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Frontline politicians battling to take over Enugu Lion Building

The battle to take over the Enugu Government House, otherwise known as Lion Building, from the incumbent governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has begun. Although many politicians…

The battle to take over the Enugu Government House, otherwise known as Lion Building, from the incumbent governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has begun. Although many politicians are queuing up to occupy the exalted seat, there are those who could be regarded as the real gladiators in the current unfolding political drama. Governor Ugwuanyi’s second tenure will end in May 2023.

As the political drama continues to play out, the governor has not hidden his disposition to hand over power to a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the Enugu east senatorial zone, in line with the ‘zoning arrangement’ in the state.

These gladiators include Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Gil Nnaji, Professor Barth Nnaji, Chief Frank Nweke Junior, Prince Ofor Chukwuegbo, Chijioke Edeoga, a lawyer. 

They are from the ruling PDP and the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). No aspirant has either openly declared or picked the governorship nomination form of the All Progressives Congress (APC). However, Daily Trust on Saturday gathered that the leadership of the party is working towards a consensus candidate, which has made interested aspirants to seek the blessing of the chieftains of the party in Abuja and Enugu.

Professor Bart Nnaji

One of the big names in the battle for the Enugu Government House come 2023 is Prof Barth Nnaji, Nigeria’s former minister of power, as well as science and technology. 

Nnaji hails from a relatively remote town of Umuode in Nkanu East Local Government Area.

The former minister has an intimidating profile, being the first black man in American history to be bestowed with the title of Distinguished Professor of Engineering, Research Award, which is considered the equivalent of the first Nigerian to build a power plant. He is the first minister to raise electricity generation in Nigeria to almost 5,000 megawatts and all of it was successfully put on the national grid, except some 300mw, which served as a spinning reserve. He ensured an unprecedented power supply across the country in 2012.

Recently, Nnaji declared his intention to contest the 2023 Enugu governorship seat under the umbrella of the PDP.

He made his intention known in a brief ceremony held at his country home, Umuode, when the New Enugu Coalition for Good Governance presented both expression of interest and nomination forms they purchased for him.

 “I am coming into government to serve. Anytime I come into government, it is about sacrifice for the people. This is so that we can lift our people,” he said during the ceremony

Senator Ekweremadu  

The former deputy president of the Senate recently announced his entrance into the Enugu 2023 governorship contest. His declaration, however, silenced speculations about his intention.

Ekweremadu, who has represented the Enugu West senatorial district for the fifth term, spoke at an interactive forum with newsmen in Enugu, where he declared that, “It is now time to focus on Enugu State and the people. Governorship of Enugu State will help me to serve our people more and better.”

He said that as a lawmaker he had initiated and completed many life-changing projects across the three senatorial zones in the state. He also used the occasion to appoint his campaign coordinators across the state.

“If elected governor I will utilise all the experience, friendship, partnership and global contact acquired over the years to transform Enugu into a model state,” he said.

Senator Gil Nnaji

Another politician who disclosed his governorship aspiration is a two-term Senator Gilbert Nnaji. He represented Enugu East. However, there was a relatively low attendance by prominent politicians at the event, which held at the palace of the traditional ruler of Nike, Igwe Edward Nnaji. Key politicians from Nike, and by extension, Nkanu, appeared to have stayed away from the event.

While declaring his ambition, Senator Nnaji said that God told him to contest. He added that his aspiration was in line with the desire of Nkanu people to produce the next governor of the state due to the fact that Isi-Uzo and Enugu East local government areas are yet to produce the governor of the state.

Frank Nweke

A former Minister of Information and Communication, Frank Nweke Junior, has declared his interest to contest for the governorship of Enugu State on the platform of the APGA, after dumping the PDP.

Nweke had picked the APGA governorship form from the party’s headquarters in Abuja.

Declaring his intention to supporters and party faithful in Enugu, the former minister promised to serve with diligence, transparency and accountability.

Nweke, who is a two-time minister, noted that he was poised to contest the position as his life’s journey had prepared him to serve Enugu people with passion, promising that he would be people-oriented.

He said, “It was my time at the Community County Council, during which I visited the then 209 communities in Enugu State, that the seed of my passion for service was first ignited.

“I saw, first-hand, the primitive and agonising living conditions of our people and their deep yearning for the most basic needs of human existence. This state of affairs remains true even today; and the time to change it is now.”

Nweke will slug it out with a former executive director of Total Nigeria Plc and one of the most respected oil and gas professionals of Enugu State extraction, Dr Jeff Nnamani

Prince Ofor Chukwuegbo

Political activities in the camp of Prince Ofor Chukwuegbo, who represents Enugu south and north in the House of Representatives, heightened in the past few weeks with the formal inauguration of his foot soldiers across the 260 wards in the state recently.

Regarded in some circles as a grassroots politician, the three-term House of Reps member told his audience that he was seeking power to do good.

He said he would consolidate on the achievements of the incumbent governor and improve with his own initiatives.

Chijioke Edeoga

Edeoga, a former member of the House of Representatives, who recently resigned as commissioner for environment in Enugu State, is one of those seeking to take over from Governor Ugwuanyi. He hails from Isi-Uzo Local Government Area in Enugu East senatorial zone and is seen as a grassroots politician.

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