*Says Peter Obi’s fate lies in God’s hand
By Toby Chuks
His Royal Highness, Igwe Patrick Eze, popularly known as Igwe Waziri is a renowned businessman and the traditional ruler of Egali Amalla in Udenu Local Council of Enugu State who likes to be on the side of the truth with a loud voice. The monarch who is also a Patron of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in this interview, he speaks on current situation of things in Enugu State and 2027 general elections given his assessments of Governor Peter Mba’s performance and the hope for Igbo man particularly former Governor of Anambra State and Presidential candidate of Labour Party in 2023 general election Mr Peter Obi to become the President of Nigeria among other issues.
Let’s start from the home soil. What is your assessment of Governor Peter Mba’s performance in Enugu State?
The good people of Enugu State have been experiencing governance in different dimensions since the return of democracy in 1999. We had Chimaroke Nnamani who came on board and empowered the people in so many ways especially at the grassroots levels. Nnamani created development centres and autonomous communities that brought the people close to government. We had Sullivan Chime who did wonderfully well in road construction expanding the road network of the State and also constructed the gigantic government secretariat among other things. There came Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who did a marvellous work in reconstruction Opi – Nsukka road, Nike flyover bridge and so on. All of them did remarkably well. However, I must that say that, the current administration under Governor Mba has brought spectacular performance to bear in Enugu State. Without mincing words, I like to assess Mba at the level of somebody like former Governor of old Anambra State Jim Nwobodo. Nwobodo as Governor of old Anambra made up of the present Enugu, Anambra and some parts of Ebonyi State performed creditably well in all sectors of governance and in all parts of old Anambra State then. That’s how I am assessing Governor’s performance. His two years and four months administration has taken Enugu to the level we never expected with projects and quality services all over the State and in sectors of governance like security, education, health sector, road construction, transformation, environmental sanitation and so many things that I cannot list off hand. He is a silent operator and not the noise making type of a leader. The bus terminals in various locations at Enugu and Nsukka have modernised the outlook of the transport system. Opportunities for business and subsistence activities are expanding. More people are laying hands on jobs and being meaningful engaged as traders, drivers, mechanic, food vendors and so on and so forth. The atmosphere of business is relatively conducive with security and other things that enhance ease of doing business. Furthermore, the education sector is being skyrocketed to the utmost level with smart schools in al wards in the State. In the same vein, the governor is embarking on a mega hospital project as well as massive agricultural projects in all the wards. Every ward is mandated to provide land for food production. Such a thing has never happened. Very soon hunger will be eradicated in Enugu State with the current programme in agriculture targeting development of farmlands in all the wards. Governor Mba is a wonderful leader and that is what we need at this point in time. Enugu will overtake other states in all facets of development before his first tenure runs out. And for me, I wouldn’t mind to say that there is no vacancy in Lion building as far as Mbah is concerned ahead of 2027. I wouldn’t mind to say that his second tenure is well worth it and not negotiable.
But people are accusing the governor of multiple taxation and increasing tax rates at a time of economic hardship?
But is the tax being properly utilised? That’s the question. And the answer is yes. Projects are going on in every sector like security, education, health, agriculture, transport, environment and so on. There is no point for argument over tax because the works that are being done speak volume for tax payers’ money. Since the time of the colonial masters we started paying tax in Nigeria. And in most cases the money realised from taxes we pay end up in personal pockets of government officials. But that is not the case in Enugu State now. We are seeing the dividends of taxes we pay for.
You talked about ease of doing business in Enugu under the present administration. As a businessman based in Enugu tell us how business has improved in Enugu?
Business has improved for all categories of businesses including petty traders, market women and farmers in rural areas because there is good roads, affordable and accessible transportation with free flowing traffic and security. The point is that Mbah has brought effective response to bear on the challenges facing Enugu State. Enugu is cool and okay for investors. Lawyers all over Nigeria were here and they saw things by themselves. As a businessman I can encourage investors to come and invest in Enugu because the atmosphere is conducive.
You talked about 2027 general elections and you seem to have automatically endorsed Governor Mbah for second term. What about Igbo President which according to some people is long overdue. There are people that are rooting for former Governor of Anambra State Mr Peter Obi ahead of 2027 and Obi himself has told the whole world that he is in the race again to become President of Nigeria in 2027. What is your impression about Peter Obi’s Presidential ambition in 2027.
I have always maintained that power belongs to God and God gives power to whosoever He chooses. If God decides to choose Peter to become the President of Nigeria in 2027, I am sure that nobody can stop Peter. What I am saying is that the fate of Peter Obi’s Presidential ambition lies in the hands of God.
In recent time Peter Obi is facing attack from some media influencers who don’t want him to be President like Deji Adeyanju and Reno Omokiri in particular? What is your advice to Peter Obi on that?
Yeah, Peter should not keep quiet over the attack from Reno Omokiri in particular because Omokiri is behaving like somebody who is suffering from brain torture as far as Peter Obi is concerned. I am of the opinion that Peter should act fast to attend to Omokiri’s problem otherwise Peter should carry the blame if anything happens to Omokiri.
I don’t understand what you mean by saying that Peter Obi should be held responsible if anything happens to Omokiri. What do you expect Peter to do for Omokiri now?
Peter should get him something doing to fetch daily bread for his family, because I believe that is what he wants from Peter. So,my advice to Peter is that Peter should go to the market and buy a tricycle, the one they call Keke for Omokiri so that by driving Keke he will have something doing to fetch daily bread for his family. I believe that such useful tool like Keke will settle the matter between Peter and Omokiri and the earlier Peter does that, the better.
