The ripples thrown up by the recent invitation of the Special Adviser to Governor Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State on Local Government Matters and the state’s Account-General by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have understandably not settled, but the governor is not perturbed. At least, his outward look and utterances clearly speak volumes of that.

Suspended Udi local government boss Mr. Oscar Egwuonwu had petitioned EFCC recently, alleging that Governor Nnamani owns most of the vibrant business organizations and educational institutions in the state. He alleged that billions of naira that came the way of the state since 1999 were diverted by the governor to set up his alleged mega business outfits.

As would be expected, the petition is raising dusts in the state. And it is largely on account of the fact that not only are the issues raised novel to the residents of the state, the underlying motive of the petitioner as well as the real forces behind the petition are yet to be deciphered by many.

However, while some residents of the state may be batting their eyelids over the issue, Governor Nnamani is unruffled. He feels that there is no reason to be hitting his head on the wall on account of that. His aides are also in a similar frame of mind.

Quite well, the reason why the governor and his men are not losing sleep over the EFCC’s searchlight on the state is not farfetched. The achievements of the administration in infrastructural development as well as its strides in governance have imbued them with massive confidence that the instigators of the EFCC probe are well on a wild goose chase.

Really, it is difficult to visit the sites of some of the state’s projects without going home with a similar verdict that any allegation of embezzlement of the state’s funds against Governor Nnamani may be difficult to prove.

For instance, the state university, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, (ESUT) that hitherto operated from make shift buildings is now incontestably one of the best institutions in the country. In an era where newly established Federal universities are making do with five buildings for students and scores of residential buildings for lecturers and workers, ESUT has hundreds of ultra modern buildings built for the comfort of students, lecturers and other workers. The new medical school for the institution is also a sight to behold.

Already, 39 new structures which have en suite hostels for students, state of the art medical science library and health delivery facilities have been completed.

The state government is beating its chest for the achievements. It is also giving itself kudos for the near completion of the multibillion naira international-all-glass conference centre; near completion of a road tunnel, linking Ogui road from the Artisan end with Okpara Avenue and completion of the Golf Course Housing Estate.

The same feeling of accomplishment is being extended to the completion of dualisation of Chime Avenue New Haven road and the construction of many other roads in the state.

The projects are said to have gulped N30 billion. By far, the estimate seems a conservative one, at least judging by the architectural designs, high quality and massive nature of the projects.

The state government does not hesitate in taking anybody desirous to authenticate its claims to the sites of the projects. “We don’t just claim that we did this or that, we take anybody in doubt to the project sites to see for himself and value the projects,” Commissioner for Information, Mr. Ogazimora Igbonekwu told Daily Champion.

He added, “we are not like some state governments who would prefer that their achievements are made to be on papers only. Our own are there for anybody to see and touch. And that is the reason why we are not bothered by the petition to EFCC. We have clean records, our governor has run one of the most transparent and accountable governments in Nigeria. The record is there for anybody to see and verify.”

Those who want the administration of Governor Nnamani probed by EFCC are accusing it of misappropriating N52 billion. They are however silent on the total revenue profile of the state, between 1999 to date, out of which the governor as they claim, siphoned N52 billion.

“The opposition in Enugu is one of the most fertile-minded in the history of opposition in Nigeria, attributing misappropriation of about N52 billion to a government that has so far collected about N58 billion from May 1999 till date (excluding December 2005).

“We are aware that, this being the preparatory stage to the election year, there is a frantic desperation by the opposition to muckrake, mudsling and tar-brush a government that is adjudged to be at the vanguard of democratic performance,” the commissioner said.

While Governor Nnamani’s accusers are keeping sealed lips on how much money that came to the coffers of the state from 1999 to date, the state government believes the public should be furnished with information on that.

Accordingly, it submitted that “as already fully publicized by the office of the Federal Minister of Finance, Enugu is known to have received a total of N2.5 billion in 1999, N8.6 in 2000, N6.1 billion for 2001, N6.5 billion for the year 2002; N8.8 billion for 2003 and N12.96 billion for year 2004. For the yet uncompleted 2005, the government of Enugu State received a total of N12.4 billion. This comes to a grand total of N57.1 billion, as Federation Account allocation to the government of Enugu State.”

It continued, “this meager earning notwithstanding, Enugu has embarked on an aggressive developmental stride that promises reckoning in history. It is with this same lean resources, far worse and indeed abysmal in the first tenure of this administration that the government executed phenomenal development projects, including over 500 kilometers of roads, boreholes, rural electrification, housing development and health institutions.”

Although it was not uttered out but somehow the feeling in the state Government House and among a sizeable percentage of Enugu residents is that those who have dragged Governor Nnamani’s administration to EFCC are either quislings or they are government’s opponents or those who have lost out in the state’s political equation but who are desperately looking for means to chop off a vital part of the governor.

According to Dr. Godwin Ekene, a medical practitioner, “I am not a politician. I am not a fan of the governor but I cannot in good conscience accuse him of not achieving anything. He has done well. Those who are accusing him are his fellow politicians. Maybe he has prevented them from realizing their ambition and they are looking for ways of paying him back. But what I can tell anybody, because I am a Christian, is that the governor has performed excellently.”

Ogazimorah believes also that all that is happening in the state presently is politics. “What is going on is pure politics. We are not really upset, it is normal,” he said.

The commissioner re-echoed the view of Dr. Ekene that “we have done well. The governor has excelled. Everybody knows that and can attest to that.’

Really, in terms of performance, the governor was recently adjudged the best governor by the National Planning Commission in conjunction with international donor agencies.

Similar honour was given to him by European Union States Ambassadors in Nigeria last year. President Olusegun Obasanjo and his Vice, Atiku Abubakar have described him as a great leader who is setting the pace for others in the corridors of power.

Predictably, the governor will continue to count on these honours than the petitions and allegations of financial misdeeds from his opponents.

Daily Champion, Thursday, February 02, 2006