We read with disbelief the above title written by one Ephraim Emeka Ugwuonye, a purported law graduate of Harvard University, who should know that a matter before the court is sub judice and should not be discussed outside the court lest the judges be biased and distracted by such discussion, be it oral or written. It is unseemly of Ugwuonye to have embarked on such infantile analysis of who will be better as the next governor of Enugu State between Chijioke Edeoga and Peter Mbah when he knows that the people of Enugu State had made the choice of the best candidate in the person of Peter Ndubuisi Mbah at the governorship polls on May 18, and Peter Mbah declared the governor-elect by INEC and now waiting to be sworn in on 29th May, 2023.
Whatever led Emeka Ugwuonye into such analysis is in itself foolish. That Edeoga filed a case at the tribunal does not in any way warrant such stupid and otiose analysis that has no rational basis. Chijioke Edeoga is not the governor-elect. INEC has issued certificate of return to Peter Mbah, and at the front burners are his swearing in process and how he is set to hit the ground running in his implementation of his inimitable manifesto, the social contract he explained to the people of Enugu State during the electioneering process, as he toured the 68 development centres in the state. Ndi Enugu are looking forward to that. So Ugwuonye's misguided analysis has no place in the rational consideration of Ndi Enugu. The analysis is illogical, mischievious, daft and completely uncalled for.
Emeka Ugwuonye is a controversial lawyer alleged to have been de-robed and debarred from legal practice on account of his alleged ethical misdemeanor, gross malfeasance and sharp fraudulent practices inimical to the legal profession. He got so frustrated he floated Due Process Advocate with which he defrauds women whom he encouraged to disrespect their husbands, and so feasts on the resultant marital altercation. Emeka Ugwuonye has destroyed many marriages and homes in Nigeria. He was recently released from Kuje prison where he spent over a year for his many nefarious and criminal activities. Ugwuonye, therefore, has no credibility to pontificate on the outcome of the governorship election in Enugu State. Perhaps he is jealous of Peter's exploits as a lawyer who also attended Harvard. Otherwise, Ugwuonye has no reason to mischieviously do such puerile analysis where he mischieviously and wrongly presented the failed candidate of Labour Party, Chijioke Edeoga, as a better candidate. This is someone that Peter Obi avoided like a hot iron for his incompetence and lack of capacity. Obi clearly endorsed Alex Otti, but shunned Edeoga, asking Ndi Enugu to vote competence. It is no longer news how Obi celebrated Peter Mbah, and received him with cheerful embrace. Yet Emeka Ugwuonye would advance the cause of incapacity in his mischief and envy.
Let us even look at his analysis, if analysis it is. Emeka claims that Chijioke will do better because he did not spend money during the electioneering campaigns. No one knows how Ugwuonye curiously came up with the claim that Peter spent over N30 billion in his governorship campaigns. He claimed part of the money came from Peter's savings and wondered why anyone should spend their savings that way who would not want to recoup it. Ugwuonye also claimed that all the former governors of Enugu State supported Peter, ranging from Chief Jim Nwobodo, Chimaroke, Sullivan Chime and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and that they all doled money to Peter which they would want to recoup sevenfold. We find this claim queer of Ugwuonye and his acolyte, one Kalu Nwokolo Idika, who also came up with his own neophytic analysis full of grovelling imbecility as egg is full of meat. Which of the former governors has such money to give Peter? If anything, Peter would give them. Ndi Enugu know that Peter is a billionaire oil magnate driven by the passion to eradicate poverty and its attendant sufferings in their lives. Peter is not in government for self. He is a young man who made it early in life and who now wants to replicate his exploits in the private sector to the public sector via disruptive innovation. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has pragmatic antecedents in excellent management of men, money and material. He sits on the board of many bluechips. Edeoga has managed no business, not even a kiosk all his life. It is therefore curious of Emeka Ugwuonye to tip Edeoga a better 'governor' than Peter Mbah. It is a shame!
Peter Ndubuisi Mbah made some value propositions in his manifesto part of which is that in 8 years he will raise the GDP of Enugu State from its present $4.4 billion to $30 billion with zero percent poverty headcount index. He provided for astronomical and optimal engagement of the integrated productive sector and turnaround transformation on the social services. Peter's manifesto is clear about the blueprints and the financial models. One would have thought that an Emeka Ugwuonye in his analysis would have engaged the capacity, competence and character of the two persons he chose to compare on absolutely no basis. Ugwuonye glibly ascribed character to Edeoga and Mbah but railed away in his mundane analysis anchored on idiocy. Ugwuonye should have given us Edeoga's manifesto from where he adjudged him a better governor. All through the campaign process, Edeoga had no manifesto. From where did Ugwuonye determine his capacity?
Ugwuonye's claim that Edeoga did not spend money during the campaign is laughable. Edeoga raked in billions of naira immediately after the presidential and national assembly elections. Many who thought Labour would sweep the state doled out money to Edeoga in millions. If Edeoga had won, would he not have settled them, and if this is the inhibition to governance as Emeka Ugwuonye held in his mischievous little mind, would Edeoga still perform?
Ugwuonye also went ignorant in his claim that Edeoga did not have godfathers. It follows that Ephraim Emeka Ugwuonye does not understand the present currents in Enugu politics. Is there anyone who does not know that Edeoga is a Man Friday to the Nwodos? Is there any one ignorant of this fact that Edeoga is a surrogate of the Nwodo dying dynasty, seeking resuscitation through the planting of a 'minor' in Enugu Lion Building to do their biddings? Already, positions had been shared by Nnia Nwodo who was going to be the de facto governor for whom Edeoga would play boy-boy. Edeoga has always been a surrogate of the Nwodos whose daughter he married in order to gain political relevance. Edeoga served the Late Joe Nwodo and was the deputy chief press secretary to Okwesilieze Nwodo. Thereafter, they used their influence to make him the chairman of Isi-Uzo Local Government and later sent him to the House of Representatives where he served a tenure and never returned to the house for his attacks on President Obasanjo in his bid to satisfy his new master, Umar Na'Abba, for whom he played small boy spokesperson. Emeka Ugwuonye should have done his research very well, if he must do his useless analysis.
Ugwuonye also dabbled into Edeoga's allegation of certificate forgery labelled against Peter. Looking at Edeoga's petition at the Election Petition Tribunal, one would find that Edeoga primed his petition on the alleged NYSC certificate forgery, something that has no basis at all. Ndi Enugu know that Edeoga is the vulture that scavenges on the dustbin of calumny, make-believe and vile fiction. The good news is that they all peter away into nothingness. His imaginative EFCC, FBI, Ego Ndi Enugu, all perished before his insincere presence. Ugwuonye should go and tell Edeoga that Peter served and was duly certified. Meanwhile, NYSC certificate is not a qualification for governorship. The fact that Ugwuonye even entertained this at all means he is ignorant of the electoral law. Edeoga's ignorance of the law is understandable. His 18-month rushed law programme at Birmingham is an enough alibi. Ugwuonye's is inexplicable for having purportedly passed through Harvard.
In all, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah is the next governor of Enugu State having been duly elected and issued the certificate of return. Peter is the choice of the people made at the polls. The election is over and now is the time for governance. Emeka Ugwuonye and his partners in foolish analysis should cease to distract Ndi Enugu with their ill-advised humdrum.
