Follow Us on Google
In the build up to the 2019 general election, the Uzo-Uwani council youths have described the performance of Sen. Chuka Utazi as ‘abysmal and poor’.
The group, under the aegis of Uzo-Uwani Mass Movement for 2019, made this declaration at Umulokpa, headquarters of the council.
According to the group, the zone needed to chart a new course for the constituency’s proper and responsive representation at the Senate.
In the words to one of the Youth Leaders Comrade Innocent Cosmas “The youths at the meeting were worried over what they described as “bellow-the-belt representation of the senatorial zone at the red-chamber.”
“Members of the umbrella body in attendance were worried and voiced their grievances over Sen. Chukwuka Utazi’s lack of voice and eloquence required of a legislator to convince his colleagues to declare the unfortunate herdsmen onslaught at Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani LGA of Enugu state a National disaster.”
However, another member of the group, said the youths bemoaned a situation where the senator accompanied the Governor of Enugu State, Hon. Ugwuanyi Ifeanyi, to scenes of such incidences without raising a voice and possibly initiating a national bill aimed at taming such occurrences in the future.
His words: “The type of carnage that was visited on Nimbo people cannot be perpetrated in Senator Dino Melaye’s senatorial zone, Senator Shehu Sani’s, Senator Bruce’s, Senator Akpabio’s or Senator Kwankwaso’s senatorial zone, even though they are all first timers in the Nigerian senate like Utazi without the Nation burning and drastic measures taken.”
“We are tired of Dull-baby-Senators. We cannot continue lagging behind while other constituencies in Enugu state progress ahead of us. We are not a second class senatorial zone in the state, so we can no longer settle for mediocrity,” The Youth member fumed.
He enumerated other alleged sins of Sen. Utazi to include lack of visionary trait of a senator to identify the needs of this all-important-zone in the country’s political configuration, lack of Federal presence in the local government, lack of a motion for the revamping of Adani rice, lack of ideas on how to turn around the Opanda Cassava field, General lack of projects across the senatorial zone even with the recent revelation Senators collect 200 million naira every year for such projects.
Asked if the group has any candidate in mind to replace Sen.Utazi, Comrade Innocent explained that the group has approached Hon. Chinedu Eya to unseat the senator come 2019.
He said the choice of Hon. Chinedu from Enugu Ezike as a possible replacement of the “poor performing Senator” was borne out of the fact that the Enugu Ezike-born technocrat has a wide network of friendship across the world, including Europe; which would be of an added advantage to the constituency.
“Hon. Chinedu with an untainted image, unwavering integrity and courage is all but what the constituency needs at the moment for purposeful representation and salvation from lack of quality representation.”
However, in his own reaction, Hon. Eya when contacted by our reporter, expressed surprises over his choice by the “Uzo-wani Mass Movement for 2019,” as a possible replacement for Sen. Utazi, representing Enugu North in the Nigerian Senate in 2019.
In a statement, signed by his personal Secretary, Gwiyi Solomon, the PDP Chieftain described the call by the concerned youths to contest 2019 Enugu North Senatorial elections as a “big challenge.”
“I commend their courage and my choice for that position, but you all know this is a big challenge. Funny enough, the other day, one of them even threatened to harm me if I refuse to heed their calls. Whatever that means to him”, the statement quoted the business man as saying.
While commending the Youths for their courage and choice for the Enugu Senatorial position, the Business chief said the call by the youths is akin to the kind of pressure he faces on daily basis across Enugu North by Youths of different Local Governments to declare for Senate.
Hon. Eyah pleaded with the Youths to give him some time to ponder on the request as well as consult with his kinsmen, Party leaders and other leaders of thoughts across Enugu North before reaching a decision.
“All though this is no longer new to me. For the past one year now, my phone has been inundated with similar pressure. But I want them to give me time to ponder on their request, as I would need to consult my party leaders and leaders of different local Government areas in the Senatorial zone before making any public declaration,” the statement said.
He however commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuayi for his peaceful disposition, purposeful and visionary leadership in the State; while urging him to continue on the path of history he has chosen for himself as posterity will be kind to him.
In any case, when our reporter contacted one of the Personal Assistant to Senator Utazi, he said he will get back to us which he never did.
