From Ugonna Nwamayi
Anyone who knows Senator Chuka Utazi, who represented Enugu North Senatorial zone in the Senate between 2015- 2023 on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform very well needs no soothsayer to know that he loves engaging in name calling, blame game and playing to gallery for cheap popularity.
Even when it is known that he is not oratorical and deep in knowledge, he is always in a hurry to speak in a manner unbeffiting of him, especially on issues he is not conversant with.
True to his character and instead of commiserating with his people of Uzo-Uwani LGA who were recently killed and attacked by some marauding criminal herdsmen and offering them assistance, Senator Utazi has in usual way taken to misyarning, politicizing and trivializing the ugly incident, by organizing needless Thanksgiving, apportioning blames and leveling unfounded allegations against former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi over the incessant killings in the council area.
Senator Utazi’s baseless, fallacious, unwarranted and malicious claims contained in his media statement that ex Governor Ugwuanyi’s diversion of the construction of the Federal Government approved Mopol Barrack Squadron after the Nimbo killings of 2016 from Nkpologu to Ekwegbe has been responsible for the incessant killings in Uzo-Uwani LGA by herdsmen is nothing, but a lie from the pit of hell that is clearly vindictive and uncalled for.
Such is too puerile, petty and childish to have come from a man who is an immediate past Senator of the Federal Republic that ought to have known better.
It is known and factual that after the 2016 herdsmen Nimbo attack, Governor Ugwuanyi after visiting the scene of the attack and condemning the gruesome act, addressed a world press and quickly rushed to Abuja and met with the then President, Muhammadu Buhari and then Inspector General of Police.
Governor Ugwuanyi, after getting approval for the construction of a Mopol Barrack Squadron from the Federal Government and upon return from Abuja summoned emergency meeting of Enugu North Senatorial zone leaders of which Senator Utazi participated. It was unanimously agreed by leaders at the meeting for the Barrack to be constructed at Ekwegbe, because of the rising and occasional insecurity along the busy Ugwuogo Nike- Nsukka road. It is on record that Governor Ugwuanyi used the state resources to construct the Mopol Barrack Squadron and it was commissioned by Inspector General of Police at twilight of his administration. Governor Ugwuanyi also constructed a Police Station in Nimbo.
The Federal Government didn’t bring resources for Governor Ugwuanyi to construct the barrack after approving its construction. Governor Ugwuanyi as a matter of urgency to tackle insecurity in that axis and Nimbo constructed the Mopol Barrack and a Police Station in Nimbo.
He also established Forest Guard, repositioned and equipped the Neighborhood Watch in the state.
While all these were being done by Governor Ugwuanyi, Senator Utazi was nowhere to be found or heard, not even to offer any assistance to the survivors of the attack or commiserate with the bereaved families. This is despite that Uzo-Uwani is his LGA.
For Senator Utazi to suddenly wake up after almost 10 years and at the peak of mourning of the recent killings in Nimbo again to make false claims and trumped allegation against ex Governor Ugwuanyi is the height of hypocrisy, vendetta, rascality and insensitivity.
If truly Senator Utazi collected the approval letter for the construction of Mopol Barrack in Nimbo and handed over to Governor Ugwuanyi as he claimed, it is left for him to present evidence and also the evidence of the financial resources he collected for the construction of the project from the Federal Government as Chief Security Officer of the state.
The truth is that if there is any other approved Mopol Squadron Barrack to be constructed in Nimbo, which it’s letter and financial resources are still in the custody of Senator Utazi, now is the time for him to commence its construction. It is possible. Any flimsy excuse that he is no longer in office as a Senator is not tenable, because budget cycle outlives tenure.
After all, Senator Utazi claimed in his media statement that he received approval letter from Abuja and handed over to the Governor Ugwuanyi without any approved fund to construct it.
Nobody is and should be surprised by Senator Utazi’s latest media gaffe, political outburst and unguarded utterances against Ex Governor Ugwuanyi. It is not unexpected, because it is typical of Senator Utazi, who is a political ingrate, food-is -ready and where- belly-face politician.
As can be seen, less than one year, Senator Utazi left office as a Senator and after working for Labour Party against All Progressives Congress (APC) and his party, PDP in the 2023 general elections, Senator Utazi has already shamelessly and desperately jumped to All Progressives Congress (APC) to seek political relevance and survival.
What a character is Senator Utazi? Of what political relevance is Senator Utazi to cause anybody worry or headache?
Politically and otherwise, Ex Governor Ugwuanyi should on no account or circumstance dignity Senator Utazi with any response. This is because Senator Utazi, apart from not being Ex Governor’s political equal, lied and hence does not deserved to be responded to or joining issues with. After all, ex Governor Ugwuanyi is not chasing political clout and desperately seeking political relevance and survival like Senator Utazi.
