There are plots by sore losers of the last Gubernatorial election in Enugu State to make the state ungovernable for Gov. Peter Mbah through sponsored protests and media attacks, aiming to de-market his administration and create disaffection in the minds and sensibilities of the people.
But their plot will unfortunately fail.
We can all agree that the illegal sit-at-home in the Southeast is having a negative impact on the economy and people’s well-being. One of the reasons given for the illegal sit-at-home persistence in the Southeast is the state government’s failure to fulfill its duty to fortify the state’s security in order to combat non-state actors who have continued to sow fear among locals and prevent businesses from operating effectively on Mondays in the name of staying at home to protest for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who himself has severally, through broadcast message and writing by his representatives distanced self and IPOB from the illegal sit-at-home.
The Peter Mbah administration has taken the bull by the horns in order to ensure that the state is sufficiently safe and secure on Mondays and has requested the public to fulfill their own commitments, demonstrating the determination to subdue this monster that is quickly becoming our new norm and festering all kinds of insecurity in the state and region. Thanks in a significant way to the governor’s security strategy, the state has been reasonably calm for several weeks with no successful attacks from the criminal enforcers of the illegal sit-at-home in the state. It is well known that the government has implemented, albeit stringent, measures to force the populace to return to working and conducting business on Mondays in the state, given the strategy and the efforts of the Peter Mbah administration.
For the people to free themselves from the illegal sit-at-home menace, certain measures must also be taken, which is what the government of Peter Mbah is determined to achieve through the slashing of salaries of public employees who have refused to show up for work on Mondays, the sealing of markets and stalls, and businesses serving the public amongst other measures.
The sit-at-home culture that has since become our norm in the Southeast was introduced through several methods of coercion and intimidation by non-state actors. Most people, who now view Mondays as an extended weekend, may not agree with this, despite the fact that the unfortunate and illegal sit-at-home has a detrimental effect on the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) and those who depend on daily pay.
Protests by hired mobs against the lawful approach of the government of the day in Enugu State to elicit will among the state’s residents and put an end to the illegal sit-at-home are most unfortunate and horrible and can only be the handiwork of political sore losers determined to handicap Governor Peter Mbah with scripted narratives.
While I deplore the unfortunate incident that occurred today in the state, where it has been reported that law enforcement officers dispersing hired mobs opposed to the sealing of shops and businesses accidentally shot citizens, I also call for a thorough investigation, the detention of the officer(s) responsible, and disciplinary action in accordance with the police code of conduct against trigger-happy officers.
In ensuring that Enugu State recovers from the illegal sit-at-home action that has subsequently rendered the state and region paralyzed economically, Governor Peter Mbah has demonstrated bravery and tenacity. As citizens, it is up to us to demonstrate our support. Those attempting to sow havoc and destabilize the state through sponsored protests and media attacks ought to be aware that their scheme has collapsed and that Enugu will ultimately triumph in the end.
Uloka Chibuike, is a public policy affairs analyst and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party-PDP.
