Attention:
Engr Chukwuma Nwandugo AA
Prof Benard Odo APGA
Hon Francis Nwifuru APC
Okpara Prince Apollo's APP
Chief Ifeanyichukwu Odii PDP
Hon Adol Awam NNPP
Colour Anthony NRM
Arc Edward Nkwegu LP
Nwankwo Michael SDP
Engr Sunday Opoke YPP
etc.
I bring fundamental greetings to you a
Sirs!
First, I must eulogize you for your courage, boldness and untainted desire to inspire to lead Ebonyi State during this particular period. It shows you love our dear State and want to contribute your quota to the sociopolitical and economic development of Ebonyi State. Contesting for elective posts like Governor has been a tradition in Nigeria every four years. We have witnessed 6 successful Governorship elections in Ebonyi State since 1999 and elected three governors who ruled Ebonyi from 1999 to this point. No doubt, the past and present Governments contributed to the developmental strides seen in the State. Obviously, among other things, irregularities and violence were recorded in the previous successive elections. This seems a tradition in African politics but we hope to improve in our politicking and psephology since the world is in the State of flux.
Secondly, I make bold to congratulate and commend you for emerging victoriously in the keenly contested primary election that saw you as the respective standard bearers of your political parties. Whichever way the process that produced you was, I believe it's the will of God.
Brethren: As you aspire to Govern Ebonyi State, with utmost respect and humility, I wish to reawaken your consciousness to the struggle our funding father's passed through to ensure the creation of Ebonyi State which was made possible by the late Military Head of State, General Sani Abacha in 1996. These patriots passed through thick and thin with the circumstances thereof to make us self-independent with commitment, dedication, zeal, love, unity, and sacrifices therein. The sole reason for creating Ebonyi State is to enable us to help ourselves independently, developed our environment, harness our hidden treasures and address our myriad challenges such as Guinea Worm, illiteracy, stereotype and stigmatization by our brothers who gloat and regard us as Ndu "Wawa".
Emphatically, I must extol the past leaders of the State who have done their best notwithstanding their loopholes and administrative decadence. The past Government and the present have done exceedingly well, but multifarious areas need to be polished adequately to nip in the bud some of our plethora of challenges and ordeal which spurred our founding fathers to agitate for a self State called "Ebonyi".
I do not doubt what any of you can do if elected. Most of you have served in the Government, established institutions and private empires. The experience acquired to my knowledge is enough to be deployed if any of you is elected. Ebonyians have the option to decide their fate come 2023. They have assessed you thoroughly and know how to cast their vote in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended without fear or intimidation. Surely, your antecedents, disposition, temperament, political will, exposure, character, intellectual capacity, manifesto and finance will speak for you in the poll.
Brothers! As you aspire to lead our young State, you must try to tell Ebonyians what you have for them and how you tend to address the unfathomable issues in the State. This will help Ebonyians hold you accountable by your words should any of you emerge and navigate to another side of the river. Don't tell Ebonyians to vote for you based on equity, tribe or zone. Tell them to vote for you based on what you have to offer.
According to Seer: Development must holistically address the issue of what happens to poverty, what happens to unemployment and what happens to equality...
In line with Seer postulation, the indices of Development are not yet visible in Ebonyi State. The unemployment rate is high, Civil Servants are garnishing their teeth in penury. The traders are not left out as they are battling with heavy taxation and intimidation by the agents of the Government. Our health sector is in shambles. The number of staff in the 13 General Hospitals in the State, Civil Servants in different MDAs and public Schools has reduced drastically thereby creating inefficiency in the system. The laid down procedures in the Government in terms of the contract among other things have been scandalized and mesmerized. Notorious cultists, vulgarians and unscrupulous elements are glorified and have taken the centre stage of the Government with an uncountable number of them being rewarded with SA, SSA, Development Centre Coordinators or Local Government Chairmen whereas intelligent Ebonyians who have distinguished themselves are mostly not accommodated in the Government for them to explore their ideas. Local Government Chairmen are mere errand boys with no people-oriented traceable achievements in their respective Local Government Areas due to the infringement on the monthly marching Grant using JAC as a conduit pipe. The rural dwellers don't have access to health, good road or water which is the cardinal responsibility of the Government. Crisis and war have enveloped most of the communities in the State with no genuine or holistic effort cum framework to quell it. Some unimportant projects are been carried out and glorified when it has no direct benefit to the citizens or the State. Scholarship Scheme has been quashed and brilliant cum intelligent Ebonyians who made first class are neither offered automatic employment nor oversea scholarship like it used to be in the past administration. The pilot boarding Schools built by the successive Governments is in a sorry state. The number of Students there has reduced drastically due to hikes in school fees and poor funding of the School.
More worrisome is the fact that the State is now a shadow of itself. Investors have deserted the State, traders scampered due to heavy tax, while some communities housing mineral deposits are not benefiting from their resources as they ought to be. Miners have left in their numbers due to the burden of the tax. The bureaucratic principle has been swept under the carpet with zero regard to the laid down rules. Freedom of speech and other fundamental human rights are been abused unchecked. Our Educational System is comatosed. The State-owned Institutions like Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, College of Education, Ikwo, School of Health Technology, Ngbo are deteriorating with their staff starved and odd environment. EBSU to be precise. The promotion of workers and their entitlements is now a mirage. A greater number of retirees have died as a result of depression and other illnesses and they would have sought medical attention if their entitlements were paid as and when due.
All these and more are the situation in our dear State. I challenge you to address these challenges listed above if anyone of you makes it to Government House of Ebonyi State, Abakaliki come 2023.
You must not see Ebonyi as your conquered territory. You must not be concerned about how to plunder the collective patrimony of the State but to plough and make the state an industrialized State where investors will throng and establish cottage industries thereby creating employment
opportunities to the teaming graduates and non-graduates.
There are many untapped mineral deposits in the State which need to be harnessed to increase the revenue drive of the State and benefit the host communities. Most importantly, Ebonyi is endowed with the richness of Salt. This salt needs to be harnessed properly and the industry revived where salt will be bagged for sale and consumption across the length and breadth of Nigeria. I'm yet to come across a bag of salt or sachet that is said to be processed and bagged in Ebonyi despite the huge salt God endowed us with.
The number of Ebonyians doing business outside Ebonyi is unimaginable. This is a result of the unconducive environment that could make a business thrive coupled with other hindrances. If a conducive environment is created with adequate security and average taxation, no doubt, our sons and daughters will return in
earnest to invest in Ebonyi which will boost our Internally Generated Revenue, IGR and increase production.
Earlier, the poverty index showed that Ebonyi is ranked 4th among the States that are above National Average by 79.76%.
Implicitly, Ebonyi is the 4th Poorest State in Nigeria and as has been speculated recently, Ebonyi has moved from 4th to the number one poorest State by per Capita income. This is appalling. It's however not surprising given the level of mesmerized Education System, dysfunctional Healthcare System, Hostile Business Environment, Food Insecurity, misguided expenditures and elephantic projects that have no direct benefit to the masses, insecure environment for investment, and unemployment since 2015 among others. As of 2021, the unemployment and underemployment rate is 82.5%. Who knows the rate now? This implies that over 2.64m population has no jobs to earn a living.
Please, you must set mechanisms or frameworks to tackle poverty drastically in the State. Poverty cannot be eradicated but can be reduced using the holistic framework.
I'm not deeply interested in who becomes. My interest is for the rightful person with good intent irrespective of political affiliation, tribe or zone to emerge come 2023. The issue of zoning has been the talk of the town. However, let me state categorically that the issue of zoning is commendable, but we cannot deny the fact that such does not have a legal framework backing it. The constitution empowered all citizens with the right to vote and to be voted for. And such right can't be swindled because of interest, sentiment or anything whatsoever. It's left for Ebonyians to choose among you who to lead them.
Please, if any of you makes it, Nkaliki Poultry Farm, Ezzilo Water Scheme, Oferekpe and Ukawu Water Scheme, and Izhiangbo Pipeline Industry must be revamped and revitalised to serve the need of the masses. Our Agriculture sector must be given adequate attention with the genuine farmers given incentives and mechanized equipment to boost food production. Rice production must be encouraged and the existing Rice Mills revamped for optimum production of rice which is the pride of Ebonyi. The State-owned Market must be looked into as it regards the rent and obnoxious tax therein. Manual collection of Tax in the State should be abolished to reduce the pains inflicted on Ebonyians by agents of the Government marauding as Taskforce. This would help checkmate illegal collection of Tax. Plausibly, Recreational centres like parks and museums must be built for picnics, while those in existence like Fatilami Park, and Amusement Park should be reconstructed with modern facilities to meet international standards. Sports activities must be rejuvenated to harness the decaying talents of our young stars. Unfortunately, Ebonyi doesn't feature in Nigeria National League. Again, Local Government Allocation must be allowed by the Chairmen to utilize to enable them to address the needs of the rural dwellers in line with the fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution. This will help reduce rural-urban migration and make the rural areas inhabitable and conducive. The fragrant infringement on Local Government Allocation has made the dream of the creation of Local Government Areas have setbacks. Local Government Marching Grants are siphoned. The State-owned Radio and TV stations must be allowed to serve the need of the public, not the State Government solely. It should be revived with more digital facilities because it has fallen below its standard before now. This will enhance democracy and increase the IGR of the State. Ebonyi State University subvention should be increased and other issues in the University looked into. The University under Elechi was ranked the 46th best University in the country. Unfortunately, the institution is now proportional to the land which is subject to diminishing returns.
Given the forging, therefore, don't forget that we are brothers before politics and after politics, we shall remain brothers to chart the way forward for our dear State. I beseech you to carryout out your campaign within the ambit of the law, shunning inciting comments and focusing on the issue based. You must advise your supporters to be civil and eschew violence, a campaign of calumny, and the destruction of Billboards and posters as that does not in a way give victory in a democratic society like ours.
The game is a zero-sum game. Winner will emerge, losers will emerge but the most important thing is that by 2023, we will have a Governor.
I wish you a good outing in the poll.
Nwede Chinonso Martin-Ede is a Political Scientist, Prolific Writer, Content Developer, Cultural Enthusiast and astute Researcher from Amaeku Community, Ndulo Amaeffia Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.
nwedechinonsom@gmail.comer
