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The Deputy Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Enugu State chapter, Ugo-Ferdinand Ukwueze, has taken a swipe at the Coordinator-General of the Nigerian Youth Economic Engagement and De-Radicalisation Programme (NIYEEDEP), Kennedy Iyere, over invective comments against the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah.
Ukwueze was reacting to Iyere’s viral video, where he reportedly described Mbah as a mistake by the people of Enugu State.
He alleged that Iyere was under investigation for alleged fraud and advised him to focus on clearing his name from the financial scandal brought against him as NIYEEDEP boss by Silver Green Hotel Ltd and others.
“It is unfortunate that a man battling serious fraud allegations would abandon the task of clearing his name to engage in reckless attacks. Such conduct exposes desperation, not courage and confirms a pattern of extortion, blackmail and smear campaigns driven by personal greed rather than public interest.”
He posited that Iyere, who once campaigned for Governor Mbah and urged other gubernatorial candidates to support him after he won the election, should be worried about his declining reputation, noting that he was fast becoming an embodiment of greed and gluttony.
He also questioned Iyere’s integrity and patriotism following his suspicious withdrawal from the Edo State governorship race under the Accord Party in 2024, a few days to the election, after an alleged settlement with the candidate of the ruling party.
He further countered Iyere’s claim that Governor Mbah was broke before the 2023 general election, describing the statement as malicious and driven by deep-seated bitterness.
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“When someone lies openly about a man’s past and success, it only shows envy and hatred. These statements were not facts but carefully planned falsehoods meant to mislead the public and tarnish the image of a governor, whose records speak louder than noise. The records of his assets declaration are with the Code of Conduct Bureau for all to see. This is a man, who has been constructing roads, building hospitals and schools before becoming the governor and still has not reneged on doing more. What then is Iyere talking about being broke? It shows how daft he is.”
He also warned Iyere to mind the language he uses against a governor, who leads over seven million people, urging him to desist from hate speech.
He also wondered why Iyere would allege that Mbah told unnamed friends that he had settled him, without stating who was told, where it was said or why such a settlement would occur.
“You cannot make serious allegations without facts, names, places or reasons. Leadership demands responsibility. Spreading vague stories without proof is dangerous, dishonest and capable of causing unnecessary tension. Such claims should be backed by evidence or withdrawn completely.”
Ukwueze equally educated Iyere on how Governor Mbah has prudently utilised the state’s revenues, which he said has earned him wide public acclaim and several Governor-of-the-Year awards from notable organisations.
“The governor is using state funds to build roads, schools, hospitals and security systems. We have 260 type 2 hospitals, 260 smart schools, 17 science schools, a 300-bedded international hospital, an international conference hotel, six aircraft under Enugu Air, more than 4,000 km of roads being constructed and completed across the state, security CCTV cameras, ultra-modern command and control centres and revival of Niger Gas and other moribund state-owned industries, among others.
“All these and more are what Mbah has been doing with our money, as Enugu has turned into a construction site. People can see development everywhere. That is why Enugu is progressing and why many groups recognise him as governor of the year.”
