Anxiety in Enugu as Mbah delays key appointments 

        BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU

Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, was on Monday May 29, 2023 sworn in as the 5th governor of Enugu State since it was carved out from the old Enugu State with Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo being the first governor of the state.

Between May 29 and now, anxiety is already growing in the Coal City State, especially among the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faithful over who gets what in the new administration.

Interestingly, Mbah has kick-started governance by signing three executive orders and has also picked a Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in the person of Professor Chidiebere Onyia.

The governor has also taken a bold step to ending the Mondays’ Sit-at-home in the state, although generating mixed reactions largely due to what some considered as confrontational approach by the state government.

By recent moves, despite the ongoing litigation over his election, Mbah has shown that he is indeed prepared to govern the state and that he has an independent mind without being teleguided by the so-called godfathers who dictate the tune underground without the public knowing.

Since he announced his first appointment, all eyes are on him to make further key appointments especially in choosing his media team that would help project his government in good light and be able to handle crisis that might arise in the course of governance without being at loggerheads with the media or the public misunderstanding his policies.

Already, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Enugu State Council has appealed to the new administration to consider journalists and media practitioners from within the council instead of picking professionals abroad in choosing members of his media team. The council made the appeal in a four-point Communique reached at the end of their May monthly Congress.  This appeal cum request could be informed by past experience where past administrators preferred to choose their media team from outside whereas there are competent members of the council many of which have paid their dues in journalism practice and should be in the know as to how best to handle media related positions.

What informed the decision of the Enugu NUJ is that it is incongruous for an Engineer to be appointed as the Commissioner for Health or a Journalist being appointed as a Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General except the person read law as well as journalism or public relations.

At the build up to the election, Mbah’s political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) formed many committees which were headed by men of proven integrity.

They defended the Governor stoutly and even when Senator-elect, Okey Ezea, prior to the governorship election insinuated that it was going to be a do or die affair between Nkanu people and Nsukka people.

As expected, Mbah’s loyalists and PDP stalwarts are equally expected to be compensated for their doggedness and loyalty to the party that eventually culminated in his victory at the polls.

There are those who collapsed their political structures after stepping down for Mbah at the governorship primary that needed not to be forgotten.

These days that it seems that the winner takes it all and that governors tend to focus more on the people from their area and zone for appointments.

There are people who do not come out openly but are behind the scene making serious inputs like Chief Jim Nwobodo, the former governor of old Anambra; former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, ex-governor Sullivan Chime, and some prominent traditional rulers. Although these highly placed figures will not be given appointments but might influence Mbah’s choice of cabinet members.

Political analysts are of the opinion that men like Nwobodo, Nnamani and Chime are political demigods who cannot be pushed aside in the choice of choosing cabinet members for the new government.

“Nwobodo and Nnamani and Chime are heavy weights you cannot push aside when it comes to choosing who will have what in this government.  Whether you like it or not, they are going to influence Mbah’s choice in making appointments.  Remember that it was Nwobodo who first announced to the world before the party primary that Mbah was the choice of Nkanu people and that will show you that he will have big influence in this government.  And don’t forget that Senator Chimaroke Nnamani also will have influence in this government because Mbah served as a Commissioner and Chief of Staff in his  day,” Robert Mbadiwe, a political analyst said.

But another political analyst, Chike Nwobu said that Mbah is a man that has mind of his own and may not be bossed by anybody to choose who would work for him.  He remembered how Chimaroke Nnamani pushed Jim Nwobodo aside to form his government and Chime did not allow Senator Chimaroke Nnamani to come close to his government but did what was right in his own eyes.

“Mbah is a man of his own.  He will choose his cabinet members without allowing any external influence like Chimaroke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime did in their day.  He said that it would not be business as usual meaning that he is focused and knows what he wants and what he would do. He is likely going to have more technocrats in his government than his predecessors.

“True, it is not easy to choose cabinet members but Mbah I know, from his campaign days will do things the way he wants it without being influenced by party hierarchy and hangers-on, the so-called godfathers,” Nwobu said.

Some people had expected that Mbah would have made key appointments like Chief Press Secretary, and Chief of Staff as he did in the area of SSG as but he is yet to make such appointments probably because he is faced with array of heads to choose from.

True, governance is not an easy business and one has to take his time before making key appointments such as the SSG, Chief of staff, Chief Press Secretary, Senior Special Advisers and Special Assistants.

Be that as it may, Mbah could be taking his time to make his choice and will likely make them public soon, but one thing is certain, some people are going to be disappointed because there is no way Mbah will give appointment to everybody.  And because he cannot choose everybody at the same time, with time, he would be making changes.