It was an exciting time at Ama Ezike, Nkpologu, in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, recently, as Senator Chuka Utazi, the lawmaker representing Enugu North Federal Constituency, hosted Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to a luncheon in his country home.
The event became a political carnival, with major political stakeholders in the state in attendance. Leading the throng of dignitaries to the event was the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo.
Governor Ugwuanyi and Senator Utazi led the large gathering in a joyful song and dance.
While welcoming the governor, the traditional ruler of Nkpologu community, Igwe Simeon Idu, commended Ugwuanyi for executing development projects in Uzo-Uwani LGA. He said the ongoing construction work on the long-neglected 39-kilometre Umulokpa-Adaba-Ukpata-Uvuru-Nkpologu Road, which links many communities of Uzo-Uwani LGA to the headquarters at Umulokpa, has brought some succour to the people.
“Before now, we passed through four local government areas of Nsukka, Igbo-Etiti, Udi and Ezeagu before getting to Umulokpa, our council headquarters,” he said.
Igwe Idu also thanked the Ugwuanyi-led administration for paving the 26-kilometre Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani road, as well as the Edem Ani-Urobo-Abbi road.
The traditional ruler said Uzo-Uwani was chosen as one of the seven benefiting local governments where Type-3 Primary Health Care Centres were being constructed in the state and thanked the governor for the gesture. According to him, no past government in the state had addressed infrastructural challenges of rural communities in Uzo Uwani as the present administration.
Senator Utazi recalled that he had earlier expressed some concerns to the governor, and expressed optimism that those requests were receiving deserved attention. He commended the Ugwuanyi administration for executing the longest earth road in Enugu State in the local government.
Earlier in his speech, Nwodo harped on the need for brotherliness among political actors, stressing that the visit of the governor has silenced insidious attempts by mischief-makers to plant discord and put a wedge between the two political leaders.
In his response, Ugwuanyi reaffirmed the One Family structure of the ruling party, and thanked all stakeholders for maintaining peace in the state.
“We want peace and God will give us peace,” he prayed.
Political stalwarts at the event said the get-together had lubricated the political machinery of the ruling party at the grassroots and empowered political functionaries and their foot soldiers to work harder for the delivery of democratic dividends to the people.
Other dignitaries at the event were the former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Chief Okechukwu Itanyi; the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Augustine Nnamani; the lawmaker representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, Prince Cornelius Nnaji; former state chairman of the PDP, Chief Vita Abba; former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okey Ezea; the chairman of Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), Dr. Mike Ajogwu, SAN; former provost, Federal College of Education, Ehamufu, Dr. Robert Ezike; renowned medical practitioner, Dr. Cletus Eze; and members of the Enugu State Executive Council, among others.