Enugu-based medical practitioner, Dr George Ajogwu has described Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as a true legend of democracy, whose footprints in Enugu State would remain on the sand of time. He said Ugwuanyi’s executed legacy projects have given the state a befitting facelift in line with his campaign promises.
Dr Ajogwu spoke against the allegation that the Governor has no footprints in Nsukka zone, his home place. He said Ugwuanyi remains a broad-minded patroit, who embraced the length and breadth of the state as his place of.primary assignment.
Ajogwu debunked the claim of poor performance labelled against the governor, insisting that Ugwuanyi remains the best performing governor in the history of the state. He said the governor’s policy of inclusion has made Enugu a core PDP state. According to him, the governor, as the leader of the party in the state, has improved the fortunes of PDP by his numerous achievements in the past eight years of his administration.
“Let us be fair to ourselves. There is no Governor that would match Ugwuanyi’ legacy in terms of road construction, infrastructural development, empowerment, political inclusiveness and stakeholders’ participation. Under his watch, Enugu is rated as the most peaceful state in the country. He never used his power of incumbency to gain undue political advantage. We saw what happened in other states where governors bulldozed their way in the last election. But Ugwuanyi is a different politician. He is never desperate for power. In politics, his conducts and character make him a living saint”, he explained.
Ajogwu faulted the claim that Ugwuanyi left no footprints in Nsukka zone. He said the Governor completed the state-of-the-art State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAC), attracted Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo, constructed an ultra-modern stadium in Nsukka, rehabilitated and revived healthcare in all the local governments in the zone, and awarded hundreds of scholarship to students for local and international studies. He said the construction of 13km Opi-Nsukka dual carriage road with underground drainage system and fitted with street and traffic lights for the first time in the history of Nsukka zone was one of the legacy projects of Governor Ugwuanyi that gave Nsukka town a facelift.
He said Governor Ugwuanyi’ constructed and rehabilitated over 600km of roads across the state, especially in rural communities. He named other landmark projects to include the construction of the Ebonyi River Bridge in Ikem, construction of the 8.8km Nkalagu-Eha Amufu road in Isi-Uzo LGA, which was neglected in the past 35years.
He said Ugwuanyi’s administration brought respite to the people of Uzo-Uwani LGA through the construction of the 26.66km Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima- Eziani road, for the first time Ince the creation of the old Anambra State.
He praised Governor Ugwuanyi for the completion of the 21km Udenu Ring Road with two high-tech bridges, construction of the 22.443km Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Aba- Obollo Etiti inter community road that linked Isi-Uzo and Udenu Local Government Areas.
He explained that the administration also rehabilitated over 11km internal roads in the University town of Nsukka, including the New Anglican and Aku roads, which were in dilapidated state and ravaged by erosion for years.
Dr Ajogwu said the governor improved the state health sector in Nsukka zone by completing Type 3 Hospital in most local governments in Enugu State, upgraded and rehabilitated General Hospitals, and constructed new Cottage hospitals across Local Governments in Nsukka zone.
The medical practitioner said Governor Ugwuanyi deserves commendation, and not condemnation by the people of Nsukka zone for changing the political narrative of the area, that was once tagged the foolish majority in the political equilibrium of Enugu State. He explained that Ugwuanyi’s sterling leadership salvaged Nsukka zone from decades of neglect and political stagnation.
Ajogwu urged the PDP stakeholders in Nsukka zone to join forces with the governor in the forthcoming governorship election of March 11 by voting the PDP flagbearer. He argued that Nsukka zone should reciprocate these kind gestures and political magnanimity of Governor Ugwuanyi by delivering bulk votes in favour of the PDP Governorship candidate and other PDP state House of Assembly candidates.
Dr Ajogwu maintained that Ugwuanyi’s good work has earned him a political legend of the state, who deserves celebration in the hall of fame. He argued that anybody from Nsukka zone should remain thankful to the Governor for breaking the yoke of poverty and infrastructure deficit that had stymied the development of Nsukka zone for decades.
“I always tell people from Nsukka that after praising God in their morning prayers, they should thank Gburugburu for the development projects in Nsukka zone and leading the area out of political doldrums. I am worried that the some mischievous individuals bent on grabbing power at all cost have chosen to tarnish the good image of the governor and pull him down politically,” he warned.
“The Governor executed development projects across the 17 Local Governments of the state. He lifted so many people from obscurity to political limelight, and gave an immense boost to the economy of Nsukka zone. We must repay this generousity and kindness by voting Dr Peter Mba in the governorship election”, he concluded.