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Governor
Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State has affirmed that the democratic
leadership of Senator Ahmadu Ali, national Chairman of the People’s
Democratic Party, PDP, as well as the foresight of President, Olusegun
Obasanjo, could not have been more exemplified than it was exhibited
in the credibility of the just concluded ward congresses, which according
to him,
set in motion the irreversible trend of transition to the expected
2007 era.
Praising Senator Ali, whom he said had always stood heads and shoulders
above emotions and pretensions in leadership, Nnamani said, “such leadership
which produces over 95 per cent success in congresses held in thousands of
wards across Nigeria is indicative of the man’s abilities to
manage complex organisations and programmes without qualms. I am
proud of him.”
Stating that he never had any doubts about the abilities of Senator
Ali, especially when it was obvious that he was guided by the leadership
philosophy
of the President, Governor Nnamani declared that “it has
become clear to all that what Mr. President had wanted all along
and what
he set for us
to do, was to re-establish a firmer foundation for the Nigeria State,” which
he said was being run to uphold hopes for all.
"That way", Nnamani stated, "President Obasanjo’s
reform programmes were put in place, and the energetic efforts deployed
to avert
a state
of
indirection, further stagnation and confusion.” He said Nigerians
had also seen that even as the two term tenure was coming to
an end, “Mr.
President is still reaching new crescendos, signing a life-saving
and would-be enduring contract of revival for the railways, injecting
newer
ideas and
sustaining the very tempo of reform which he pioneered since 1999."
Referring to successes made in major sectors of the economy since
1999, Governor Nnamani said, “today, telephone is no longer
used for status symbol, but as economically productive facilities
in the hands
of every
Nigerian.
By the consolidation process, the banks are stronger and more positioned
to help the growth and development of our economy. By the oil exploration
reforms, the downstream oil exploration is both more transparent
and productive today. For once after so long a time we now have a
well
articulated and
programmed educational development initiatives. And the infrastructure
base of Nigeria
is returning to what it used to be in the late 1970s and early 1980s,
that is with the hope of surpassing that age of innocence.”
“Remember,” Governor Nnamani argued vehemently, “I said
in the past and still repeat that it is only a leader as deeply rooted
as
Chief
Obasanjo who, rather than embrace populist political and economic
actions, in 1999, would summon the courage to take the painful path
of reform,
revival, repositioning and redirection, before ever hoping to appease
the thirst for
immediate gains.”
According to him, many Nigerians hardly believed that the. President
was focused on his debt management plans until he achieved the astounding
results which
according to him, Nigerians were now reaping in the debt cancellation,
rescheduling and renegotiations.
Said the Governor: “many Nigerians hardly understand the
visceral grip such debt profile had on Nigeria, both as a State and an
economy,
and so could
not
link it with the fitful state of the economy which still had to get
its operations right with foreign technology, financial input and
other international
contributions.
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