Enugu 2023: Group Endorses Ifeanyi Nwoye for Governor
Chetanne Chinelo, Enugu
As the 2023 primary elections of the Peoples Democratic Party draw near, an advocacy group with the mandate of job creation and self employment has called on the good people of Enugu State to elect business inclined leaders, with job creation mandates.
Speaking at a press conference held in Enugu, Friday, the group, Advocacy for Job Creation (AJC), a privately owned, non-profit, decentralized organisation, which is driven to monitor, assess, examine and track job creation, unemployment, under employment, growth dynamics of wages in the country, government performance on employment matters using the statistics of unemployment and the ease of doing business around the country, harped on the importance of electing a party with employment mandates, job creation, and the zeal for training youths on self employment.
They went ahead to identify and endorse Rev. Ifeanyi Nwoye, a former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, as their preferred gubernatorial candidate.
They stated that their decision was based on careful consideration of his job creation record, experience, executive capacity, integrity and temperamental balance.
Nnadozie Kanu, an executive of AJC, bemoaned the statistics of the rising unemployment rate in Nigeria. He criticized the inaction and little action of some governments towards unemployment.
“Because of the inaction of the government towards unemployment, the group has taken it upon themselves to speak for the unemployed and cushion the effects of unemployment…” he said.
He also didn’t fail to commend the government of the day in the state on its achievements towards giving skill acquisition trainings through agencies like SME and others.
Continuing, another executive went further to laud Rev. Ifeanyi Nwoye as the only candidate, out of all those vying for the top job, who is the highest employer of labour.
“For someone with a record like that, we agree that someone with a proven record of job creation and employment of alot of citizens is the best candidate for this position”, he said.
Part of the press statement read “Once again, we are at the season of intense politicking. Even more intense is the fact that 2023 elections is successive and transitional for Enugu State, and most other states throughout the country.
“Considering the relevance of the office of the Governor as the foremost executive office in the state, and its powers and responsibilities of creating employment opportunities, propelling the condition for better wages, and improving the general well being of citizens of the state, our advocacy partners decided to examine the credentials of gubernatorial aspirants in the major political parties, with focus on their job creating record for people in Enugu State.
“Having examined, and exhaustively deliberated on issues of job creation and overall executive capacity of different gubernatorial aspirants, we have decided to endorse The Revd. Ifeanyi Nwoye as our preferred gubernatorial candidate in Enugu State. Our decision is not a light one, but based on careful consideration of the following:
“Revd. Ifeanyi Nwoye has over time, created not less than 4,000 direct jobs and countless indirect jobs in Enugu State. The Ecumenical College under his leadership, recruits and trains between 300 to 400 people annually, providing direct jobs to graduands, and making people functional members of society.
“Revd. Ifeanyi Nwoye has a fine blend of experience in Private and Public service. He rose through the ranks of Christ Ascension Church Worldwide, to become its number 2 person, administering over 3000 branches of the church around the world, managing his private estate, served as Vice Chairman of Nkanu East Local Government Area, Chairman of Nkanu East LGA and coordinating Chairman of all local governments in Enugu State, Commissioner (Ministry of Environment), Chairman of Enugu State Pilgrims Board, and Deputy Governor. Also, the faith based organization under his leadership, runs Primary and Secondary schools across Enugu State and elsewhere around the world. In all of these, Revd. Ifeanyi Nwoye maintained stability and sense of direction in the discharge of his responsibilities.
“We believe Revd. Nwoye has the capacity to deliver on the mandate. With his educational background in Business Administration in the United States, a blend of his private and public sector experience, and vast international networks, Revd. Nwoye stands tall above other aspirants in the capacity to govern, create jobs, and attract substantial foreign investments to the state.
“We understand that Revd. Ifeanyi Nwoye has the integrity to function as Governor of Enugu State. All through his years in public service, he has never for one day been indicted by watchdog agencies for financial impropriety or misconduct at all. even any
“The Revd. has often shown his capacity to manage and balance competing interests. This is necessary to maintain stability in the state considering the nature of its politics, and to drive growth and development. Moreover, Revd. Nwoye has the temperament to maintain the peace cultivated by the current administration in the State”.
Enugu 2023 Guber Race: Profile of Likely Candidates-Final List
As the race to the Lion Building of Enugu State come 2023 commences, The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine x-rays the profile of the final list of likely contenders from all senatorial zones of Enugu State, having published three previous lists from Enugu East Senatorial Zone alone.
1. Sen. Ike Ekweremadu
Senator Ike Ekweremadu, PhD, CFR, Former Deputy President of the Senate, was born on May 12, 1962, into the family of HRH Igwe Matthias and Madam Esther Ekweremadu. He is from Amachara Mpu, Aninri Local government area of Enugu state.
Senator Ike Ekweremadu attended Community Primary School, Mpu, St. Dominic’s Secondary School, Ugiri Mbano, and later, Boys Secondary School, Umueze, Awkunanaw, where he finished his secondary school education in 1980.
He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degree in Law from the University of Nigeria, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. He also holds Doctor of Philosophy degree in Law from the University of Abuja, Nigeria. Senator Ike Ekweremadu has attended courses on Leadership and Negotiations at Oxford University, U.K and Harvard University, U.S.A.
Ike Ekweremadu, also called Ikeoha Ndigbo, at the age of 10 was the President of his age grade. He later became Town Union President of his community, a position he occupied for so many years at the pleasure and insistence of the community.
In 1996, he was the secretary of the movement for the creation of Aninri LGA.
He was elected as the Executive Chairman of Aninri Local Government Council in 1997 and won the Award of the Best Council Chairman in 1997. Ekweremadu was appointed Chief of Staff to the Governor of Enugu state in 1999, making him the first Nigerian to hold such position in any state of the federation and served in that capacity till 2001. He was later appointed as Secretary to Enugu State Government in 2001 and served till 2002.
On April 12, 2003, he was elected to the Nigerian Senate. In 2005, he lost the contest for the Senate Presidency to Senator Ken Nnamani
In 2007, he became the Deputy President of the Nigeria Senate, a position he held for three consecutive terms (2007-2019). Having served as a First Deputy Speaker, ECOWAS Parliament, he was also unanimously elected as Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament when it was Nigeria’s turn to occupy the office in 2011.
Presently, Ekweremadu is the Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace and a member of the International 7-Member Task force on Coronavirus, set up by the Global Council on Tolerance and Peace. He also chairs the Senate committee on Environment.
Ekweremadu runs a Foundation, Ikeoha foundation, which has supported over 10,000 women to learn how to read and write, providing scholarship and bursary to over 12,000 Students.
Ekweremadu, who has declared to run for Governor of Enugu State, is married to Lady Dr. Nwanneka Ekweremadu, a marriage blessed with children.
Ike Ekweremadu
2. Amb. Mrs. Ginika Florence Tor
Amb. Mrs. Ginika Florence Tor, a TV personality, Media Entrepreneur, Brand Management expert and an income generation strategist, hails from Amoli in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Tor read Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State. She is the CEO of Accolade Media Co. which was the Event Consultant and Manager for the Enugu State Fiesta by Enugu State Government. Her company, in collaboration with Kogi State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, successfully managed the Kogi State carnival 2013 and successfully managed and concluded the Trade Union Triennial Delegate Conference that played host to over 1,000 delegates and dignitaries at NAF Conference Centre & Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Abuja.
Ginika Tor ventured into politics in 2018 as a member of the of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State. Mrs. Tor contested for the House of Representatives seat and later emerged as the Deputy Governorship Candidate, Enugu State, on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress. She sits on the boards of many companies and is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Chieftaincy title of AdadiOraNma 1 of Amoli.
Hon. Ginika Tor is presently the Honourable Federal Commissioner, Federal Character Commission, Representing Enugu State, as appointed by His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Amb. Mrs. Ginika Florence Tor is a wife and mother of four lovely children.
Ginika Tor
3. Prof. Bart Nnaji
Professor Bart O. Nnaji is Chairman/CEO, Geometric Power Limited, the first indigenous private sector power company in Nigeria.
He was the William Kepler Whiteford Professor of Engineering at University of Pittsburgh, and spearheaded the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Center of excellence for E-Design and Robotics. He was Professor of Engineering and Director of Automation and Robotics at the University of Massachusetts, USA.
He served Nigeria as Minister of Power; Minister of Science and Technology; Special Adviser to the President on Power; and Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Power.
He has also served as General Chairman of many International conferences including the World Conference on Robotics Research (1991).
His national awards include Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) by Nigeria’s President; and Nigeria National Order of Merit (NNOM) (Nigeria’s highest intellectual merit award); U.S. Secretary of State’s Distinguished Public Service Award; Distinguished Scientist Award by World Bank-IMF Africa Group; Baker Distinguished Research Award (highest research award by the International Institute of Industrial Engineers IIE), amongst others.
He has been awarded honorary Doctorates in Engineering, Science & Technology from 5 universities.
Prof. Bart Nnaji
4. Barr. Ifeanyi Nwoga
Barr. Ifeanyi Nwoga is a Legal Practitioner and Historian. Born on 15th January 1961, in Plateau state, he is a native of Agbani, in Nkanu West Local government, Enugu state.
He obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in History in 1985 from the University of Nigeria Nsukka. Nwoga enrolled in the University of Ibandan to study Law and acquired his LL.B (Hons.) in 1989. He proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, where he also acquired the BL. He holds a Masters degree in Law, LL.M, from the University of Lagos. He specializes in Labor Law, Corporate Law and Criminal Law.
In 1993, Nwoga joined the Federal Ministry of Justice as a Senior State Counsel. He was elevated and posted to the Federal Ministry of Defense as an Assistant Legal Adviser. Nwoga worked under the Federal Ministry of Communication and also shared his wealth of knowledge in History as a Deputy Legal Adviser with the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Abuja. After the establishment of National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, he was Head, Monitoring Centre of NAPTIP.
Nwoga spent a few years in the Ministry and was later recruited by the Nigerian Communications Commission where he served as the Head, Licensing documentation Registry (NCC), Abuja.
Between 2005 and 2006, he was appointed a Special Adviser on Legal Matters to Governor Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State. He subsequently was appointed the Attorney General of Enugu State from January to May 2007.
Ifeanyi Nwoga is a member of the Institute of Chartered Arbitrators. He finds delight in soccer and playing table tennis. He is a devout Christian and is happily married. The family of over 25years is blessed with four children.
Barr. Ifeanyi Nwoga
5. Barr. George Ogara
Barr. George Tabugbo Ogara was born at Nsukka on the 10th April, 1974 to Late Chief Simeon Ogara and Mrs Euphamia Ovute Ogara, both from Unadu community in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State.
George had his elementary school at Ireti primary school, Lagos, and his secondary school at Ovoko Boys Secondary School, in Igboeze South LGA.
He studied Law in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State where he graduated with a second class honours degree and proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, where he graduated with a second class upper division grade and was subsequently called to the Nigerian bar in September 1999.
Ogara founded Law Edge (LEGAL PRACTITIONERS) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, a partnership that thrives and flourishes till now. George’s practice areas cut across Maritime Claims, Oil and Gas, Environmental Litigation, Community Rights and general claims. He is a household name in environmental litigation in the Niger Delta.
In 2011, he made his debut in politics when he vied to represent his Nsukka/Igbo Eze South Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives under PDP.
Until February 2019 when the Court of Appeal of Nigeria decided otherwise, George Ogara was the Enugu State Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2019 electioneering period.
George is happily married with children.
Barr. George Ogara
6. Sen. Gilbert Nnaji
Senator (Prince) Gilbert Emeka Nnaji is reputed for his profound passion for community development, philanthropy, human capacity building and legacy projects.
He served as a Senator of the Federal Republic between 2011 and 2019 where he was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Communications, spanning eight years. He also served as a Member of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2011, during which he served as Deputy Majority Leader at first term and Chairman of House Committee on Commerce, in the second session.
Born on July 18, 1966, Gilbert Nnaji hails from Umuenwene, Iji-Nike, Enugu East LGA. He was a 3-term Chairman of Enugu-East Local Government Area of Enugu State, under both the military and the democratic regimes between 1996 and 2003.
Also added to his numerous landmark investments in human capital development in the Enugu East Senatorial District and even beyond, Sen. Gilbert Nnaji facilitated the government’s provision of classroom blocks and several other facilities including, hospitals, rural electrification, roads, water projects, etc.
Senator (Prince) Gilbert Emeka Nnaji is reputed for his profound passion for community development, philanthropy, human capacity building and legacy projects. In appreciation of his tremendous contribution to the development of education, selfless service to humanity and competitive public service credentials, the Godfrey Okoye University in 2015, presented Senator Nnaji with the prestigious Honourary Doctorate Degree in Political Science.
Gil Nnaji is the Chief Executive Officer of Dun-Gee Hotels Limited, Senator (Prince) Gilbert Nnaji is presently in the hospitality business.
A Christian and married with children, he has a bachelor degree in Banking and Finance from University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.
Sen. Gil Nnaji has formally declared his interest to run for Governor.
Sen. Gilbert Nnaji
7. Prof. Jehu Nnaji
Prof. Jehu Onyekwere Nnaji was born to Mr. and Mrs. Nnaji of Amurri kingdom in Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State.
Jehu attended his primary and secondary schools in Aba, Abia State, and Universities at University of Benin, Benin City, where he obtained Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Master’s degree in Business Administration (Marketing Option – MBA), from Rivers State University, Port Harcourt and Master’s degree in Law and Diplomacy and a PhD in Comparative Constitutional Law and Integration Processes from University of Naples II, Italy, among other numerous honors.
Onyekwere is a Judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Hague, Netherlands (2007-date), in collaboration with the International Bar Association, London, UK. He is a Professor and Consultant in Civil and Criminal Matters at the Italian Ministry of Justice and at the High Courts of Naples and Santa Maria Capua Vetere (CE), Italy.
Nnaji is a Professor and Conference Convenor/Chair of International Political Science Association (IPSA), Montreal, Canada, a Professor and Scientific Member of Group of Researchers in International Law. He is equally, the Professor and President, Globe Visions Network-A Migration and Integration Organization, not to mention that he is a Visiting Scholar at the School of Law, University of Kansas, USA., a Professor and Research Scholar at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL), London (2010-2012) and a Professor of International Law, Politics and Integration, University of Naples II, Italy (2009), and countless other places.
Jehu has earned several honourable awards and is a member of numerous notable professional international organisations.
On the flip side, Professor Nnaji has had a fair participation in the sports and entertainment industries, as he has actively featured in soaps in the 90s. Prof. Jehu was a boxing trainer to Bash Ali – a former African Heavyweight boxing champion and saw to his victory over his Cameroonian counterpart in a fight that took place at the indoor sports hall of the National Stadium Lagos in 1995, and more.
He was a Senatorial Candidate of Enugu East Senatorial Zone in the 2019 General Elections. Prof. Jehu is always easily defined by his strong and refined willingness to work so hard to cause a positive change everywhere he finds himself. He’s a son his people called Nwa eji eme-onu.
Prof. Jehu Onyekwere
8. Pst. Donatus Ozoemena
Pastor Donatus Madubuike Obi Ozoemena was a governorship candidate in the 2019 general elections under the platform of United Democratic Party, UDP.
He hails from Onoli in Awgu local government area and is a United States Based Pastor under God’s Anointed Live Ministries. He has continued to organize football competitions among youths of Awgu local government.
At the end of the 2019 elections, he filed a case at the election tribunal against Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi but later withdrew the petition and went ahead to congratulate and pledge support to the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Ozoemena has declared to run for Governor of Enugu State in 2023 under the platform of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.
On Saturday, November 13, 2021, at the Pacesetter Frontier Magazine Maiden Discourse (headlined by ex-SSG of Anambra State Hon. Oseloka H. Obaze), the trendy magazine awarded Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State “Governor of the Year in Peace and Welfare.” Last week, the Messengers of Peace Foundation awarded him “Most Peaceful Governor in Nigeria.” These are testaments to the comparative claim of Enugu as nirvana in Nigeria. Peace is good. We want peace for the ceaseless struggle to survive, live, and thrive in an enabling environment that is secure and sustaining.
With the announcement of the schedule for 2023 elections, the peace in Enugu State developed an undercurrent of murmurs and rumors. The concerns created constipated consternations from zoning to micro-zoning and about who was coming or going. Add the upcoming local elections, the grumbles were set to rumble. Something must give way, right? No way: there is only one point of political power in the state.
With one ephemeral exception before the Ebeano Epoch took deep and no-shaking roots in 2003, Enugu has been practically a one-party state since 1999. Every sitting governor becomes ‘il capo di tutti capi’—the boss of all bosses. Some pushbacks popped up; notably Deputy Governor Okechukwu Itanyi (2007), Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu (2015), and Senator Ayogu Eze (2015/2019). In all, the governors prevailed.
Ironically, the political class waited for another round. Many Enuguites waited too. The pent-up political pressures needed a vent. They got it from ex-Governor now Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, the founder of Ebeano political platform. As social media outlets warmed on pilot flame last Wednesday, January 26, media manager Dan Nwomeh dropped a big propellant. The nationwide press release did not embellish the fact with diplomatese or political correctness; it was served simple and straight. “Enugu 2023: Gov Ugwuanyi will choose successor ……. Sen Nnamani.”
The audacious statement “reiterated that it is the prerogative of the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to produce his successor without challenges.” At this point, many pundits had read enough. They pounced. Alas, they missed the third and important paragraph: “We have a tradition in Enugu State politics. The governor is the leader who directs affairs. He will determine who succeeds him without compromising the electoral processes and whomever he chooses will be our next governor.”
I understand those who reacted to the supposedly shocking statement that one man will choose his successor in a democracy. They ignored the “tradition” and “the electoral processes.” They forgot that the statement was about a political platform within a partisan political party and that elections hold. The “tradition” in Enugu State is irrefutable. At the national level, President Olusegun Obasanjo handpicked Governors Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for president and vice president, respectively. The electoral processes were not compromised.
On Saturday, September 19, 2020, amidst the pandemic, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani led jubilant members and supporters of Ebeano to a solidarity visit with Governor Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu and to endorse him as the leader. In his speech, the senator and founder of Ebeano told Ugwuanyi openly that it was his “right” to produce his successor –as did the governors before him: “Whomever you choose will become the next governor.” The senator just repeated the statement in 2022.
On Thursday, June 17, 2021, the Ọganiru Enugu East Senatorial District Rally held. In a communique signed by ex-Governor Jim Nwobodo, House Speaker Edward Ubosi, State PDP chairman Augustine Nnamani, State APC chairman Ben Nwoye, HOR Hons Ofor Chukwuegbo, Nnolim Nnaji, and Cornelius Nnaji, the rally’s raison d’être was stated: to defend the power of Governor Ugwuanyi to choose his successor from Enugu East.
In his speech, APC’s Nwoye stated, “The fact that you [Ugwuanyi] are here means you are with us; the fact that you are here means that you have agreed to bring the anointed one from Nkanuland come 2023.” This meant that subliminally the opposition party had conceded the crown of “the anointed one”— the next governor—to whomever Ugwuanyi chooses! Understandably, the Governor failed to pledge compliance (as he had purportedly promised PDP members from Nkanu East LGA in November 2018); he preferred instead to understand “the content and context” of the direct demand: to choose the next governor.
I have read rude reactions, decent disagreements, emotional knocks, and kind kudos. Opinions are dozens-a-dime; facts are sacred. Truth is often bitter; the truth that Senator Nnamani told is not an exception. It may require a good measure of honey to swallow but, deep down and now that the screams have subsided, the truth remains. Last Sunday evening, January 30, Akwa Ibom State Governor Emmanuel Udom confirmed the truth within one native week: he chose Commissioner Umo Eno to succeed him.
Sen. Chimaroke Nnamani
“Ihe gbaa afọ, ọ bụrụ omenala.” (Whatever sustains for one year becomes a tradition.) The Igbo idiom does not exclude even an abomination (‘alụlụala’). Traditions change but, if one does not wrestle over their right of way, they will not change. With weak distractions from election-season intermissions, nothing has changed in the total domination of PDP in Enugu State. Governor Ugwuanyi is now the boss of bosses. He chose all the 17 LGA chairs in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Who will stop him in 2023?
Whose fault is it that there is no functional opposition party in Enugu State? Those who disagree with Senator Nnamani should do something that I have preached since Y2K: Form a focused and organized opposition and contest ALL elected positions from councilor to president, not wait for PDP to implode and angle for the tenancy of Government House by divine intervention! We cannot complain that Ebeanọ foundation remains strong for two decades and looks set to produce the fourth frontrunner.
If the Independent National Electoral Commission were a court, opposition parties in Enugu State would be sued for electoral malpractices. Until the status quo changes, we may have to hold our nostrils and swallow the troublesome truth. Whether Senator Chimaroke Nnamani serves the statement with golden gloves and glitters or with champagne and caviar, it is what it is: the truth.
