From OSITA JULIUS NWORU. Email: jnworu@yahoo.com
Open Letter To Gov. Elechi: Now That You Have Got The Power What Are You Going To Do With It.?
–
Dear Governor Elechi,
Time appears to be running faster like never before, though science has not proved otherwise. However, it appears as if your last tenure as a governor of Ebonyi state is fast running. Soon, you will clock another one year making a total of 6 years as the governor of Ebonyi state.
The political arena of the state is now calm, court cases are over, state congresses of your party have come and gone and supposedly, your choices of candidates placed at right places to help you steer the programme of the party in the state. Apart from little or no challenges from the opposition parties or State House of Assembly, your government obviously will face stern task of good governance as well as reuniting the already socially and politically disintegrated people of the state.
Your second term in office should be a time with no excuses. All your electioneering promises not kept in the first term are expected to be fulfilled in the second term. No doubt, your administration has a master plan for projects execution in the state going by number of projects slated to be carried out in the state as published in the dailies in 2008. As usual in our political system, some of the project may be completed while the rest may be classified as abandon projects by succeeding administration.
It is laughable when some people go on pages of newspaper, radio or television to congratulate you on embarking and completing a project. Only smart sycophants engage in such act. In other words, such people are oblivious of duties and responsibilities of the government, as such, contributes negatively to the progress of the state by way of making the government not to have a clear view of the citizens’ feelings. Therefore, you deserve no accolade for doing what you are supposed to do as a governor except if you do something extra ordinary to better the life of the people.
Your Excellency, you will agree with me that not everyone in the state agree with everything that you have not done as Governor, nor would I suspect that most in your cabinet agree with everything you do. But that’s to be expected. No one is perfect, and no one in a leadership role is immune from mistakes. Particularly when you’re the executive leader of one the poorest and undeveloped state in Nigeria. Ebonyians are not interested in perfect politicians but a politician who can address fundamental problems of the state .In fact, the only moment that a politician acts like he’s the perfect answer to all of our problems is during campaign. But since politics is not holy, one should conclude that Perfect politicians are perfect liars.
You are building bridges of unity in the state. Whether completed or not it is on record that you named them unity bridges. Where is that unity? Can unity exist where there is no peace? How can unity exit where Communities do not freely welcome each other these days? The cordial relationship that existed among them for several decades have soured, inter marriage that existed between them before has become a taboo. Existing inter marriages are threatened with divorce, hatred and all sorts squabbling. How can a peaceful society be built in such a scenario? Children who are products of this ugly situation are inculcated with the culture of violence and hatred, as such high possibility of communal clashes is not ruled out from the minds of such children.
What is the meaning of the unity bridges which your government spend huge amount of tax payers money to built if there is restrictions of peoples’ movement within a state that belong to all of us? As the book of Jeremiah 6.14 says “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace”. This is exactly what is happening in our dear state. The wounds of the people of state have been healed but there was no cure. The wounds are receiving false remedies that cause inflammation even when the disease is not serious. It is also possible that cure to the wounds are approached unskillfully by those bent on easing pain but rather cause the increase of disease within.
With all the road networks going on in the state, one would expect a boom in the micro- economy of the state when these roads are put to use. But the people of the state who are supposed to use the road live in fear. This looks like a priest who built gigantic church building with no one attending the church, meaning the priest may have left something undone fundamentally. The issue of peace and unity are too important to be approached unskillfully and could give rise to a very dangerous trend if the government plays politics with them.
Your Excellency, how hard are you on corruption? It is not on record that a commissioner or any government official is sacked or dragged to anti graft agencies on the grounds of corruption. Does this mean you are running a perfect government? We hear on news and read on newspapers that serving commissioner, special adviser or other political office holders in some of our sister states, are dragged to EFCC or ICPC for their involvement in corrupt practices. Is Ebonyi state moving towards a direction where her government is perfect in every way? That makes the state yet to have its share at EFCC and ICPC detention rooms. We do not hear so many warnings from government concerning corruption .The government appear very soft with corruption; more attention is paid to attitudinal change than corrupt practices. This approach is wrong as hidden corrupt practices is like a devil’s Trojan horse in our dear state capable of destroying both good and bad if not checked.
It is not hidden that some serving commissioners are richer than the state. They have acquired many mansions in choicely places, set up multi –million Naira businesses yet the government claims they do not have money to pay the N1800.00 minimum wage.
It does appear that the government is moving towards a direction where it is seen as perfect in everything. The government is allowing the pendulum to swing towards kinds of perfectionism that blinds its citizens to view them as a perfect institution. Off course, it is not possible since the government is run by humans not angels as humans do not always follow the right path.
Ebonyians expect that you will leave a legacy worthy of emulation. They need restoration of peace like never before. The people are the ones to be trusted not your loyalists. You will eventually select from your loyalist who will succeed you when your tenure expires. I hope and pray for you that you selection won’t be like that of Benue, Abea,Enugu and others. If eventually it turns that way, I will publish this letter as a reminder.
Yours sincerely
Osita Julius Nworu
