaign rallies for the council elections.
Onoh’s stint in the state House of Assembly reputed hm as a lawmaker extraordinary when he headed the Finance and Appropriation Committee which the present Speaker of the House, Edward Ubosi, give Kudos to him when he appeared before the House recently. As a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ugwuanyi on Special Projects, Onoh continued with the execution of the International Conference Center Enugu and excelled. At a younger age he was Executive Director (personnel management)with Eastern Bottlers limited (Limca bottlers plc) that produced Limca soft drinks and exhibited his managerial skills, he’s also a Member of the international institute of hospitality united Kingdom. His present hospitality outfit, the Arribba Entertainment centre promoters of Voodoo lounge, Terminal 1(Aviators club), 608 smoke house grill, skydome cinema, morehouse hotel, Riversafari zoo waterfront and many others of which the Voodoo lounge is rated as one of the best lounge in Nigeria. There is no doubt, therefore, that as a man renowned for perfection in both private and public endeavors, his pedigree throws him out as a man to be trusted with the leadership of Enugu state.
At the rally, the House of Assembly member, representing Enugu North State constituency, Hon. Ibenaku Onoh also took time to demonstrate the capacity of the local government, complimented the Onoh dynasty leadership capabilities. His pedigree at the parliament as he showcased has also made other young people in the state become conscious of young people’s good leadership traits in governance.
The non-indigenes resident in Enugu North LGA commended Gov. Ugwuanyi for the existing peace and good governance in Enugu State, stating that they are happy living in the state. In their goodwill message, the Muslim community in Enugu thanked Gov. Ugwuanyi for his inclusive leadership, describing him as a good man who accommodates everybody irrespective of religion or ethnic background. They pledged their support for the governor and his political aspirations, urging other states to emulate his uncommon leadership style.
Concluding the statewide rallies, Gov. Ugwuanyi thanked God for a peaceful and successful outing of the party, and urged the electorate to come out en masse on February 23, 2022, to vote for the 17 and 260 chairmanship and counsellorship candidates of the PDP, respectively.
The Governor thanked all the stakeholders of the state irrespective of their political differences for the peace and progress of the state.
The Deputy Governor, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi, Senator Gil Nnaji, the member representing Nkanu West/East Federal Constituency, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, his Enugu East/Isi-Uzo counterpart, Hon. Cornelius Nnaji, were among some of the dignitaries at the rally.