In a rare and comprehensive interview, former Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, has finally addressed speculations surrounding the nomination of his successor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and the rumors that his emergence was facilitated by financial incentives. Chime took the opportunity to set the record straight, emphasizing the democratic processes that guided the political landscape during his administration.
Chime began by recalling the democratic atmosphere that prevailed during his tenure:
"In our days in government, we practiced democracy to the latter. We allowed people to decide on their candidates, knowing the positions, and that made a lot of people who had left PDP, if not all, to come back because during my tenure as Governor of Enugu State, Enugu was synonymous with PDP. Everybody was in PDP, even traditional rulers, who ordinarily would not have played partisan politics, were in PDP."
Reflecting on the build-up to the 2011 election, Chime recounted an appeal made by traditional rulers from Enugu North:
"In 2011, when I was campaigning for my second term, traditional rulers of Enugu North Zone, led by the late Igwe Charles Abangwu, hosted us. At the end of the event, he, on behalf of others, requested that since Enugu East had produced Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, and I came from Enugu West, I should consider the possibility of ceding power to someone from Enugu North, the Nsukka area."
Chime revealed that while he did not immediately respond to the request, his thoughts on the matter became public during a town hall meeting when a journalist asked him about his future plans for the governorship.
"Towards the end of the event, one journalist asked where I thought the governorship would go when I leave, and I gave him a straight answer: Enugu North. Some people from other zones who had ambitions of being governor attacked me with all sorts of comments in the newspapers. But it was a popular decision, and all parties, even those outside the PDP, bought into it."
When the time came for the selection of a candidate to represent the PDP in 2015, Chime convened a meeting of stakeholders from Enugu North Zone.
"I told them to give me one candidate, and once they did, it would be my business to ensure that the candidate had the support of other zones. I assured them that I would personally undertake to promote the candidate," Chime explained.
The nomination process eventually led to the selection of Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, as Chime detailed:
"Ambassador Fidel Ayogu nominated him, and the former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Okechukwu Itanyi, seconded the nomination. There was no other valid nomination, and when I put it to a vote, it was unanimous."
Chime went on to describe how Ugwuanyi's candidacy was embraced by all stakeholders across the state, but he expressed frustration at subsequent rumors suggesting that money had played a role in the nomination process.
"Anybody suggesting or implying that I was given money for him to emerge as a candidate, I think it is ridiculous. The amount I am hearing—six billion naira—is simply outrageous. Nobody paid for anything," Chime declared, adding that any stakeholder from Nsukka could confirm his account.
Reflecting on Ugwuanyi's time as governor, Chime revealed that he quickly became disillusioned with the direction the administration was taking.
"Shortly after he became governor, I observed that things were not going the way I expected, and I withdrew from the party, PDP, to avoid sending the wrong signals," he said, clarifying that he had no involvement in Ugwuanyi’s re-election for a second term.
Chime concluded by acknowledging that while his administration championed a democratic process, politics often gave rise to unfounded stories:
"In politics, once you come out for anything, people will come up with stories. But initially, I didn’t want to respond to these rumors. However, I realized that if I just keep quiet, a lot of people will go out there with the impression that the position was paid for."
With this statement, former Governor Chime has sought to clarify his role in the political transition of Enugu State and dispel rumors surrounding the emergence of his successor, setting the record straight on one of the most hotly debated issues in the state's recent political history.
Sir Simon Martins Okechukwu
