APC Chieftain, member of APC Legacy Projects Media Team and erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has joined family, friends, associates and people of goodwill across Nigeria to extend a warm felicitation to the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Engr. Dave Umahi (FNATE, FNSE), as he clocked 59, July 22, 2022.
In a statement made available to media houses in Port Harcourt, Chief Eze said the Governor is a composite example of an exceptional leader, whose sterling achievements have raised the bar of governance in Nigeria, particularly in Ebonyi where he holds sway as Chief Servant, noting that Umahi has earned himself a niche in the annals of party politics and good governance.
The party Chief described Umahi who doubles as Chairman, South-East Governors Forum as an Iroko, a strong voice of the South East in the politics of Nigeria, an Icon, Unblemished Democrat, Architect of the Modern Ebonyi State and one of the major faces of politics and contemporary leadership in our dear country Nigeria.
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Demonstrating his uncommon feat, Chief Eze said Gov Umahi gathered the highest number of votes amongst over five South East presidential candidates during the just concluded Presidential Convention where the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu was overwhelmingly elected to fly the flag of the party in the 2023 general elections.
An avowed democrat who has demonstrated in many ways what leadership should be in a democratic set up; A man who singlehandedly in his wisdom piloted the linking of the entire South East to the mainstream politics at the national level with his multi-faceted and enigmatic sense of leadership; An Astute and charismatic politician, a seasoned administrator with an amiable personality, a phenomenal reformist whose cult-followership stature among god-fearing people puts him as a leader to be admired, watched and associated with.
Governor Umahi is widely accepted by all the sections of Ebonyi State and Ndi Igbo as a symbol of unity, visionary, egalitarian and most importantly a patriot whose love for our nation and her people is infectious. In addition, he has earned a reputation as a charismatic and disciplined leader, creative and hard-working, a broad-minded fellow with strategic insight. He brings integrity, compassion, pro-poor perspective and intellectual dimension to bear in tackling tough national issues. His loyalty to friendship and bridge-building skills is remarkable. He is respected as one of the most result-oriented, meticulous, consistent, trustworthy and god-fearing political leaders in Nigeria today. In all the public offices he has held, he has brought innovation to bear and made remarkable impact that has endeared him to compatriots. He is a role model and mentor to several Nigerians, who look up to him for inspiration.
The leadership quality of this resolute revolutionary and visionary democrat is reflected in the words of many outstanding great leaders, such as: Carl von Clausewitz, a Prussian General and military theorist, who stated: “If the leader is filled with high ambition and if he pursues his aims with audacity and strength of will, he will reach them, in spite of all obstacles.” One-time President of the USA, George W. Bush: “Leadership, to me, means duty, honour and country. It means character, and it means listening from time to time.”
The fact remains that, “a leader is not worth anything if he or she does not represent the values of love, unity, peace and justice for his people which are the hallmarks of the politics of Governor Umahi”.
Eze further highlighted that Engr. David Nweze Umahi, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, is that man who has a dream and set up a plan on how to achieve it and by all records he normally surpassed whatever may be his dream so far the emancipation and development of Ebonyi State is concerned.
His feats and wonders in Ebonyi State caused President Muhammadu Buhari to exclaim, “I am not an engineer by discipline but my eyes are very clear, even through my eyeglasses, You Are An Engineer With Repute; if you could achieve all these pieces of infrastructural revolution within less than eight years.”
Having toured and visited some of the projects executed by this enigma of a leader, Eze said he can proudly state that Gov. Umahi is the revelation of the present dispensation in our political life.
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President Buhari, though a tested and reputed Army General, never had it so tough compared to what he witnessed during the two days he spent without one minute rest. He thanked God that he survived the ingenuity of the man they call the Akuburaoaha of Igbo Land (The Wealth Possessor that touches everyone).
One can properly assess the leadership qualities of this great Leader when one take time to study and review the two day visit of the President of Nigeria to Ebonyi State.
Throwing more light on some of the projects commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari during his visit to Ebonyi State, Eze said the emergence of the University of Medical Sciences that has been adjudged by NUC to be the most beautiful, with a centre of excellence for the treatment of those terminal diseases that normally take us out of this country, is one of the landmark achievements of Gov. Umahi.
Others are:
- The African biggest light tunnel; it is a four-way light tunnel linking to different facilities.
- Africa’s biggest shopping mall, the shopping mall comprising over 5000 modern shops.
- Africa’s biggest ecumenical centre.
That Ecumenical Centre has a sitting capacity of about 20,000 and attracts conferences, thereby triggering social-economic development of Ebonyi State.
The ecumenical centre is like heaven on earth. It is a multifunctional centre. Apart from providing for the spiritual enrichment of our people, the edifice is a money-spinner because it is being used to host international conferences and corporate meetings. The interesting thing about this is that our people who have spiritual issues, when they go to the ecumenical centre to seek the face of God, God hears their prayers. “So, it is one of our best legacies”, Eze stated.
- The most beautiful Government House called the Three Arms Zone.
- The biggest south-east international market, the international market with over 3000 number of shops, the biggest in the South East.
- The emergence of an ongoing international airport that when completed will be like Abuja and Lagos international Airports.
These and many other legacy projects were commissioned and showcased by the Ebonyi State Governor Chief (Engineer) David Nweze Umahi as a trailblazer.
Lauding the massive life-transforming projects executed by Umahi in the last seven years, the President, while in Ebonyi, told the Governor:
“You have done your people proud. I am particularly amazed by the economic development records of the State under your administration, the wonderful network of roads, critical infrastructure and investment opportunities in the State.”
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He also commended the State for emerging as the second overall best in fiscal performance in Nigeria and for soaring high in fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability in the use of public resources, saying:
“It shows you have zero tolerance for corruption and waste of public funds. Indeed, people of proven fiscal discipline and track records of performance are desired in our quest for nation
Not satisfied with his feats in the education sector, Umahi is still seeking the approval of two more universities for Ebonyi. Recently he visited the Headquarters of National University Commission at the FCT, Abuja, to seek the approval of two specialised universities in Ebonyi State.
The Governor is of the firm belief that the new Universities – Aeronautic Engineering and ICT, Science and Technology, will not only add to the ongoing speedy development of Ebonyi State but will equally develop Ebonyians, Nigerians, and beyond as well as contribute to the Internally Generated Revenue of the state which will, in turn, be used for further development of the state.
The new Aeronautics Engineering University shall be sited beside the ongoing International Airport, Ezza South, while the University of ICT, Science and Technology shall be sited in Izzi Local Government Area.
Governor Umahi handed over the application for the universities approval to the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed in his office and it is expected that the commission will study it and get back to the state government as soon as possible.
Through this visionary leader, Ebonyi State can now boast of an 80 metric tonne capacity fertilizer blending plant, the biggest in the Southeast. It has engaged not less than 2,000 workers – direct and indirect jobs. And it is participating in the presidential rice initiative. Ebonyi is one of the three largest producers of rice, all of these are empowered by the governor’s programmes on agriculture.
Of course, it might interest the general public to know that in each local government, the governor ensured the construction of not less than five kilometers of roads. In addition, the governor ensured that every federal road connecting Ebonyi State was rehabilitated, some of which are concrete pavement. So, we now have about 1500 number of state roads, including the satellite town, metropolis and across the rural communities.
With 16 high class flyovers, unprecedented construction of 1,500km road networks, unimaginable urban renewal scheme, magical Ring Road, huge initiatives and innovations that distinguished Umahi as a trailblazer.
“If what I saw and witnessed in Ebonyi State is not a revolution then I need to be educated on what revolution is all about. And if a non-oil producing State like Ebonyi and one of the least States that collect funds from the Federation account could achieve all these, then something is totally wrong with governance of most oil producing and richer States.”
Finally, I happily rejoice with His Excellency, family, the entire Ebonyians and Nigerians at large on this auspicious day of the birthday of the great leader of our time.
My prayer for you is God to keep you alive and grant you better years ahead for better services to our nation and humanity at large.”
Happy Birthday Sir…