(News Release)
As the countdown to the May 23rd Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries in Enugu state begins, a political support group has warned of the consequences of massive media blackmail of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi being planned by Nkanu Peoples Assembly.
The group, Nsukka Forum for Fairness and Equity (NFFE) in a press statement signed by its coordinator, Obeta Obeta, Tuesday, said it has information of the planned media blitz against the governor of Enugu state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to compel him to throw his massive political weight in favour of one of the aspirants for the governorship of the state.
NFFE said it is to the credit of the state governor that he has allowed the democratic spirit to characterise the processes leading to the coming election unlike what happened in the past in the state when former Governor Chimaraoke Nnamani employed violence to intimidate opposition members.
In their words: “ we are aware of plans by Nkanu Peoples Assembly and their leaders to embark on a massive media war against the governor of Enugu State to push him to throw his support for Peter Mbah, the favourite of the NPA as we count down to the governorship primary in the state.
“Let us make it clear that we will meet blackmail with blackmail, threat with threat, reason with reason and intimidation with intimidation.
“We should make it abundantly clear too, that Enugu East senatorial zone to which the good people of Enugu state have zoned the governorship to, consist of several clans including the Nkanus, the Ngwos, the Isi Uzos, the settlers and the Nike people. This same claim that Nkanu people have over any political position is the same which other groups also have in a democratic society,” NFFE said.
It regretted that Nkanu Peoples Assembly has promoted antagonism and bad blood in Enugu state as opposed to the peaceful disposition of the government in Enugu and other political stakeholders in the state.
“Nkanu Peoples Assembly should be aware that the support for zoning in the state should not be taken for granted. So far, the activities and utterances of its leaders show that it prefers intimidation to dialogue.
NFFE also asked the governor to ensure that all the local governments in the zone have equal opportunity to aspire to the highest office in the state with a good spread of political offices to all parts of the zone.
In their words: “there are three federal constituencies in Enugu East zone. One of them wants to be in the senate, become governor and still go to the House of Representatives. This is unacceptable and very unfair. The governor has a duty not just to ensure equity and fairness but to protect the weak among the society.”
Speaking on the planned media blackamail against the governor, NFFE said it is aware of the return of a notable media columnist to Enugu, to coordinate the media attack and churn out unverifiable reports against the governor and the Peoples Democratic Party leadership in the state.
“We are aware that they have brought back that columnist to Enugu but we promise them that we will be ready for them”.
