The visit provided a much-needed break from the wrangling trailing the earlier visit of two reconciliation committees of the party to the state. The citizens thus waited with keen expectation for the President, hoping to hear him as the leader of the party and with his characteristic candour, pronounce judgment so to speak, on the dispute between the factions loyal to Governor Chimaroke Nnamani and Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani respectively.

The President did not disappoint them and at the end of the day, it was the Governor that apparently won his heart while the opposition got a tongue-lashing. He must have obviously been overwhelmed by the sheer size and beauty of the mega projects fully executed and delivered to the people by Governor Nnamani.

Dressed in blue and white agbada, the president arrived Enugu airport at 10.35am aboard a presidential aircraft, marked Nigeria Air Force 5N FGT, where a mammoth crowd led by the governor received him. Immediately afterwards, he headed to project sites, commissioning and inspecting on-going projects and flagging off new ones.

Project after project, the President spared few words in commending the governor saying that his accomplishments have given a lie to the claims of his critics that he was doing nothing with the prodigious amount of public funds at his disposal.

“Again I want to commend his effort. It is easy for human beings to say that nothing is being done but at least na koro koro eye I take see this one. It doesn’t matter what you say, Enugu is working. But I see and I believe what I see, rather than what they tell me,” Obasanjo said while commissioning the Ebeano Tunnel Crossing and the road linking the Ogui road with Abakaliki road in Enugu urban.

While commissioning the main auditorium of the Enugu Campus of the Nigeria Law School, President Obasanjo came down hard on the critics of the government whom he said had petitioned his office, asking him not to come and visit the state. He said: “if this is a state that is crying for development, the best thing we can do is to join hands in developing this state. We can differ politically but we could not differ in terms of the development of our state which is our joint enterprise.”

Expressing both surprise and satisfaction at their massiveness, as well as the ambition to complete these projects in record time, the President said he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the governor was leaving imperishable legacies for generations yet to come in the state.

Speaking at various other spots where he commissioned several projects, the President declared that it would always take extra courage, strength and determination to begin big and costly projects as the governor had executed and only the ability to focus would carry the government through a melee of jealous critics.

“I want to, on my own behalf, and on the behalf of my entourage thank you, Governor Nnamani, for inviting us to come, and we are happy with what we have see,” the President affirmed.

At the Ebeano Tunnel Crossing, President Obasanjo said, “again, I want to commend this effort. It is easy for human beings to say that nothing is being done, but at least, na koro koro eye I take see… well it does not matter what you say, Enugu is working. But I see and I believe what I see rather that what they tell me. We have great pleasure and joy to commission this Enugu Tunnel Road,” he said.

At the Enugu state University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine, Obasanjo also commissioned the completed projects recalling that he had during the foundation laying ceremony of the project last year promised to come back for its commissioning.

He said: “I remember that last time we came here and we looked round and we were impressed by what we saw that was under construction. And the Governor asked then if when completed he would like the commissioning to be done by me. I thank you for keeping your word by completing the project and I thank myself or keeping my promise.

“What we saw at that time was impressive. What we are seeing today is more impressive. I will say more grease to your elbow because there are three things I regard as infrastructure – health, education and nutrition.

“And it is my pleasure and joy in dedicating and commissioning this complex to the honour and glory of God Almighty for the welfare and well-being and enhancement of the basic health of the people of this state in general and of course Enugu city in particular, and for the eradication of diseases and pandemic and “eradicable” diseases in our land and the well-being of all the staff and management of the hospital.”

At the ultra-modern Judiciary Complex named after Justice J.C.N. Ugwu, former Enugu State Chief Judge, the president congratulated the former CJ and praised the governor for immortalizing him (Ugwu) while he was still alive, adding that the project which was initiated and executed by the Nnamani administration, would enhance the working of the judiciary in the state.

Commissioning the Tunnel Crossing described by many as the first of its kind in the whole country, the president said: “We are ensuring that where there is a railway crossing a road, we are now making them either to be over-bridge or under-pass and that is what you have done here, so that there will be no need to hold up the traffic either of human beings or of vehicles.”

He prayed that users of the Tunnel and the road would do so without getting involved in accident, stressing that the road would enhance flow of traffic as well as ensure users’ comfort and convenience. After commissioning the dualized Rangers avenue and the Chief Z. C .Obi link road, the president who was accompanied by some members of the Federal Executive Council, Chieftains of Peoples democratic Party (PDP) and the Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi (who joined the Presidential convoy on the road to Agbani,) among others, inspected the International Conference Centre and the Loma Linda Housing Estate under construction and flagged off the Ozalla – Agbani road dualisation project before moving to the permanent site of ESUT at the Ebeano City.

The president and his entourage, who were received by excited members of the University community at the ESUT permanent site, drove round the campus and commissioned several projects including the Vice Chancellor’s Lodge, Law Faculty, Hostel blocks, two cafeterias, the dual-carriage way entry into the university, the prototype hostel facilities and the water borehole.

Also at Agbani, President Obasanjo inspected the new auditorium of the justice Augustine Nnamani campus of the Nigeria Law School, Agbani being built for the institution by the Enugu State Government and thanked the governor for the gesture.

In one of his speeches, the President said he had been under intense pressure from member of the opposition in the state to blacklist the Governor over heavy charges bordering on corruption and abuse of power, stressing that his observations on the tour clearly showed that some of the allegations were either false or have been exaggerated.

Referring to the recent visit of officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the state at the instance of the opposition, he said: “If anybody has anything that he wants EFCC to look into, un hun hun (a Yoruba euphemism for ‘it’s their look-out’)

Stating that it was not a new thing for petitions to be written against any public official and for the EFCC to proceed on investigations of the person, the President gave an example of himself as having been accused and having been investigated by the same investigative organ.

“EFCC is putting searchlight on every part of the country, not Enugu alone. When a governor accused me wrongly and very foolishly, I called on EFCC and said, here I am, I am open, investigate me thoroughly and they did. I believe I have to give that example and I did. So if EFCC gets any complaint or any petition about anybody or place, it is their duty to investigate. It is not a means of vilifying or castigation anybody,” the President explained.

He said that despite efforts by the opposition to convince him not to visit Enugu, he decided to undertake the tour in order to see things for himself rather than listen to gossip and insinuations. “I am not holding brief for the governor; I am not saying the governor is an angel and I am not saying he is a devil… and I have gladly and happily accepted the invitation of Governor Nnamani and I am happy that I have come,” he said.

At the splendid college of Medicine and Teaching Hospital of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), which Mr. President commissioned about 10.45am, he declared, “Hm, didn’t they say that he (Gov. Nnamani) was using computer simulation to deceive people. This one na real oh…today, we can see that these are live projects and they are finished with the commitment and vision of a leader”.

It was, however, not all praises for Governor Nnamani for much as he showered his praises on the governor over his success in infrastructural development, the President in his usual frank manner expressed his reservations about the state of agriculture in the state saying he wished as much attention had been paid to the area.

The tour was not without its usual low points especially as they concerned the conduct of security officials accompanying the President. Towards the end of the tour of projects, and as the President was being awaited at the Enugu Government House Lodge where he was expected to attend a state banquet, security agents made a point of harassing and rough handling top government officials and journalists.

Even the Enugu State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Igbonekwu Ogazimorah was not spared the embarrassment being dished out by the security details. Leading a team of visiting journalists to the lodge, his path was blocked by stern looking security agents in mufti and the following conversation ensued between him and the leader of the squad. Security agent: “Mr. man where are you going and who are this people?” Commissioner for Information: “These people are journalists from Lagos and I am to take them into the banquet hall”

Security agent: “Which Commissioner? You can’t go in, are you from (Nigerian) Tribune?” Commissioner: “I said I am the Commissioner…”

Security agent: I said are you from Tribune? If you are not from Tribune please go back, I have finished with you”. The totally nonplussed Commissioner had no option than to comply.

The Governor’s Principal Secretary, Mrs. Sylvia Onwubemeli also had her fair share of the force as she was barred from entering the hall despite her protestations that she only wanted to confer with the Secretary to the State Government over a matter that needed his urgent attention.

It was however the President himself who threw the egg in the face of the over zealous security agents.

Arriving the lodge he quickly went into the governor’s sitting room and less than five minutes later he was racing to the airport completely ignoring the banquet hall where the security details were playing king.

When the security details realized that the President had gone, they quickly melted way to escape the wrath of all those they had so brazenly offended.

All in all, analysts in Enugu are viewing the President’s visit as having been more of a political assignment than it was administrative. Governor Nnamani clearly came out of it triumphant against his critics and how the visit may bear upon his political future is sure to engage the attention of the analysts.

From Daily Champion, Friday, June 30, 2006