Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, is moving to raise a new generation of young and vibrant leaders in the state with the brain and brawn needed to take the state to the next level, reports Special Correspondent, CHIJIOKE AGWU.
It is not uncommon for any leader to talk on his visions and the strategies to attain such. These, however, remain at the level of pontification until they are matched with the quality of persons to help him drive the vision.
Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, while taking his oath of office on May 29, 2015, had declared that within the first four years of his administration, Ebonyi would witness unprecedented projects that would place it far above many states in the country. His words: “Within the next four years, we will take giant strides which will make Ebonyi State a shining example to all; and a beacon of collective achievement in the eyes of the world.”
The governor noted that to attain the Ebonyi of his dream, his government would do away with mediocrity and embrace merit and hard work. He added that he was going to start by forming a government peopled with young, vibrant and intelligent individuals with both the brain and brawn necessary to take the state to its rightful place in the country.
According to him, “merit and excellence shall be our watchword. Mediocrity will be buried in the permanent crypt where it belongs. That is why we are determined to form a government brimming with creative ideas and innovative energy.”
To walk his talk, Umahi’s first appointment was a young and vibrant intellectual, Professor Benard Odoh, who was in his 30s, as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
The appointment of the university teacher was a huge surprise to many an Ebonyian especially the members of the Divine Mandate Campaign Organisation, especially as Odoh was the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate for Ebonyi Central Senatorial district in the election. By that, he openly worked against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the elections.
The appointment, however, fell in line with the governor’s vision of forming a government brimming with new ideas and creative energy.
Days later, another young and experienced lawmaker, Ogbonna Nwifuru, also in his 30s, emerged the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
Umahi’s love for the young and intelligent also reflected in his cabinet, making it a cast of young and intelligent Ebonyi indigenes.
The same trend was replicated at the Local Government and Development Centre levels where the governor carefully selected citizens of impeccable character and integrity to man the 13 council areas and 64 development centres in the state.
Umahi’s determination to change the ugly history of Ebonyi through raising new generation of young and vibrant leaders continued with the emergency of Onyekachi Nwebonyi as state chairman of PDP and Maxwell Umahi as his deputy.
The emergence of Augustine Umahi as the National Vice Chairman of PDP (South East) and Chidiebere Egwu as the Zonal Youth Leader is another testament of the determination to give Ebonyi an entirely new and resourceful leadership for the future.
Recall that Governor Umahi’s deputy, Kelechi Igwe, is another vibrant intellectual with fresh ideas and creative energy which endeared him to his boss.
Against the backdrop of these injections, analysts argue that Ebonyi is currently witnessing a new generation of young and intelligent leaders needed to reposition the state.
The exercise is, however, not coming without severe opposition, especially from members of the political elite who feel displaced by the new order. The development has, therefore, pitted Umahi against some critical stakeholders in the state, especially some members of his party.
TheNiche gathered, for instance, that the opposition against Augustine Umahi, younger brother to the governor, emerging the National Vice Chairman of PDP (South East) was one of the ways to challenge Umahi’s quest for a new political leadership in the state.
In the process, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji allegedly teamed with Senator Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi Central) and Linus Abba Okorie (Ohanivo Federal Constituency) among others to persuade Ali Odefa to resign his position as Special Adviser on Internal Security to the Governor to contest the position of PDP National Vice Chairman for South East against the political calculations of his boss.
Although Ali later lost the position to Augustine Umahi, that was not without some incidences. As a way of fighting back, the governor, upon returning to Abakaliki immediately after the Congress, relieved Ali of his appointment.
The governor also approved the sack of 25 other appointees he allegedly made under the influence of Ali and some other stakeholders in the state.
Umahi, however, recalled the sacked appointees on Saturday, May 28, 2016, after a successful peace meeting spearheaded by former governor of the state, Senator Sam Egwu, stressing that some of them might not retain their previous positions.
He directed that they undergo the House of Assembly screening which they had passed through in their earlier appointments.
Umahi also said though he had forgiven Ali, the latter would be redeployed to another wing of the government.
A senior member of PDP in Abakiliki who spoke to TheNiche under anonymity applauded the governor’s quest for a new political leadership in the state, adding that what he did was in line with what others before him did.
His words: “His political move, as controversial as they seem, are quite commendable. Every leader who wants to succeed must build his own political family based on loyalty. Former Governor Sam Egwu did it. That was how the likes of Idul Igariwey, Senator Obinna Ogba and many others came on board, and since then, they have worshipped Egwu as their political god. Elechi also did the same thing, bringing up the likes of his in-law, Senator Chris Nwakwo, Chukwuma Nwanzuku, Ndubuisi Agbo, Chinedu Oga and many others. And you can’t beat the fact that many of them are still loyal and indebted to him.”
He, however, warned the governor against bringing too many political neophytes with neither political appeal nor influence, arguing that it might prove counter-productive.
“I am not even against his assemblage of young politicians, whether they are Ph.D holders or professors. My concern is that too many of them without proven support base may backfire on him. He should also take note of that,” he added.
A resident of Abakaliki, who gave his name as Ekwe Odi, said the time is ripe for a new generation of young leaders in Ebonyi since the gerontocracy introduced by the former governor, Martin Elechi, did not offer the needed political leadership in the state.
He said: “At least for the first time, let the young lead. Is this state meant only for the old people? During the old people’s government of Elechi, what did we get? There is nothing wrong in trying. So let us try young politicians too.”
But for Chukwuma Ogbu, Governor Umahi is not interested in building any generation of young leaders in the state, except bringing in people who will perpetually be beholden to him.
“Governor Umahi is only bringing hungry and beggarly boys into power to use them to be in control of all layers of power in the state,” he alleged.
He doubted the ability of some of the young politicians to deliver their wards in a serious political contest.