With the 2023 general election drawing closer by the day, and also because the choice of candidates across party lines is indeed the basic foundation for the quality of leadership that would emerge, there are salient attributes that should define those office-seekers so as to deserve the ultimate people’s mandate.
In Enugu State today, the raging debate about the desirability or otherwise of zoning or rotation of the gubernatorial seat among the three senatorial zones of the state is progressively assuming different and more complex dimensions. It is generating so much heat that the entire succession process is apparently threatened.
But beyond this, there is an urgent need to first interrogate the background or dispositions of those aspirants already numbering about 30. Conscious efforts should be made towards trimming them down and possibly arriving at the best among equals seamlessly.
To begin with, Enugu State has been variously governed by different categories of leaders since its creation. It has had those who never held any public position either as elected or appointed before becoming governors. Equally, there have been those that held appointive positions and those that occupied elective offices before being elected as governors of the state.
Gratifyingly today, we are all witnesses to how they all fared though under relatively different socio-economic dynamics.
It then means that rather than shallow sentiments, our past experiences should direct our choices in this emerging dispensation. We should closely-but-objectively examine this crop of contestants. We should deliberately demand to know where they are individually coming from, how many lives they have touched or contributions made in the past to improve humanity using the opportunities they had, and of course how those that held public offices exercised their previous mandates.
Answers to these would determine if truly they have the character, capacity and competence to lead. Such would also help to sieve the real men from the pretenders.
And therefore guided by the foregoing parametres, may we truthfully dissect these governorship aspirants across party lines in the state.
Whereas it is going to be in series, Senator Gilbert Nnaji is to have his turn now.
Recently I read an article wherein it was reported that Senator Gilbert Nnaji is being poorly publicized relative to his achievements in public leadership. I quickly took up the challenge of finding out the difference between what is known and what is unknown about him. I did not limit my inquiry to just what is written about him. I went to verify most of the claims. Equally, I spoke to people and made photographs. Two editorial accounts inspired me to go the extra mile in the task.
While one is entitled Fighting Poverty Through ICT the other is Will Name Change Actualize Nigeria’s Quest for Technology Breakthrough. You can still read them online or visit the major libraries for hard copies.
These two pieces are all about Gilbert Nnaji’s modest contribution to uplifting the community of man in general. They are about his commitment to deepening human capacity development. They are stories of a man who like Nelson Mandela, understands that education is the only weapon to conquer humanity. Yet Gilbert Nnaji has unfortunately remained an unsung hero principally sequel to orchestrated elitist manipulations.
Starting from the local government chairmanship through his membership of the House of Representatives to his stay in the Senate, Gilbert Nnaji remains the first and the only public official whose accounts of stewardship for all the offices he occupied are in the public domain. He is among the very few politicians who run evidence-based campaigns and quite instructively, who are yet to have corruption cases on their necks. Gilbert Nnaji has over the years demonstrated that power truly belongs to the people. He believes that one must be a follower first to become a leader. And because he views politics as an avenue for selfless service to humanity he is always ready to be held accountable. He is accessible, loyal and empathetic for what they truly mean. Having commenced his political leadership from the grassroots, he understands the needs and challenges of society. He has proven to be in tune with what the people need to have a fulfilled life.
Gilbert Nnaji maintains a verifiable record of passion for community development and philanthropy. His diligent commitment to human capacity building and advancement is profound. His love for things that benefit the majority as against the priviledged few is legendary and sadly has been the basis for the perennial elitist gang-up against him, which incidentally is playing out presently. He is reputed for a high level of emotional intelligence and spirit of sportsmanship. Though certainly, he is not the media’s man, Gilbert Nnaji has to his credit, a record of achievement in public office that can only be dwarfed by that of state governors or presiding officers of the national assembly due to Nigeria’s peculiar democratic governance. Otherwise, legislators are better assessed when they are not principal officers where they are as influential as the executive arm of government. This is a fact that is incontrovertible. And I repeat: everything about Gilbert Nnaji is in the public domain.
This is the reason most people believed him when he declared recently that his “ambition is tied to the acceptance, cooperation and support of the people who are the major stakeholders in governance. When by the special grace of God I am favourably considered for the sacred mandate, I shall deploy my wealth of experiences as a legislator and a local government administrator of several years in pursuing people-oriented governance where viable and sustainable rural economy shall be the road map out of poverty and unemployment, especially among the youths in Enugu State. In particular, I shall expand my age-long integrated human capacity and infrastructural development strategy where water availability, durable road networks, affordable health care delivery, improved education access, massive rural electrification, robust access to housing and deliberate support for cottage industries will make life meaningful for the citizenry. I am full of confidence because I have done it before. The records are there. And I still have the capacity to do it again”.
The overwhelming majority of the people of Enugu-East Senatorial District that Gilbert Nnaji once represented are today unanimous that the difference is clear. They agree that he knows where the shoes pinch the most and understands the terrain because he has been with the people all along.
Therefore even at the risk of sounding immodest and except there is a piece of superior evidence, Senator Gilbert Nnaji is not only eminently-qualified, but is also the very head that the cap fits if only track records of achievement, proven sense of humility and loyalty to the people, experience in community development, creation of opportunities for empowerment and general commitment to the welfare and well-being of the people are the critical considerations for the person who will succeed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in 2023. This conclusion is based on nothing but the truth and verifiable facts.
Anthony Eze receives manifestos and score cards via manifestos2023@aol.com
