Dear Governor Elechi,
When you were first elected, many rejoiced with the hope that a man who will salvage the state from shackles of political, economic and developmental backwardness has arrived. I rejoiced with them. Yet so many could have been — and can still be — elected a governor who better represent and advance the principles on which the likes of Akanu Ibiam and others who made profound sacrifices for the creation of Ebonyi state.
Instead, you so often derail from the principles. Therefore along with the chorus of praise coming from only your cohorts, I want to write this letter today representing so many of our fellow Ebonyians who raise a chorus of concern, particularly on your recent utterances against Ezzas in the state and your inability to fulfill your electioneering promises.
Your Excellency, I wish to remind you that the public is too far below you to catch on to your shrewd, scapegoat tactics. You personally may not like Ezzas but I can guarantee you that you will not succeed in your attempt to ingrain the seed of hatred in the hearts of the good people of Ebonyi against Ezzas.
The statement you made against Ezzas is just a distraction technique. The public are aware that it is a shoddy attempts at clouding the issue at hand regarding your inability to complete projects in the state, none implementation of eighteen thousand Naira minimum wage, use of option A4 in conducting council polls (which is against the electoral act), Inability of your government to create jobs, recent unjustified increase in the Ebonyi state university school fee, heavy indebtedness on the neck of your government and many more.
You recently reminded the public to dust their farm implements that “rainy season has begun”. When such a statement comes from a leader, perceived by the public as non performer, they will assume that it is a systematic distraction geared towards keeping their minds off the government activities which they ought to know. Ebonyians will show great concern for farming if your new budget will call for a pay freeze for you and your cohorts and not when the gap between the public and the political office holder continue to widen in the face of impeccable truth on the failure of the government to provide basic social amenities for the people.
Your excellency, why don’t you just tell the public the truth? Ezzas are not the problems of your government and they can never be. You should not blame anyone for the obvious stagnation in your government. The Ezzas have made tremendous positive impact in your government and should be appreciated other than vilifying them.The problem of your government is within your government and no one outside your government should be blamed for that. It is not the Ezzas, individual, groups or persons that made your government to obtain a loan which your government is battling to redeem itself from, at the detriment of the impoverished people of the state.. Keep borrowing; soon you will see that ignorance is far more costly than the debt that we already know. Ebonyians knew when the loan was obtained, the amount involved but does not know how the money was spent, what it was spent on etc., it is the right of the people of the state to know, so make the expenditure public for accountability and probity.
Ebonyi people are becoming politically aware they know very well that politicians are perfect lairs. When you spew such misguided and ignorant hatred towards Ezzas or to any other people in the state they will not take it serious knowing that is a distraction coming from an uninspiring governor whose legacy may not be far from incomplete projects, completion and commissioning of projects only on radio and television, social and political disintegration.
I do understand that constructive criticisms means nothing to you and that you have no faith in the hard work that will earn you a memorable legacy. If you did, you wouldn’t be giving attention to mundane issues such as making a people to look ordinary before others. Such things are attributes of unserious market women who gossip all day.
Time runs and as you know this is your last term in office. You can never be a governor again even if the constitution is amended. Your Excellency, what will you be remembered for? Is it road construction? Is it provision of potable drinking water? Is it qualitative education? Relative peace in the state? Calculated social and political disintegration? —– Which one?
Ebonyians are tired of your distraction techniques and your scapegoat tactics. What we need now from you is to deal with the essentials, built a network of relationships, complete all the projects you embarked upon since you came into office. If you don’t finish them, when another governor is elected he will complete them and take the credit and may set up a panel to nose around your eight years in office. Therefore, fulfill your electioneering promises; it is your responsibility that is all we need from you.
We look forward to see this happen.
Sincerely yours
OSITA JULIUS NWORU
