Nigeria at 61: How Rotation of Power is ensuring Enugu’s consistent developmental strides

Enugu State government recently celebrated thirty years of existence since August 1991. The state has one of the best awesome histories or stories among all the states in Nigeria and the journey of Nigeria 61st Independence brings nostalgic memories of what the people of the state encountered to secure the establishment of the Enugu and celebration of people like C. C. Onoh championing the Wawa movement and the creation of a Wawa state as it was referred to in the past. Enugu has been able to survive and has witnessed successive governments who have championed tremendous economic growth.

One of the ways by which the state has been able to sustain its tremendous growth and development is by ensuring that there is peace in the state as Peace experts believe is the foremost requirement for any state to witness consistent growth and development. “There cannot be a growth of any form in an environment devoid of peace or an environment suffering from tragic bouts of violence. “ To ensure peace and equity in the state, the founding fathers deliberated and decided to keep to the rotation of power among its component units or zones as it was obtained in the old Anambra State. This, of course, was not only to ensure equity; it was also to ensure that there is consistent peace and development in the state. While in some other states, some sections would feel marginalized. This is not the same with Enugu State.

Political Stakeholders and leaders of thought through this process ensures the state is kept away from the violence or rancour associated with power thuggery and election of violence. The state might worry about other issues but certainly not the rotation of power among its component units. This has been obeyed since the creation of the state to date. Since the inception of a stable democracy in 1999, there has been a steady change of power from one zone of the state to another. Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu East was the first governor of the state at the beginning of Nigeria’s fourth republic and he handed over to Sullivan Chime of Enugu West zone and Sullivan handed it over to Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu North zone. Thus, at this point, there has been an unbroken exchange of power

Each State Government knows that to keep power rotating among the component units and zones in the state means uninterrupted governance and it also means an easy flow of business, less youth restiveness and less political tension means more development and economic stability for everyone. This makes any elected government support the zoning formula or procedure even when there are varying opinions about the zoning. For instance, H. E. Chimaroke Nnamani didn’t let these distractions deter him when he made his government work for the handover of power to Sullivan Chime. The government at that point worked with the political structure of PDP to see that Mr Chime is elected on the platform. Thus, the people continue to live in harmony and there is some sort of fusion or intermingling between politics and governance. Hence, there is little differentiation between the political and governing structure as they are closely linked. This makes it easy for any government in power to use the political structure and achieve the aim of power rotation.

H. E. Sullivan Chime of Enugu West zone was elected in 2007 and he started work immediately. He didn’t let politicking and the party structure distract him that much as provided dividends of democracy to the people, especially the people in the capital city. During his time, the Enugu North zone looked up to receiving the leadership mantle from his government. The zone had good facts as to why they felt their zone was neglected. Most of the previous administrations focused their works and administration on Enugu city or around the city, neglecting Nsukka city and the zone. It was in Sullivan’s regime that there was heightened agitation for the creation of Adada State. However, Sullivan’s government did not give up on the rotational politics instituted by the founding fathers of the state as the government utilized the PDP political structure in handing over power to Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu North Zone. At the point when Ifeanyi was elected in 2015, Enugu North suffered neglect in infrastructure and there was little or no presence of state infrastructure in the zone. Most people of the zone heave a sigh of relief as a citizen of the zone was elected. It meant that the zone would no longer be neglected as it were.

One of the reasons why the Enugu State Government since 1999 has insisted on rotational politics as a system of government is to get development to every zone. Nigerian politics as what is obtained in it is that politicians tend to work more for their constituencies as this plays out in Enugu State as well. Any governor elected tends to work more in his constituency or where he is more familiar with. This makes development and growth spread out in the state and The state develops uniformly this way and no side is ignored.

In this present time, there have been repeated calls by some of the state’s politicians for the cancellation of the unwritten rotational politics and formula of the state. These politicians argue that the right subject or idea should be competency over equitable sharing of power. To them, the state is in dire need of competent hands to take it to an enviable height. Of course, this does not mean that the leaders they have had are not competent or something. The state is performing above average in most indices due to many reasons including the kind of leaders it has had since 1999.

As H. E. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi government rounds off and looks towards the 2023 general elections, permutations are ongoing on what would play out. Citizens of the state watch wearily as some politicians kick against the zoning or rotational politics formula while some other politicians continue to be in support. There are varying plans and expectations concerning zoning. The first group insists that zoning must be upheld and as that Enugu East zone goes after Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. The second group kicks against zoning and believes everyone should contest on competency ground. The third group believes that if zoning is kicked away it can start from anywhere or anyone from any zone can contest, thus, Enugu North with over 45% population of the state is eligible and can contest.

The Government of Enugu State knows the importance of rotational politics and zoning in the state and knows very well that it cannot be ignored. The kind of politics obtained in the state has made the state extra-peaceful and development-oriented. Furthermore, development is evenly spread and no side is neglected. In the present Enugu, there is development going on everywhere and the government has a good role to play in this. The government knows this fact and would not want to jeopardize the giant strides the state has made this far.

- Chinweokwu Ukwueze writes from Enugu State.