For most residents in Enugu, water has been the longest in their wishlist and then the heat-wrenching state of the road. The PDP government has suddenly made, within few days, some attempt to remedy what the people had been demanding for many years…
The Enugu state gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Frank Nweke Jr delivered an unprecedented hands-on manifesto that for one highlighted the social and economic struggles of the people and at the same time brought the ruling party’s government ineptitude to light like never before.
The audience was quiet during the delivery; it was like an exhibition, other times they were moved by pictorial presentation that depicted their plight and sufferings, still at times they were excited in hope like a congregation who believes in a better tomorrow. Never before have the people of Enugu been taken through a path highlighting their miserable conditions and at the same time offering the roadmap to restoration and growth.
Suddenly that manifesto became the discussion in town; in social gatherings, salons, pubs, and occupied the frontburner in media space.
THE PEOPLE WEREN’T THE ONLY ONES PAYING ATTENTION.
As waves of the Frank Nweke Jr ‘s manifesto continue to reverberate across the breadth of Enugu state, there became a plethora of political reactions; desperate makeshift attempts laced in pretentious cheap façade to gaslight the people with insincere projects to garner political points.
It was a positive development for the people. The ruling PDP’s government who has hitherto taken the ascension of political offices as its birthright and went about its campaign casually has now been hit wth a political punch jolting it into desperate reactions in infrastructural makeshifts and bogus press releases.
Enugu PDP leadership which has remained coldly aloof and unresponsive to the plight of Enugu urban which has been hit for so long with water scarcity and hike in price for over a year despite the loud wailing of the people, has suddenly started pumping out water barely days after the manifesto of the APGA’s candidate.
The embarrassing roads that have been abandoned for nearly 8 years suddenly began receiving cosmetic dressing. The road leading to the new Secretariat which has stood for years as the symbol of government infrastructural decay has now begun to receive attention. Aria/Kingsway road, the perennial cause of long vehicular traffic and sufferings for the people is being given a clown’s look in weak repairs.
For once over two decades, the Enugu State PDP has realised it is no longer business as usual, the dawn of political dividends has already begun and the signs the 2023 elections in Enugu will not a be political walk in the park for the ruling party as usual is here.
The Frank Nweke Jr’s APGA Manifesto has already altered for good, the political participation for the people of Enugu and delivered a lasting imprint on our democratic journey. A monopolistic political environment has already weakened the political participation, education and reaction of the people for long and the break of this political shell is long overdue.
Come what may 2023, the winners of the forthcoming elections will be the people of Enugu state and the harbinger of that people’s victory would be Frank Nweke Jr whose manifesto has awakened the political consciousness of the people and stirred the ruling party from its devilish slumber.
