By Ikenna Oluka​

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s re-election bid received a significant boost on Wednesday as Town Union Presidents of the 458 autonomous communities in Enugu State unanimously endorsed him for a second term in office for his sterling performance and unusual style of leadership.

The Town Union Presidents – the pillars of development, agents of peace, and “the 4th tier of democratic governance closest to the grassroots” – gave their support to Gov. Ugwuanyi, when they paid him a solidarity visit at the Government House, Enugu.

They described the governor as “a gifted son”, who has performed creditably in office, “imparted a political heritage worthy of emulation” and taken spirituality to governance in all his endeavours. The leaders of the town unions therefore, promised “to carry the campaign to the silent majority of rural dwellers in the 458 autonomous communities in Enugu State and deliver positive result during the forthcoming elections”.

They added that their visit was “to celebrate a refined legislator, seasoned administrator, political tactician and gifted financial manager, who has not been involved in excesses of calumny and vilification which have bedeviled our body politic”.

Justifying their stance, the State Chairman of the Union, Chief Paully Eze, stated that they took the decision because of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s “uncommon political sagacity anchored on ‘welfarism’ for the greatest number, ingenuity in the thick of dwindling resources, equitable and even infrastructural development across the state”.

Others include,  “enthronement of dignity of labour, political stability, peace, security of lives and property, good healthcare delivery and sound education package, human empowerment, skill acquisition, etc”.

The town union leaders added that Gov. Ugwuanyi “runs inclusive administration and accommodates everybody irrespective of political leaning” and has set infrastructural vision that saw to the development of new cities in the three senatorial districts of the state through the execution of landmark projects in the rural communities and satellite towns, where the majority of the people reside.

They disclosed that the governor “in his unprecedented transformation released Enugu State share of the London/Paris Club refunds accruing to local government areas for settlement of arrears of the salaries, leave allowances, and pensions owed workers in the 17 council areas”.

The group further disclosed that Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration has successfully disbursed “N2.25 billion to 458 autonomous communities in Enugu State through the Traditional Rulers and Town Union Presidents as the first tranche of the N10 million each earmarked for the ‘one community one project’ which is unheard of in the annals of governance of this state”.

The Town Union Presidents expressed delight that the governor has “re-launched the state’s Traders Empowerment Scheme with annual bumper package of N120 million where 200 genuine traders win N10 million monthly at N50,000 each”.

Describing Gov. Ugwuanyi as “a good manager of resources”, they pointed out that his administration “has recorded unprecedented growth in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)” for rapid development of the state.

The group equally described the governor as a “crisis manager who has brought peace and tranquility to the state and maintained security of lives and property of our people in the face of the fragile security situation across the country”, maintaining that “he has been widely endorsed for a second tenure by all shades of opinion in the state including men of God who cut across various religious denominations”.

“The Enugu State Town Unions being the 4th tier of democratic governance closest to the grassroots, do hereby join millions of people of this state to give our support to you, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for a second tenure in office as Governor of Enugu State”, they declared.

Responding, Gov. Ugwuanyi thanked the Town Union Presidents in a special way for their prayers, goodwill and endorsement, saying that such a rare support goes a long way to strengthen his administration’s resolve to continue to transform the state and extend development to the rural areas.

Stressing that “all politics is local”, the governor applauded them for the sacred roles they play as pillars of development and agents of peace and security at the grassroots, reiterating his administration’s unflinching commitment to lay more solid foundation for posterity, especially in the rural areas.