By Zika Bobby

A United Kingdom-based lawyer and  former chairmanship aspirant for Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tom Chukwuemeka Ugwu, has lauded Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for taking development of state to the next level.

Ugwu who doubles as chairman, Enugu State Professionals in Ireland and chairman, Nsukka Welfare Association, in Ireland and UK, lost in the state’s 2017 council poll to incumbent chairman, Frank Ugwu.

Did you feel any gap leaving the UK to return home to vie for chairman of Udenu council?

No, because the world today is a global village. I am always at home and for the fact that I have something to offer for the development and progress of the people of my community and my local government, I considered it something worthwhile. It is good to visit home often and acquaint myself with what is going on in my locality. So, there is no gap felt.

What are the things you had planned to do differently for the development and progress of the people, borrowing from your experience in the UK?

First of all, let me say that I contested to address the issue of neglect and marginalisation in the political system in Enugu. I discovered that some Electoral Wards that have good voting strength are suffering from government’s neglect. My ward, Orba Ward 1 in Udenu is a victim of that neglect. I did my checks and I discovered that Orba has never held any meaningful position at the local government or state level, while the sister ward, Orba Ward 2 has always enjoyed everything that comes to Orba. This is part of the reasons I decided to aspire to become chairman of Udenu. I felt it was time to make that bold statement but that didn’t work out. However, I am not relenting. I wish to use this opportunity to draw the attention of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who is a brother and a good friend to look into my ward and see how he can attend to us. I want him to address these imbalances.

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On my plans for Udenu proper in terms infrastructural development and otherwise, I have a well-written manifesto for the job. I have better plan for security, how to improve on the commercial status of Udenu with a special focus on Obollo Afor and Orba being the commercial nerve centres of the council. l also have good plan to improve on water system, electricity supply, upgrade the road network in the rural areas, job creation for youths and women and improve on agriculture.

How do you intend to assist the new chairman in making the council develop?

The chairman is my brother and a good friend too. I have handed my manifesto over to him. It is left for him to marry it with what he has in mind to make governance get to the people.  I believe that government knows what the people want and those serving at that level are in a better position to give the people what they deserve. It is left for those who were elected as chairmen of councils and ward councillors to justify the trust reposed in them by providing the people with good governance in line with what Governor Ugwuanyi is already doing in the state.

Looking at Ugwuanyi’s performance so far, would you say he has borrowed one or two things from you guys in the Diaspora?

Yes, he is a listening governor and we are very impressed with what he is doing in the state. He has visited Ireland to scout for foreign investors. So we are with him and our joy is that he is already fulfilling his campaign promises to the electorate and Enugu is moving forward.

During his campaign, he said he was going to take Nsukka to the next level and I am sure you know very well that he has done just that. He promised to conduct local government election; that he has done. He promised to deliver dividends of democracy to the people in the area of infrastructure; and he is doing just that in all the senatorial districts of the state. There is adequate security in Enugu State, workers are being paid promptly. In fact, people are wondering how the governor is able to do these things with the lean resource at his disposal. So, we in the Diaspora are with him and he is also with us.