ENUGU LG POLL; A CONFIRMATION OF BACKSLIDING DEMOCRACY UNDER H.E. IFEANYI LAWRENCE UGWUANYI

ENUGU LG POLL; A CONFIRMATION OF BACKSLIDING DEMOCRACY UNDER H.E. IFEANYI LAWRENCE UGWUANYI

As a Nigerian, I feel concerned over state of things here especially as it touches democratic practice, approaches to opposition and the lack of independent institutions to launch the country out its preying elites.

The term ‘democratic backsliding’ is used while describing the changes “made in formal political institutions and informal political practices that significantly reduce the capacity of citizens to make enforceable claims upon the government”.

It can occur in both democratic and authoritarian regimes. These changes may not lead to the breakdown of democratic regimes, but “they do degrade citizens’ rights and their engagement with the state”.

In Enugu State under H. E. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, PDP increasingly manage to use their political power by “manipulating electoral norms, muddle electoral calendar while tactically restricting dissent and freedom of speech governor' ceaseless invitation of poor masses to the government to confuse and convince them that the governor wished to carry the masses along whereas the governor is playing dangerous games by instilling wrong and morbid political values that kill the place of political party stake holders' input in the scheme of things.

One fundamental outcome so far under Gburugburu and political practises in Enugu is the fact that becoming a PDP chairman (at LG level or even state) is damn useless. A scenario where the party chairman is obviously handicapped to know who goes and from where!

Another dangerous possibility under Gburugburu is that fact that; it is better to be an APC chairman in Enugu than being a PDP chairman: In Enugu, the government of Gburugburu foots the bills of the opposition party. He pays APC party chairman and frequent his house the way Nigerians frequent worship centres.

This practice of the governor is unpopular as it obfuscates the system from championing a healthy course that strengthens and deepens democracy.

From the look of things, one can comfortably argue that the current governor of Enugu state is antic democratic in his approach and as such, aiding such one into national politics can only close civic space and political freedoms in order to crush dissent and disable political opposition, and diminish the role of civil society. This is condemnable.

Without mincing words, permit me to accuse Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for imposing democratic recession on Enugu people. This is the worst service you can render to a people while pretending that Enugu state is in the hands of God.

For example, PDP faithfuls in Oji River today are stoic silence over the approach in choosing who flies their party flag. Why? Because the governor through his kangaroo arrangement will bring these men to the government house despite staging his stern looking security which dampens the boldness on these men from speaking out coupled with the age long entrenched pettiness associated with the umbrella in Enugu state which has made more dangerously unmitigated puppets followers.

Today in Oji River LG and other LGs in Enugu state (except few LGs that resisted) every one is angry but they are dishing out fake smile. The worst is a class that has no choice but jumps in to sing praises of any one that the scepter mysteriously falls in.

My spirit troubled me this morning and asked me: Okah, is this your state? Of course, it is my state where ENSIEC election calendar is not being respected by the governor of Enugu state.

This lowest standard of the governor has made politics look like a smuggling deal in the state: folks are in the secret dashboard gleaning for the best contact to explore in order to lay hold of the ticket. They are not lobbying party men again because the governor has set for himself, a well fenced political dynasty being run by his younger brothers and well trusted surrogates who now go beyond their constitutional rights to make political imprints even in other LGs outside their fatherland.

Indeed, Gburugburu is a special political breed. The end of his tenure may be inclined with unsavory memories because all about his political gimmicks are mental sapping as only the wise can decipher clearly, the ugly routes he ply.

Until Enugu state opposition party (APC) lieutenants purge themselves of their sinful gains from the Lion Building, Enugu will go down in the history as the worst state in Nigeria. With the rising debt profile of the state, one may conclude the governor is on a diminishing course not on value course: no signature project but party upon party.

APC, are you willing to take over ENUGU STATE? If you are willing, remove the state excos led by Ben Nwoye and bring in forthright men and you will see that our populations are willing.

May I equally raise this worthy alarm that EFCC should gear up to probe Gburugburu government over the money he claims ENSIEC would be using to conduct the LG election. As it stands now, ENSIEC is not doing any job. Every thing is going on in the Lion Building. This is not democracy but craziness and we objurgate and animadvert such a seemingly dangerous stance in kneading public interest.

In Enugu, the hand of the devil is seen more than the hands of God because God is not an author of confusion.

NOTE: The above views are mine not in anyway the groups I have affiliations with.

Okah Kingsley Chukwuebuka is a Public Affairs commentator, A Right Activist and Political Scientist writing from Lagos Island.

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