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How Umahi’s successor’ll emerge, by Nwaze

Francis Nwaze is the Special Assistant to Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State on Media and Publicity. In this interview with UCHENNA INYA, he speaks on the 24th anniversary of the state and the performance of the governor in the last five years

How would you access the performance of Governor Dave Umahi in the last five years he has been in office?

The governor has transformed the state in a very short time. His five years in office looks like 50 years. Governor Umahi has given deep touch to Ebonyi State in all aspects; talk of infrastructural development, the education sector, agriculture, empowerment, health, religion and others. The governor has done well and I call him an Alpha Governor.

Do you think that the person, who will succeed him in 2023, can step in the shoes he would be leaving?

All these things you see are in the hands of God. It is only God that has the correct answer. He remembered Ebonyi by making Governor Umahi available for the people to elect him and that is why his mandate is described as divine.

So, if God remembers Ebonyi again, of course He will, the person will also do well because Governor Umahi had always emphasized that his successor would be determined by God and Ebonyians and you know that the combination will certainly make the best choice. So, I am of the firm belief that the next governor of the state is going to do well.

What aspect of the governor’s performance fascinates you?

Governor Umahi is very vast, he is everywhere. You can’t really say this is the best aspect of his performance because he is everywhere. If you say it is infrastructure, you would be shocked. He built a befitting place for God, which is one of the promises he made before becoming the governor.

The Ecumenical Centre is one of the best in the entire country and it is about the only one existing in the South-East and South-South and it is the best in this country. When you talk of the shopping mall, it is also the best.

It is certainly a place that will open up the state when it becomes operational because a certain percentage of the mall has been taken over by the Chinese and the governor is also building an international airport. When he completes the Airport, you will see that it is going to be an uncommon one.

You won’t see any airport that will match it. The College of Medicine is also a superb one, just go there and see things for yourself. He has given life to 14 general hospitals in the state, reconstructing them and each local government is housing one general hospital. Ebonyi currently prides as the state with the best and long lasting road technology and the roads are spread across the length and breadth of the state and still, I cannot say this is the best aspect of the governor because he has done well in all sectors.

The Governor is initiating new projects to add to the existing ones. Do you think he will be able to complete all his projects before 2023, when his administration will come to an end and do you think there are enough resources to execute these projects?

Talking about resources to execute the projects, it is only God, who is making it possible for the governor to carry out these mega projects. Governor Umahi has never embarked on any project without completing it and these new ones are not going to be exception. A governor, who is able to start and complete six flyovers, while other seven flyovers are at advanced stages in less than five years and as he is doing these things, he is paying salaries, as he is doing these things, other sectors are also receiving se-rious attention. He doesn’t subscribe to uncompleted projects.

How many flyovers have the state government constructed since its inception and how many are in pipeline?

Presently, we have the Muhammadu Buhari glass tunnel, we have Offia Nwali flyover, we have Margret Umahi flyover, Akanu Ibiam flyover and Prince Arthur Eze flyover, among others. There are a total of six completed flyovers. We have seven ongoing and more are on the pipeline.

The one at the International Airport has just commenced, so everyday, new projects germinate in the state. If you understand the meaning of flyover, you will know that it takes someone, who has courage to flyover obstacles.

So, in everything we do, we try to flyover. When you go to a place like Dubai, you see flyovers everywhere. If you go to big cities, you will see all these beautiful things happening in Ebonyi State.

So, if you come to Ebonyi State, you should also be able to see the beautiful things happening and they are happening to the credit of the governor and we give God the glory. The governor you are seeing has wisdom that God bestowed on him. So, whatever thing he does, he does it with the fear of God and God has been with him. His leadership style is uncommon and it is only God that is making all these possible through him.

How would you like the successor of the governor to emerge in 2023?

I align myself with the wisdom of the governor because he became governor by divine and his successor will emerge also by divine. It is a collection of the decision of Ebonyians and God and once God has chosen the successor, the person will emerge.

The governor is not interested in who succeeds him but when God has chosen a successor, that person will always trade by the ways of God and will continue to deliver dividends of democracy to the people of Ebonyi State.

It is only when you want to do without God then there will be trouble. But in this case, I want to tell you that it is only God and the people, who will determine the next governor of Ebonyi State come 2023.

By 1st October next month, Ebonyi will be 24 years. Is the state a toddler or not?

We have moved and we moved with double quick match under the leadership of His Excellency, Engr. Dave Nweze Umahi. We are no more the Ebonyi of yesterday. Number of years does not matter, what matters is how far, so well. Today, we take pride in so many things which includes, good governance and this good governance has moved us beyond how many years of the existence of the state. so, I can tell you that we are not toddler rather we are aiming to be among the first and we are pushing forward to that.

Are there challenges the state have been facing since its creation?

You see, there can never be an express road to success, there must be obstacles but your ability to overcome obstacles, makes you a successful person. I want to assure you that we have ability to surmount them with God and our leaders on our side.

Has the leaders the state have been producing since its creation leaving up to expectations?

All the leaders the state have been producing all did well depending on their interest, their area of focus. They all did well. Sam Egwu focused on education, Elechi focused on uniting the state, they all did well.

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