EXPOSED!! HON. UCHE NNAJI CERTIFICATE: A DECEITFUL PLOT TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM FRAUD, EXPLOITATION AND MISGOVERNANCE IN ENUGU STATE

A deliberate attempt is underway to distract Ndi Enugu from the harsh realities of fraud, exploitation, and misgovernance that have engulfed Enugu State under the current administration. The sudden controversy surrounding Hon. Uche Nnaji’s certificate is nothing but a calculated plot to divert public attention from deep-seated failures that have brought suffering upon the people.

May 29, 2023, was a defining moment in Enugu’s political history. For the first time since 1999, Ndi Enugu overwhelmingly rejected the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), largely due to the unpopularity of its candidate, Dr. Peter Mbah, whose tenure as Chief of Staff under former Governor Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani remains infamous for violence and corruption. Several actors in that administration faced EFCC prosecution and asset forfeiture cases, confirming the massive looting of public funds. Dr. Mbah himself was detained for ten months by the EFCC before emerging mysteriously wealthy, floating Pinnacle Oil and Gas , a development that rekindled memories of those dark days in Enugu politics.

Since assuming office, the fears of Ndi Enugu have sadly been confirmed. The administration’s mantra of “Business Unusual” and “Lean Government” has translated into hardship, exclusion, and exploitation. Key supporters of the PDP feel betrayed as the governor surrounds himself with external consultants and private contractors imported from Lagos, sidelining the very people who delivered him at the polls.

Of particular concern are allegations surrounding the N48 billion Presidential Hotel renovation, an amount experts say could buy an entirely new five-star luxury hotel abroad. The much-publicized Enugu Water Project, said to have gulped over N50 billion, has yielded no visible improvement as residents still endure chronic water scarcity. Meanwhile, skyrocketing rent, increased ground rent, and multiple taxation , some reportedly raised by as much as 4,000%, have crippled civil servants and small business owners alike.

The SUJIMOTOR scandal remains a major red flag, with reports alleging that out of ₦5 billion paid to the contractor, ₦2.5 billion was returned as kickbacks, an egregious example of what the government now calls “Business Unusual.”

Across Enugu, the destruction of markets such as Afor Garriki, Ogige Nsukka, Abakpa, and Ogui Road has left tens of thousands unemployed and many families devastated. Once vibrant commercial hubs that supported over 20,000 livelihoods now stand desolate. The human cost of these demolitions has been heartbreaking , widows, traders, and artisans plunged into hopelessness, many reportedly dying of heartbreak or stroke.

Petty traders now pay ₦200 daily “levies,” amounting to over ₦70,000 yearly, while small shop owners face multiple taxes and threats of closure. Communities such as Owo continue to protest illegal annexation of ancestral lands by government-backed agencies, raising fresh concerns about abuse of power through the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA).

Against this grim backdrop, it is disheartening that political actors are orchestrating a smear campaign centered on the credentials of Chief (Hon.) Uche Nnaji, Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, a respected performer with no connection to Enugu’s local governance crisis. This malicious distraction is intended to divert attention from the real issue: the suffering of Ndi Enugu under an administration marked by opacity, insensitivity, and propaganda.

The Lion Building, once a symbol of hope and people-centered leadership, has sadly become a fortress of despair and oppression. However, recent political developments, particularly the Enugu South House of Assembly by-election , have sent a clear message. The emergence of Nwakibie, who led the people to reject PDP at the polls once again, is a strong indication that Ndi Enugu have woken up.

The tide is turning. The propaganda will fail. The people will speak again.

Nwakibie is coming.

Signed:

Emeka Ugwu

Concerned Citizen and Advocate for Good Governance

Enugu, Nigeria