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By Fred Itua
As the 2023 general elections draw nearer, events are heating up as political gladiators strategise to advance their interests. In this interview, Charlie Agbo, a lawyer and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party speaks on various issues.
How would you assess the APC Federal Government, almost seven years down the road?
I think the facts speak for themselves. To say that the ruling party has failed will be a disservice to the truth, an understatement. Even members of the APC recognize that they have failed monumentally. And this reality becomes more dramatic when you consider the hype and propaganda and even bare-faced lies that ushered in the party. This is what happens when the quest for power is positioned before the desire to give service. It is not true that a party must lie itself into power. When like they say you campaign in poetry and govern in prose, you lay the pillar of your failure because beyond the self-inflicted crisis of expectations, your ill preparation will be evident to the masses, leading to oddities like asking for six months to couple a mediocre cabinet. In case you are still in doubt as to the veracity or factuality of my argument, look at the structure of government. Do you know that all the parastatals and departments and agencies that are being used by this APC Federal Government were enunciated by the PDP? Now you ask yourself, is it that this government is completely satisfied by the template laid by the PDP or that they are lazy or that they are so bereft of ideas not to make even minor adjustment. The answer you get is that all of these three factors and even more apply. This is a comprehensively inept government. An unmitigated disaster.
Just look at the education sector. Do you know that ASUU was on strike for over one year? What manner of government will allow this? Look at the infrastructure rot in our public educational institutions. University hostels look like glorified public toilets. The institutions run without befitting student libraries. To think that after the clergy and high ranking religious leaders managed to beg ASUU to resume studies, can you imagine that this government mismanaged this truce. Can you imagine ASUU has called another strike? No tell me, is this governance?
Are you saying that the APC government has not recorded success in some areas?
No you tell me, in what areas? Just look at the economy? Look at the exchange rate of the Naira to the Dollar. Doesn’t that look like a crime against humanity at large? Any sensitive government with the interest of the masses having this abysmal records would have resigned long time ago. But this government will stay put rudderlessly and cluelessly. Look at the rate of inflation. This country has never seen anything close to this. Our currency has lost so much value that going by the trend in the past, prizes never return. And so what does that portend? We are marooned.
But how do you assess Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration in Enugu State almost seven years in the saddle?
It will be fair to say that Governor Ugwuanyi has lived up to the expectation of the people of Enugu State who found him worthy to be entrusted with leadership. Almost seven years down the road, I would say that he has done well for the people of Enugu State.
When he assumed the mantle of leadership, it was clear to him that revenue generation is the bedrock of any government. It was obvious to him that to fire at the pace he desired, he was not going to rely only on receipt from the Federation Account. So what did he do? He did a quick rejig of the revenue generating mechanism of the state. This move saw the state’s internally generated revenue soar from a humble N14 billion upon assuming office over the last six years to N31 billion today.
Having put a smart revenue platform in place, he set out to work. Road infrastructure was an area he gave immediate attention. This initiative has yielded several road projects across the state. Some of them are, the Opi- Nsukka road which is a dual carriageway delivered to perfection and precision by one of the best engineering companies in the industry, Obechara Road Junction, Umuakashi Mechanic Village, Ikenga Hotels Junction, Enugu Road Nsukka Junction, Umuezebi-Nru Junction, extension of Agbani-Afor Amuri Road, the extension of Ituku Road, construction of Ogonogoeji –Ndiakpugo Road, construction of 42 metre span Bailey Bridge over River Nyama to Amichi, linking Umuogo and Umuagba Amaechi Uno/ Obinagu community in Nkanu West Local Government Area.
It is important to point out that the Ogonogoeji-Ndiagu-Akpugo Road from Atavu Bailey Bridge to Afor Onovo is the first state government road in the entire Akpugo since the creation of Enugu State.
Within Enugu metropolis, there are Holy Trinity Street, Bishop Michael Eneje Street, Nawfia Street, Ibuza Street, Isi-Uzo Street , Mount Crescent, GRA Enugu, Dental School-Tipper Garage Road, Trans Ekulu, Loma Linda-Timber Shed Road, etc.
Now, there is also Miliken Hill, that historical road which over the decades has portended very grave risk to road users has been given the best engineering lift.
Look at the Nike-Emene road. That road tore through Enugu from the Northern axis of Nike to the Eastern side of Emene. Most indigenes of the state are astounded by the scenery as they drive through the road, practically rediscovering Enugu. The impact of that road is far-reaching. Not only does it open up hitherto hidden crevices to modernity, but gives practical access to the metropolis. It is the power of foresight because without that road, the new initiative of the governor to decongest Nike would have been impossible.
That brings us to the flyover. This flyover is in the right direction since the new gateway to and from Enugu northwards is now Nike. A flyover has therefore become not only desirable but inevitable.
Look at Nike-Isi- Uzo road. It is a showcase of the power of road infrastructure. Most commuters now use the road en route the North because it bypasses Opi Junction. And the access it gives to road users to the Northern axis of the state is unbelievable. Thanks to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Let us just say that he has delivered beyond expectation. It should simply suffice to say that he has excelled in road infrastructure because I don’t know how much time you will allot to this interview that can allow me mention all the road projects he has across all the local government areas.
Our country is plagued by insecurity. How would you assess Governor Ugwuanyi in this critical sector?
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has made strides in the fight against insecurity that have seen Enugu in comparatively better station than other South-Eastern states. His creation of Forest Guards has enabled him checkmate the upsurge of insurgency. He has donated hundreds of operational vehicles to all the security agencies in the state thereby enabling them complement his crime fighting initiates. I will score him high in this area and most unbiased observers in the state agree with this assessment.
How would you rate the governor in education?
The government is doing a lot in all the levels of education in the state. At the tertiary level, all the institutions under the care of the government are receiving proper attention in terms of physical and infrastructural development. The Institute of Management and Technology is receiving attention by way of physical development. The same goes for Enugu State University of Technology and other higher institutions in the state. Almost all the courses of study have received full accreditation from the relevant regulatory bodies due to prompt release of funds by the government. IMT for one prior to the coming of this administration never had convocation ceremony for so many years due to several logistic difficulties. All of that now belong to the past.
At the primary education level, schools in Enugu are doing well. Teachers are recruited, trained and retrained. ENSUBEB has built and/or renovated over 480 classrooms over the last six years. Educational equipment, computers and other instructional material are provided. Schools are being given very serious face lift, making them conducive for our children to study in. The government is also augmenting with the collaboration between ENSUBEB and UBEC to fund educational development. This it does by prompt payment of counterpart funding to access needed funds.
Do you think that Governor Ugwuanyi is living up to expectations in housing development?
In 2016, the governor handed over one-bedroom apartment each to 100 civil servants who were successful in a ballot for houses in Elim Estate. That was no mean feat so soon after inauguration and at a time the country was neck-deep in recession
In just one year in office, his administration had developed six new housing estates. They are Heritage Estate, WTC Estate, Transparency Estate, Rangers Estate 1&2, Citadel Estate and Valley Estate. Since then, we have had Diamond Estate, Golf 2. Nsukka Palm Beach Estate, Obukpa, Network Estate Nike, Heliu Residences and now Coal City View Satellite Estate for 750 civil servants. Enugu State Housing Development Corporation is in partnership with private developers for this purpose. Right now, there are over 28 housing estates in Enugu State under development by Ugwuanyi.
The PDP zoned its national chairmanship position to the North. Many believe that zoning is undemocratic and that the move is to pave the way for the emergence of a presidential candidate from the South. What’s your take on this?
Zoning and rotation of political offices are enshrined in the PDP constitution. It has been the tradition of the party. If you remember, in 1998, following the need to placate the South-West on the annulment of the June 12 presidential election and the death of Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the position of president was zoned to the South leading to the emergence of President Obasanjo.
I don’t think that the zoning of party offices was designed to ultimately lead to the emergence of a Southern presidential candidate. What happened was that there was a flip of positions. In effect, since the party enshrined rotation in its constitution, positions were flipped. Don’t forget that the PDP is determined to regain power in 2023 so most of what you see are products of strategy which details are not available to the public. Those who claim that zoning and rotation are undemocratic are either holding that view out of ignorance or mischief.
Tell me, how would you manage a party of this size without zoning. Once there is equity and all concerned are carried along, how is that undemocratic? In fact, the broad objectives of the nation’s constitution to pursue peace, unity and good governance are aided by the rotational arrangement of the party. Zoning and rotation aid national unity and peace and therefore should be promoted and not disparaged.
Lately, there have been calls for Governor Ugwuanyi to join the presidential race. Do you agree with this?
Absolutely. Let’s use Enugu State as a microcosm. What does it have going for her? It is the trinity of security, human capital development and infrastructural development. This trinity is what is lacking in Nigeria. Any person who can offer this country these critical elements should be sought after by well-meaning patriots to contest for and be elected president.
