Mbah to maintain zoning system in Enugu politics – Commissioner Ogbodo

The Enugu state commissioner for Local government,Rural Development and Chieftancy Affairs,Hon Deacon Okey Ogbodo,has assured that the present administration in Enugu state under the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah will maintain the zoning principle of sharing and alloting elective positions among the rural communities in the state in all ramifications,for the interest of peaceful and harmonious co existence among the people.

Commissioner Ogbodo who is currently touring the 17 council areas of the state on the directive of Governor Mbah,dropped this hint during an interactive session with stakeholders and people of Udenu local government area,held at the council headquarters recently.

Addressing an audience which comprised of the Traditional rulers, Udenu Town Union President Generals,Political stakeholders,Women group,Youth group,Councillors, the Council executive among others,Deacon Ogbodo stressed that what informed the tour of the local government areas is basically to note the performance of the council chairmen, gather the opinions of the various stakeholders on the best ways to ginger peace and unity which is a panacea for development, resolve and reconcile conflicts between the council chairmen and other stakeholders where it exists,to discover untapped potentials in the communities that can enhance economic growth of the rural areas and Enugu state generally. He disclosed that the tour is not meant to disrupt already established principles by which the communities select or elec their political leaders.

His words,’Governor Peter Mbah is a product of the zoning principle in Enugu state,without which he would not have been elected as the governor of Enugu state.Zoning enhances harmonius and peaceful co exustence in our communities.We have not come to upturn that,what the government is very much interested is to define those areas of conflict between the council chairmen and the other stakeholders in their various council areas,that have inadvertently hindered peace and meaningful development in the council areas”.

He narrated that the tour which is equally a thank you visit to the people of Enugu state for electing Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah as their governor,also wish to resolve all grey areas that affected the perfomance of PDP,which is the ruling party in Enugu state in the last general election.

Deacon Ogbodo lamented that the protest vote against PDP as a party for not zoning their presidential slot to the South East zone affected the performance of PDP in Enugu state and it is high time to reconcile and bring back those who felt offended and joined labour party because Enugu state is a PDP state.

‘Enugu state is a PDP state.We have APC and PDP as the two major parties in Nigeria.The emergence and success of Labour party in the last general election was a protest vote against PDP for not producing it’s presidential candidate from the South East zone.Most of the political stalwarts in Labour party are from PDP.They are our brothers. We have a duty to bring them back.We shall accommodate them. The Labour party have no structure. In Enugu state,we have APC and PDP as the two major parties. Enugu state will remain a PDP state,Hon Ogbodo stated.

Most of the stakeholders commented having a good working relationship with Udenu local government administration under Hon.Solomon Onah,but lamented that there are still much work to be done,so as to restore the confidence of the people in PDP.

Hon Nnamdi Odo,who is the leader of Udenu Councillors and doubles as coordinating councillor for all the 260 electoral wards in Enugu state,said the inability of the past administration to mobilise them in executing at least a project in their wards led to the lost of confidence in PDP by the electorates in the last general election.

Hon Ugwu Ferdinand Sunday,the Chairman of Ugwunedem Development Centers lamented that activities at the development centers became paralysed due to lack of funds.

Many of the stakeholders commended Commissioner Ogbodo for embarking on the tour which have provided them with an opportunity to air their views to the state government and promised to keep faith with Governor Mbah’s administrstion.

The tour of the 17 local government areas of Enugu state by the state commissioner for local gocernment,rural development and chieftancy affairs ,Hon Okey Ogbodo and his team,under the directive of Governor Peter Mbah,also aims at discovering the best measures to manage the local government system in Enugu state,to yield improved result in the development of the various rural communities ,providing them with requisite social amenities,so as to curtail rural to urban migration.

From the records,Enugu state is among the states in Nigeria that has continued to sustain the local government system as a third tier of government in the state since the return of democratic dispensation in 1999. But the positive impacts in terms of good governance and provision of social anenities in the rural comnunities,comparable to the quantum of funds that have accrued to these 17 council areas from the federal allocation on monthly basis generates mixed feelings and remains a subject of controversy among the people.

End.

Pix.. Gov. Peter Mbah.