Onoh faults Nnaji’s one-term promise, backs zoning, Mbah’s record

By Dennis Agbo

ENUGU — Former Southeast spokesman for President Bola Tinubu and chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Josef Onoh, has criticised the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu State, Uche Nnaji, over remarks in a viral video in which Nnaji reportedly said he was wealthy enough to spend only one term in office to “recover” and rebuild the state.

The trending video reportedly showed Nnaji saying he was rich enough to serve only one term as governor instead of two.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Onoh described the claim as “a dangerous political scam wrapped in arrogance and questionable credentials,” arguing that wealth does not guarantee integrity or respect for established political arrangements.

“Being ‘rich’ has never stopped politicians from clinging to power or destroying established arrangements,” Onoh said.

He referenced Enugu State’s governorship zoning arrangement among the three senatorial districts, which he said had helped sustain political stability since 1999.

According to him, Governor Peter Mbah, who is from Enugu East Senatorial District, was respecting the arrangement by serving out his tenure.

“Disrupting it for personal ambition risks the peace we have enjoyed in Enugu State,” Onoh stated.

He also questioned the basis of Nnaji’s claims of wealth and called for verifiable evidence of businesses that had employed thousands of people, paid taxes, or contributed significantly to economic growth in the state.

Onoh argued that public records and tax filings should support such assertions, particularly in light of past allegations of certificate forgery involving the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the National Youth Service Corps, which he claimed led to investigations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Nnaji’s resignation as Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.

He further challenged Nnaji to identify any public school, hospital, road, scholarship programme, or community project he had personally funded in Enugu State before seeking public office.

“Private success is commendable, but public service demands proven public impact,” he said.

Contrasting Nnaji’s remarks with the record of Governor Mbah, Onoh said the governor had demonstrated “results-driven leadership” with measurable outcomes.

He cited reports of a 280 per cent increase in the state’s internally generated revenue in the early period of Mbah’s administration, as well as the construction of more than 1,000 kilometres of roads, water projects, smart schools, primary healthcare centres and industrial initiatives.

According to Onoh, Mbah’s leadership approach has been “technocratic, evidence-based, and focused on long-term transformation.”

He urged residents of Enugu State to demand integrity, a verifiable public service record and respect for zoning stability from political aspirants, warning against what he described as “recovery theatre” by questionable characters.

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