By Chuma Austin, Enugu
Like a mustard seed, a pressure group called “Enugu State Citizens Support for Equity and Good Governance (ESCSEG) started with a gathering of few youths of like minds in Enugu the Enugu State capital sometime in June 2021 with its focal point to sensitize eligible voters on the need to have their voter’s cards so as to elect credible political leaders in 2023.
Today, the group led by Comrade Emmanuel Onyedonzi Onwe, conservatively, can boast of over 500 members across the 17 local government areas of the state.
News Echo Correspondent recalls that the non-partisan group was inaugurated in Enugu on June 26, 2021 by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi via his Senior Special Assistant on Contact and Mobilization, Hon. Chinedu Mba.
During the inauguration, Ugwuanyi noted that his regime had provided an enabling environment for business and all other interest groups to thrive, stressing that Enugu remains the most peaceful state in the country.
The governor said that the formation of ESCSEG was apt and timely, hoping that the group would help in creating more political awareness on voters’ civic responsibility to elect leaders of their choice in elections.
His words: “Today’s inuguration of Enugu State Citizens Support for Equity and Good Governance is a welcome development. It is apt and timely. I am also glad to see women in their large number here. Remain focus and we will give you all the necessary support”, he added.
Earlier in his address, the State Coordinator of ESCSEG, Comrade Onwe, explained, “Enugu State Citizens Support for Equity and Good Governance is a socio-political pressure group with no affiliation with political party or political interest group.
According to Onwe, “ESCSEG as a non-interest political movement was established to promote equity, good governance and social justice with a mission to engage the citizens to actively participate in democratic process to reduce political related apathy among the citizens”
According to him, “Official opening of our state office today is coming at a time our country is witnessing widespread insecurity which our dear state has her own fair share”
“We at ESCSEG believe that the current security challenges across the country is traceable to decades of negligence and bad governance by successive government at all levels”
“This official opening of our state office is also coming at the time almost all the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria is agitating for one thing or the other. This is hinged on poor government. Poor governance is increasingly regarded as one of the causes of societal ills.
“In the midst of this, the citizens remains at the receiving end. This is as a result of disconnect between the governed and governance.
“When we talk about societal challenges such as armed robbery, kidnapping, terrorism, economic sabotage, vandalism etc. and weigh it with bad governance which is generally believed to be the root causes and the inability of government all at all levels to bring all these to acceptable end could be as a result of citizens unwillingness to participate in governance process.
“When citizens feel that development activities perform by the government is for them, it means the work performed by the government is people oriented.
“To close the existing gap between the governed and the governance, the Enugu State Citizens Support for Equity and Good Governance (ESCSEG) has adopted an approach called “Citizen Empowerment through Advocacy”.
“We have also set up bottom-top continuous voter’s registration sensitization committee since last month to ensure that our people are well informed on the need to have their voter’s card to enable them participate in choosing who leads them in future elections.
Various Speakers at the event dwelt on the need for good governance, adding that it is a panacea to on-going restiveness in the land.
Among the Speakers were: Dr. John Collins Nwobodo, National Coordinator, North-South Progressive Movement and former SSA to Enugu State Governor on Public complaints (Chairman of the occasion), Eminent Scholar, Prof. Jehu Onyekwere Nnaji, Professor of International Law, Comrade Osmond Ugwu President, International Solidarity for Peace and Human Right Initiative (Guest Speaker) Provost, African Thinkers College of Education, Enugu and chairman Civil Liberties Organizations (CLO), Comrade Zulu Ofuelue, Hon. Manifest Nnamani Central coordinator, Ogbako Ndi Nkanu.
True to its bidding, the group swiftly moved into action with inauguration of its local executive and enlightenment programe on voters’ registration excercise to Nkanu-West, Udi and Uzo Uwani Local Government Areas of the State, respectively.
Indeed, it was a huge success at Agbani in Nkanu-West Local Government Area which is the country home of the former governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, who currently represents Enugu-East Senatorial zone at the Upper House.
Hundreds of people including the Nkanu-West local government chairman, Hon. Nwabueze Nnamani, and some of his cabinet members were in attendance.
Speaking at the formal kick-off/inuguration of the group at Agbani, the State Coordinator of ESCSEG, Onwe, explained that they extended the campaign to rural communities to reach more eligible voters in the state.
Onwe who decried aparthy in the on-going voters’registration excercise, noted that good governance begins with credible election, stressing, “ESCSEG as a non-interest political movement was established to promote equity, good governance and social justice with a mission to engage the citizens to actively participate in democratic process to reduce political related apathy among the citizens”
He reiterated that his group believed that the current security challenges across the country is traceable to decades of negligence and bad governance by successive government at all levels.
In his speech, the Chairman of the Nkanu-West Local Government Area, Hon. Nnamani, said he was overwhelmed with the activities of ESCSEG, urging them to keep the tempo high.
The enlightenment on voters’registration excercise is apt and timely and I encourage you all to go ahead with the good job, adding that there is poor turn out of people for the excercise in the area.
“We are happy for what you people are doing. Our people don’t realize that you can make a positive change in governance with your voter card”, he added.
Also speaking, the Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) in the local government area, Emmanuel Nzewuihe, commended the socio-cultural group for embarking on the voters’ registration enlightenment, stressing that it would impact positively on the people as many don’t know the importance of their civic responsibility.
He said that he had been recording poor turn out of people in the local government area which he noted was not in the interest of Ndigbo.
The story of political aparthy on the citizens was also reechoed in Udi and Uzo Uwani local governments when the group extend it’s campaign to the areas.
The Electoral Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Udi, Mrs Cecilia Ejimofor, said it is worrisome recording low turnout of people in the on-going continuous voters’ registration excercise in rural communities in the state.
Speaking at the formal Inauguration of Udi locai government executive of the non-governmental- organization, Mrs Ejimofor, said the poor turn out would impact negatively on the electorate.
Mrs Ejimofor, noted that the continous voter’s registration excercise was a strategy put in place by the electoral body to provide more opportunities to eligible voters have voters’ cards with a view to fulfilling their civic responsibility in 2023 elections.
“I commend this group, Enugu State Citizens Support for Equity and Good Governance for moving its enlightenment campaign on voters’ registration excercise to Udi Local Government Area of the State.
“INEC will partner with this group because they are going extra mile to make sure our people participate fully in electing their leaders democratically”, she added.
Earlier his speech, the State Coordinator of ESCSEG, Comrade Onwe, explained that they extended the campaign to rural communities to reach more eligible voters in the state.
Onwe who also decried aparthy in the on-going voters’registration excercise, noted that good governance begins with credible election, stressing, “ESCSEG as a non-interest political movement was established to promote equity, good governance and social justice with a mission to engage the citizens to actively participate in democratic process to reduce political related apathy among the citizens”
“When we talk about societal challenges such as armed robbery, kidnapping, terrorism, economic sabotage, vandalism etc. and weigh it with bad governance which is generally believed to be the root causes and the inability of government at all levels to bring all these to acceptable end, could be as a result of citizens unwillingness to participate in governance process.
Repeating his earlier message, Onwe said, “when citizens feel that development activities perform by the government is for them, it means the work performed by the government is people-oriented.
An indigene of the local government, Agu Ozo in an interview, said he was overwhelmed with the activities of ESCSEG, urging them to keep the tempo high.
The enlightenment on voters’registration excercise is apt and timely and I encourage them all to go ahead with the good job, adding that there is poor turn out of people for the excercise in the area.
“We are happy for what you people are doing. Our people don’t realize that you can make a positive change in governance with your voter card”, he added.
At Uzo Uwani Local Government Area the INEC Electoral Officer, Regina Nweze, who spoke during the formal inauguration of the group also decried low level of voter’s registration excercise in the area.
Nweze who was represented at the event by her assistant, Bona Idoko, noted that the local government holds the record for the least registration in the state, said she believes the newly inaugurated group would turn the situation around.
“The turnout is so poor, there are moments we stay here for a whole day and we don’t record anybody. So we want greater turnout. This local government has the lowest turnout for the exercise in the entire state.
“The registration of voters is the very first stage of our civic responsibility. If you don’t do it, you will not be able to contest election, you will not be able to vote. So the right to seek elective positions and to vote starts with this exercise.
Speaking earlier, the state coordinator of ESCSEG, Onwe, said that the group was determined to help mobilize voters for the ongoing voter registration across the 17 local government areas of the state.
“We started this exercise in September this year. We are here to help INEC to ensure that our people are well captured in this ongoing voters registration. We have been able to cover Nkanu West, Udi and here we are in Uzo-Uwani local government areas. By next month we’ll move to other locations.
“After this, the inaugurated executives will move into the various communities and wards so that people can be well mobilized to participate. What we are doing is to encourage the executives to approach individuals who can assist them in the communities.
The question in lips of many people in the Coal City State and beyond is: “How far will pressure groups, government and other relevant agencies go in making the people have confidence in the authority at the centre amidst call for self-determination by Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the growing security challenges in Southeast geo-political zone?
Chuma Austin, A Public Affairs Analyst, wrote in from Enugu State
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