|
Listen now
|
A group of Enugu State-born United States of America-based professionals, the Enugu State Independent Professional Group in Diaspora (ESIPGID), has endorsed former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, as the most sustainable and prepared aspirant to take over from the incumbent governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in 2023.
The group made the endorsement in a statement entitled “Our Stand on Zoning” signed by the Chairman, Prof. William Onyebeke, and several others.
In taking stocks of critical sectors since 1999, ESIPGID said Enugu was worse off, although power had rotated to the three senatorial districts of the state.
“The sentimental issue of fairness as regards to access to executive power by the senatorial zones in the state has been, by commission or omission, addressed significantly at the end of the regime of the current governor of Enugu State.
“We attest that candidates from every senatorial zone competed in every gubernatorial contest in the state, and fortunately it turns out that every senatorial zone has now tasted executive power and occupied the seat in Lions Building for eight years apiece.
“But we asked ourselves the question: ‘Are we better off now than we were prior to 1999?’
“Devoid of sentiment, we concluded that the unambiguous answer is a resounding no. Rotation of any sort has not served us well”, the group averred.
“The general health of the state citizens is profoundly poor. Public hospitals are now unhealthy for citizens.
“The state’s jobless environment is pathetic, to say the least. This phenomenon may be breeding irresponsible behaviors amongst the hopeless youth.
“Security is the most urgent and critical of all the issues. The fear of the safety of life and limb is a recurrent topic during discussions within and outside Nigeria”, it stated.
The group, consequently, urged Enugu people to rise above sentiments, stay true and fair to collective statehood, and elect Ekweremadu as the next governor, given his capacity to tackle and resolve Enugu’s nagging problems.
“We have exhaustively debated and examined their qualities and qualifications. We collectively concluded that one of the aspirants checks off on all criteria that we listed and debated. Without sentiment or favor, the Distinguished Senator, Professor Ike Ekweremadu comfortably checks off favorably on all points and criteria, at this time.
“We therefore throw our unalloyed support behind his candidacy. He should run, he should win and he should ascend to the seat of the next Executive Governor of Enugu state in 2023.”