By Samson Ezea
It is often said that experience is the best teacher. Yes, it is indeed the best teacher. That is why whenever one speaks from a point of experience, people listen. That is also why more often than not, experience is required for the purpose of securing a job.
Since the administration of Governor Peter Mbah clocked one year on May 29, 2024, I have attentively and passionately followed the preponderance of opinions, assessments, and verdicts on his performances, achievements, and governance directions.
While the majority view is that Governor Mbah has in the last year set the state on the path of rapid economic growth anchored on disruptive innovations and a business-unusual approach, a few tiny voices from the expected and known quarters are all over social media platforms fabricating and purveying lies and falsehoods about Governor Mbah’s sterling performances and giant strides that are undeniable, unparalleled, and irreversible.
To these armchair critics and social media traducers, they are playing opposition politics. But what they fail to realize is that opposition politics is not about fabricating and peddling falsehoods on social media platforms.
Meanwhile, it is not hyperbolic or an overstatement to say that in the last year, Governor Mbah has, by his outstanding performance, earned the status of a developmental and infrastructural governor.
One unfortunate thing is that those who are narcissistically critical and dismissive of Governor Mbah’s great performances, glaring developmental achievements, and projections in the last year in the name of phantom constructive criticisms and opposition politics lack the requisite experiences, morals, and in-depth knowledge to even assess or examine Governor Mbah’s administration.
They lack it simply because they don’t have it. They cannot give what they don’t have, for it is not common or prevalent. They are picayune, biased, and partisan. They have not recovered from the shock of the defeat of their party’s candidates in the poll by Mbah and the reality of Mbah’s victory on all fronts. That is why they have always relied on party and personal interests to assess Governor Mbah’s administration.
Of note and utmost importance is the fact that Governor Mbah is focused and on the right track. He is not perturbed, derailed, or distracted by the antics of these wailing wailers, masquerading as public affairs analysts, opposition leaders, and social media critics.
This was reaffirmed and echoed by Mbah’s predecessors at the anniversary of his one year in office. At the event, which was attended by all the former civilian governors of the state with the exception of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, who were unavoidably absent, all others present were unanimous, unbiased, and factual in their assessments and verdicts on Governor Mbah’s one year in office.
There was no counter, contrary, or opposing verdict from Mbah’s predecessors. The unanimity of their verdict signaled and signposted a new dawn for the state.
It would also be recalled that at the same anniversary of Governor Mbah’s one year in office, prominent leaders of Enugu State commended Governor Peter Mbah over what they described as his tremendous impact, noting that with what the governor had done in just one year, Enugu would become the number one destination for investment, tourism, and living in the next four years.
While urging total support for Governor Mbah, the leaders, however, urged him not to be deterred by naysayers, as his works would ultimately speak for him as they become more manifest. Former governor Sullivan Chime specifically observed that Governor Mbah has literally turned Enugu into a construction site, while water is no longer a source of high blood pressure for him and most residents of Enugu.
“I am thanking the governor and his team for what they have been able to do so far. Personally, in my house, I have a tanker that I use to supply water. My tanker was using 400 liters of diesel. My blood pressure used to rise each time they wanted to buy gas to bring water. But we now have water.
“So, all these things are impactful in the lives of the people. The problem we have as a people is that we always forget where we are coming from. But I assure you that by 2027, His Excellency will not need to campaign for his second term. It happened during our time. In 2011, people we didn’t even know were campaigning for us, and it will happen again for Mbah,” he stated.
Citing personal experience, Chime, however, reminded the governor that criticisms would always come from political mischief makers and those who could not imagine where he was taking the state to, but assured him that the same people would still turn around to sing his praise at the end of the day.
“You all would remember when we were in government, the criticisms and the shouts. Anytime we wanted to embark on a development, they would start negative talks.
“When we entered Polo Park Mall to develop it, there was no kind of abuse I didn’t get. A reverend priest used my name for a mass sermon. There was nothing he didn’t call me. He said I was collecting a source of survival from the poor. Nobody knew what the government was about to do. But when it came up, the whole mouths that said bad things started saying good things about me.
“About the same time when we wanted to develop Coal City Garden, an elder statesman addressed a world press conference castigating me and my government. There was nothing he didn’t call me. But when the estate came up, all those people that said bad things about me started saying good things.
“When we also wanted to build the new state secretariat, we had to bring down the old structures that were not functional. We were lucky social media was not as powerful as it is now. But the words going around were that I started the project to move out billions of naira from the state coffers. But when we finished it, the same naysayers started saying good things again.
“I am not in government, but we are interested in what is happening. So, each time we see what they are pushing on social media about demolitions, I tell them that I don’t think this government has gone astray yet. They are doing as expected.
“In fact, when I started seeing and hearing about demolition, I told myself that it seems like government is back; a government that wants to work is back because overseas, when we went to South Korea in 2011, the government was destroying old structures and rebuilding them into something new and presentable.
“So, I am pleading to everyone to continue to support this administration. Let’s give them time so they will be able to achieve all the great things they have started. It’s not even easy to achieve this great one they achieved in just one year. Mbah is working. I can’t go through all the projects they have embarked on or are embarking on. But as somebody rightly pointed out, what is visible to all is that Enugu is now a huge construction site,” Chime said.
Collaborating Chime, former governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, urged Governor Mbah to remain focused on his vision as his works speak for him.
“Someone came to my house to complain to me that they have finished demolishing Gariki Park; that I should speak to him (Mbah). I asked him why would I speak to him. If it is the governor, then he means well.
“I am urging you to be patient. Good things don’t come easy. Anything that is good takes time to manifest. No matter what you do, people will talk.”
He urged the people of the state to keep supporting the governor.
“I know what he can do. With what he has done in just one year, I am sure that by this time next year, everyone will be asking when he is going back for a second term,” the elder statesman said.
Reminiscing on the above governance experiences, challenges, and giant strides of Governor Mbah’s predecessors, one needs no soothsayer or opinion of anyone to arrive at the logical conclusion that Governor Mbah has surpassed expectations and some of his campaign promises in the last year.
These verdicts of Governor Mbah’s predecessors are enough indicators that the state is on the move to greatness and for anyone to know that Governor Mbah’s administration is on the right path. The oracles have spoken from experiences, while the armchair critics, social media hirelings, and inexperienced opposition leaders have continued to criticize, castigate, and misyarn from the point of ignorance, envy, anger, fixation, and frustration.
It is obvious that with what Governor Mbah has achieved within one year and has set out to accomplish before 2027, one wonders what the social media critics and opposition leaders will do before and then.
Will they continue to chase shadows and play to the gallery on social media spaces, while Governor Mbah enjoys massive support and a seamless victory for the second term? Will they realize their gaffes and retrace their steps by joining hands with Governor Mbah to move the state forward? The latter option is the best bet for them, and the time is now.
Governor Mbah has shown quality leadership, capacity, commitment, and determination to take the state to enviable heights. He deserves everybody’s support irrespective of party leanings, status, religion, or tribe.
