By Ekene Uzodinma Enugu State 2019 United Progressive Party (UPP) Gubernatorial Candidate.

For most Enugu people Gov. Ugwanyi is neither good nor bad, he cannot be truly branded owing to two factors; his seeming inscrutability and the prevailing acquiescence among the people. On the other hand, the myopic political culture that negates core leadership values and celebrate mediocrity. It is even ridiculous that most people are oblivious of the fact that getting a second term in office is never automatic and not even a must. So rather than carefully examine his performance so far as to warrant a second term, the mindset is 8 years, good, bad or ugly.
Such provincialism coupled with the insularity of those political jobbers and sycophants can be quite misleading. This is however not the only problem. The most disturbing is the overwhelming indifference among the greater percentage of our people. Those who just don't give a hoot.

Among this group are some relatively sound individuals who can spot Governor Ugwanyi's glaring ineptitude not minding the anomalous religiosity which seem to be his punchline. A trick that works only where people that lack the faculties to process facts are prevalent.

While the few discerning minds who truly believe that Enugu deserves much more and that it can get a better deal especially if we can vote in a pragmatic and visionary leader. This set of people are just managing to put up with the system with the hope of finding a better alternative as the next election draws closer until Governor Ugwanyi recently dazed what is probably considered a fatal blow on that hope. The outcome of PDP governorship primary election where he emerged as the party's sole candidate never came as a surprise. The timorous party men chose to uphold the status quo, or I guess they were technically blackmailed or frightened to silence. And as if that was not enough, the party senatorial primarily election threw up the worst insult on our people's collective intelligence.

The emergence of the self acclaimedlife Senator to run for the Enugu West Senatorial Election; thus, making it his 5th tenure when the zone has other well qualified and willing individuals from other parts of the zone that by simple rotation will be given a sense of belonging. Meanwhile the processes of that primarily election is speculated to be fraught with massive irregularities just to deliver the anointed one. Another deliberate onslaught was the result of the rest of the primary elections which was described by Ndi Enugu as '' THE RETURN OF THE GANGSTERS''.

Now, here is the game. In Governor Ugwanyi's calculation, the people of Nsukka zone are most likely to vote based on sentiments, a valid factor nonetheless. So that part of the state may not be such a task except for APC eventually choosing its flag bearer from the same zone. And if that happens, APC suffers social stigma in the south east so their chances of pulling the rug off his feet are too small.

So the return of Dr.Chimaroke Nnamani and Prof. Ike Ekwerenmadu so long as Governor Ugwuanyi is concerned is his treasure-trove for 2019. Choices made with no regards for the wish and will of the masses and is even an affront to democracy. The simple assumption is that by trading this positions for support for his second tenure both gladiators will unleash their political weight into his campaign and subsequently prosecute the election proper. So it is purely about his interest. Not based on what is best for the state.

Now, had Governor Ugwanyi performed so well; he would not need to struggle. His works ought to be speaking for him. The dubiety of 2019 polls stares him in the face. And like legendary musician Jimmy Cliff puts it "a drowning man will catch even the straw". Governor Ugwanyi is perturbed by some facts that will determine the next election.

According to Debt Management Office (DMO), This administration has borrowed $49. 6 million within the past 3years (2015 - 2018) in foreign debts, making Enugu indepted to the tune of $121 million dollersall together.According to the same source, Ugwuanyi's administration also took anotherN24 billions Naira loan locally without any tangible thing to show for it. As at today, we in Enugu are indebted to the tune of N61 billion naira local debt. All of these funds excludes the total sum of N26 billion naira Paris refund His Excellency Governor Ugwanyi received from federal government.

According to Budgit. Com, Our monthly allocation which includes the federal allocations of about N4.1 billion naira and an IGR estimated to about N2 billion naira monthly amounts to atotal of N6.1 billion naira Monthly. That means apart from the monies borrowed both in dollars as foreign debt and in naira as local debt, we have also received approximately N6. 1 billion naira monthly within the past years of this administration.

According to Enugu state's 2018 approved budget, tagged the 'budget of sustainable economic growth', on page 34 of that document; the 2018 budget size is N103, 563,500,000,00 where 41% of the total budget is for capital expenditure and 59% is for recurrent expenditure. The question now is, what is sustainable about the Budget where a higher percentage is spent on recurrent expenditure and most of what is spent on the capital expenditure finds itsway into private pockets with substandard jobs executed?

The fact is that Such whimsical prevarication won't work this time as the people must demand explanation. Proper account will be required for those much vaunted substandard road projects and our people will like to know why Governor Ugwanyi saw no need to develop public schools but instead have narrowed most of them to a particular space and the rest acquired for private estates. We must demand to know why IMT reactors village have been converted into private estate, plots of lands are sold as much as N20 million instead of using it for the very purpose for which it was designed. Who gets those allocations and who received the money for the dezoned spaces.

Only recently, the governing board of IMT was changed and a new set of people wereappointed as the new board members and N810 million naira was released to that board. Up till now, there is no noticeable improvement in IMT to account for such huge investment. The VEC (visit every community) initiative of this administration culminated in this government dollion out N10 million naira to about 472 autonomous communities in Enugu totalling about 4.7 billion naira. An amount that could have had tremendous impact if channeled into projects of public interest, instead this administration chose to share the money among traditional rulers without any control mechanism for its utilization leaving no one in doubt that this is obviously a barter. If it wasn't a barter, how do you explain the fact that the ministry of works with all its qualified professionals cannot handle developmental projects in communities, you rather chose to doll out cash directly to traditional rulers to execute projects of their own choice.

What about the over inflated contracts here and there where almost every opportunity is exploited for personal angradisment to the extent that items like roll up banners that should ordinarily go for about N30,000 are awarded N900, 000. Contracts that should go for N90 million are awarded for N140 million. Most of these contracts are awarded without following due process. Friends and polical allies are awarded contracts as settlement and often times, sub standard jobs arecarried out. Most of the road projects are such that the roads start collapsing within few months of its commissioning.

Recently, the Ugwuanyi government took to the media and vaunted the flag off of the urban roads repairs and maintenance. As ridiculous as that was for simple task like pot holes patching to receive such unnecessary media hype, what is even most regrettable is than rather doing the job, most streets of Enugu have been recklessly mutilated and leaving sharp edges and deeper and wider ditches thus making the condition of those roads worse than they were and of course every drivers nightmare.
Enugu people want to know why such propaganda when thegovernment was not prepared to do the job in the first place. Part of what Enugu people will like to know is who that contract was awarded to and at how much and why the job stopped after further damaging the roads.
GOVERNOR UGWUANYIS CONSPIRACY AGAINST NDI ENUGU, By Ekene Uzodinma, Enugu State 2019 United Progressive Party (UPP) Gubernatorial Candidate.

For most Enugu people Gov. Ugwanyi is neither good nor bad, he cannot be truly branded owing to two factors, his seeming inscrutability and the prevailing acquiescence among the people. On the other hand, the myopic political culture that negates core leadership values and celebrate mediocrity. It is even ridiculous that most people are oblivious of the fact that getting a second term in office is never automatic and not even a must. So rather than carefully examine his performance so far as to warrant a second term, the mindset is "8 years', good, bad or ugly. Such provincialism coupled with the insularity of those political jobbers and sycophants can be quite misleading. This is however not the only problem. The most disturbing is the overwhelming indifference among the greater percentage of our people. Those who just don't give a hoot. Among this group are some relatively sound individuals who can spot Governor Ugwanyi's glaring ineptitude not minding the anomalous religiosity which seem to be his punchline. A trick that works only where people that lack the faculties to process facts are prevalent.

While the few discerning minds who truly believe that Enugu deserves much more and that it can get a better deal especially if we can vote in a pragmatic and visionary leader. This set of people are just managing to put up with the system with the hope of finding a better alternative as the next election draws closer until Governor Ugwanyi recently dazed what he probably considers a fatal blow on that hope. The outcome of PDP governorship primary election where he emerged as the party's sole candidate never came as a surprise. The timorous party men chose to uphold the status quo, or I guess they were blackmailed or frightened to silence. And as if that was not enough, the party senatorial primarily election threw up the worst insult on our people's collective intelligence.

The emergence of the self acclaimedlife Senator to run for the Enugu West Senatorial Election, thus, making it his 5th tenure when the zone has other well qualified and willing individuals from other parts of the zone that by simple rotation will be given a sense of belonging. Meanwhile the processes for that primarily election is speculated to be fraught with massive irregularities just to deliver the anointed one. Another deliberate onslaught was the result of the rest of the primary elections which was described by Ndi Enugu as '' THE RETURN OF THE GANGSTERS''.

Now, here is the game. In Governor Ugwanyi's calculation, the people of Nsuka zone are most likely to vote based on sentiments, a valid factor nonetheless. So that part of the state may not be such a task except for APC eventually choosing its flag bearer from the same zone. And if that happens, APC suffers social stigma in the south east so their chances of pulling the rug off his feet are too small.

So the return of Dr.Chimaroke Nnamani and Prof. Ike Ekwerenmadu so long as Governor Ugwuanyi is concerned is his treasure-trove for 2019. Choices made with no regards for the wish and will of the masses and is even an affront to democracy. The simple assumption is that by trading this positions for support for his second tenure both gladiators will unleash their political weight into his campaign and subsequently prosecute the election proper. So it is purely about his interest. Not based on what is best for the state.

Now, had Governor Ugwanyi performed so well; he would not need to struggle. His works ought to be speaking for him. The dubiety of 2019 polls stares him in the face. And like legendary musician Jimmy Cliff puts it "a drowning man will catch even the straw". Governor Ugwanyi is perturbed by some facts that will determine the next election.

According to Debt Management Office (DMO), This administration has borrowed $49. 6 million within the past 3years (2015 - 2018) in foreign debts, making Enugu indepted to the tune of $121 million dollersall together.According to the same source, Ugwuanyi's administration also took anotherN24 billions Naira loan locally without any tangible thing to show for it. As at today, we in Enugu are indebted to the tune of N61 billion naira local debt. All of these funds excludes the total sum of N26 billion naira Paris refund His Excellency Governor Ugwanyi received from federal government.

According to Budgit. Com, Our monthly allocation which includes the federal allocations of about N4.1 billion naira and an IGR estimated to about N2 billion naira monthly amounts to atotal of N6.1 billion naira Monthly. That means apart from the monies borrowed both in dollars as foreign debt and in naira as local debt, we have also received approximately N6. 1 billion naira monthly within the past years of this administration.

According to Enugu state's 2018 approved budget, tagged the 'budget of sustainable economic growth', on page 34 of that document; the 2018 budget size is N103, 563,500,000,00 where 41% of the total budget is for capital expenditure and 59% is for recurrent expenditure. The question now is, what is sustainable about the Budget where a higher percentage is spent on recurrent expenditure and most of what is spent on the capital expenditure finds itsway into private pockets with substandard jobs executed?

The fact is that Such whimsical prevarication won't work this time as the people must demand explanation. Proper account will be required for those much vaunted substandard road projects and our people will like to know why Governor Ugwanyi saw no need to develop public schools but instead have narrowed most of them to a particular space and the rest acquired for private estates. We must demand to know why IMT reactors village have been converted into private estate, plots of lands are sold as much as N20 million instead of using it for the very purpose for which it was designed. Who gets those allocations and who received the money for the dezoned spaces.

Only recently, the governing board of IMT was changed and a new set of people wereappointed as the new board members and N810 million naira was released to that board. Up till now, there is no noticeable improvement in IMT to account for such huge investment. The VEC (visit every community) initiative of this administration culminated in this government dollion out N10 million naira to about 472 autonomous communities in Enugu totalling about 4.7 billion naira. An amount that could have had tremendous impact if channeled into projects of public interest, instead this administration chose to share the money among traditional rulers without any control mechanism for its utilization leaving no one in doubt that this is obviously a barter. If it wasn't a barter, how do you explain the fact that the ministry of works with all its qualified professionals cannot handle developmental projects in communities, you rather chose to doll out cash directly to traditional rulers to execute projects of their own choice.

What about the over inflated contracts here and there where almost every opportunity is exploited for personal angradisment to the extent that items like roll up banners that should ordinarily go for about N30,000 are awarded N900, 000. Contracts that should go for N90 million are awarded for N140 million. Most of these contracts are awarded without following due process. Friends and polical allies are awarded contracts as settlement and often times, sub standard jobs arecarried out. Most of the road projects are such that the roads start collapsing within few months of its commissioning.

Only recently, the Ugwuanyi government took to the media and vaunted the flag off of the urban roads repairs and maintenance. As ridiculous as that was for simple task like pot holes patching to receive such unnecessary media hype, what is even most regrettable is than rather doing the job, most streets of Enugu have been recklessly mutilated and leaving sharp edges and deeper and wider ditches thus making the condition of those roads worse than they were and of course every drivers nightmare. Enugu people want to know why such propaganda when the government was not pre

Enugu people will like to know why Ugwanyi's adminstration completely neglected all the abandoned projects started by his predecessors but instead chose to waste our scares resources on duplication of efforts.

Enugu people will rather not make the mistake of voting His Excellency, Governor Ugwanyi back in 2019 who we all know has no economic blue print or any plan of repaying the huge debt incurred by his administration let alone offsetting those of his predecessors but instead will borrow more if elected into office 2019. Thus our future is doomed forever.

We will rather demand to know what and how he spent all the resources he received on our behalf. We demand that a clear account be made public including all contracts awarded, to whom it was awarded as well as at what cost. We Ndi Enugu demand that Governor Ugwanyi declares his assets. We demand to know who and on what he spent our scares resources on. It has to be published to let the people of Enugu know what their monies have been used for.

The question is, will Ugwanyi's conspiracy work or can our people be so resolute? This forth coming election, there will be no compromise! Let our people wake up to the reality on ground. Do you know it will take us about 121 years to pay up our foreign debts if we start paying back $1 million yearly from 2019? Do you know it will take us an additional 61 years to pay up our local debt without having to borrow more funds? Do you realize that our future is seriously at stake in the hands of our present politicians? For me, the mission isclear, '' SAVE THE FUTURE NOW ''.

Ekene Uzodinma
Enugu state Gubernatorial Candidate
United Progressive Party (UPP) 2019
Enugu people will like to know why Ugwanyi's adminstration completely neglected all the abandoned projects started by his predecessors but instead chose to waste our scares resources on duplication of efforts.

Enugu people will rather not make the mistake of voting His Excellency, Governor Ugwanyi back in 2019 who we all know has no economic blue print or any plan of repaying the huge debt incurred by his administration let alone offsetting those of his predecessors but instead will borrow more if elected into office 2019. Thus our future is doomed forever.

We will rather demand to know what and how he spent all the resources he received on our behalf. We demand that a clear account be made public including all contracts awarded, to whom it was awarded as well asat what cost. We Ndi Enugu demand that Governor Ugwanyi declares his assets. We demand to know who and on what he spent our scares resources on. It has to be published to let the people of Enugu know what their monies have been used for.

The question is, will Ugwanyi's conspiracy work or can our people be so resolute? This forth coming election, there will be no compromise! Let our people wake up to the reality on ground. Do you know it will take us about 121 years to pay up our foreign debts if we start paying back $1 million yearly from 2019? Do you know it will take us an additional 61 years to pay up our local debt without having to borrow more funds? Do you realize that our future is seriously at stake in the hands of our present politicians? For me, the mission isclear, '' SAVE THE FUTURE NOW ''.

Ekene Uzodinma
Enugu state Gubernatorial Candidate
United Progressive Party (UPP) 2019