Preparations have long begun. Announcements were made last night and this morning: all the people in Akwuke were asked to attend APC rally. At MTN Mast junction, the venue, it’s already a hive of festivities. Hon Caleb Ani is coming.
- Behind the line: The core concerns in Akwuke and why their protests are timely
- Akwuke hits the roads in peaceful protest for inclusion
It’s the Enugu South Local Government chairman’s Day-2 as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) flagged off campaigns for the coming council elections. Caleb Ani, a good man, would be speaking at the rally amidst the heightened distrust among his hosts, sharply punctuated five days ago when the entire Akwuke community took to the streets to protest total lack of basic social amenities in their villages. When they protested, they weren’t pointing fingers at the young chairman. Nor at the governor, or to any other man in the position of powers. Although, they directly addressed Governor Peter Mbah, theirs were some passionate calls for mercy in the face of the mounting hardships directly related to bad roads and no electricity.
However, one thing is certain – if you watch the protesters in the video. Akwuke believe they’re being neglected; they have proofs. In the successive Local Government election campaigns and the general election rallies, politicians came – stealthily. They made promises to do the roads; they made promises using electricity; they made promises using drinkable water; they talked, and they swore like hell before the people in their land. That happened only when they were looking for Akwuke votes.
Incidentally, Akwuke have kept their own side of the bargains – always. The records are there so anyone can verify: from 1999 to 2025 Akwuke stood with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and with the All Progressives Congress (APC) since late last year.
Personally, I find it very hard to believe that a man who stood before a people and promised them roads and light some years back could boldly come back again in next election cycle to repeat the same promises; over the same subject; at the same spot. I think it’s only gentlemanly for you to scratch my back if I have scratched yours. Also, it’s part of our Igbo folklore that a dog owe it’s playmate a complimentary playful fall if its playmate fell for it in their brotherly play. Akwuke has supported successive governments of the past. And their continued support for Governor Peter Mbah is not in doubt. Then, why – in the name of the gods – is government not doing enough to reciprocate these decades of unforced, collective supports?
Today’s Rally, and what Akwuke want from Hon Caleb Ani
If Akwuke is allowed to speak in the rally, their words would be short, direct and simple. Their angst is not with Hon Caleb Ani. Nor with the governor. For one thing, the council chairman has done so well in two years, his acts effectively reaching deep into Akwuke community. If public opinion is anything to go by, then I strongly believe Akwuke would firmly stand with him to make his reelection a reality.
But its following the long time of bad faith, and many flagrant betrayals that the people have chosen to look with suspicion the words of their leaders. Since Akwuke has nothing against their council chairman, they’d instead urge him to help them talk to the governor about the poor roads and the faulty electricity. They have cried out to Governor Peter Mbah. They want their chairman to amplify their voices so Lion Building would reach out.
It’s to the people’s interests the government should remember Akwuke. On the other hands, the government could be doing itself a favour, too, by attending to the needs of this suffering community. There’s nothing else apart from through policies which are tailored directly to the needs of the masses that various halls of powers under APC in Enugu could hope to convince anyone.
Enugu South Local Government chairman is running under APC, the party many believe to be responsible for making them poorer. He can’t possibly hope to score a point by relying on same old rhetoric that “data” are showing the economy improving. As far as a man is hungry and, at the same time, has no money in his pockets to buy food, the economy is bad. That’s their own facts; it’s their own definitions. And they rely on common sense to arrive at that.
The chairman should speak from his heart, ditching the planned, sugar-coated speech meant for the elites’ ears alone. With this, he would be buying the people’s hearts, helping himself and helping the various layers of APC super-structures. After all, when a voter would be alone inside the cubicle in 2027, holding in his hand the presidential or the gubernatorial ballot, it his conscience alone which matters at that all-important moment. Today’s rally, therefore, may not be just another visit to make promises and acknowledge rounds of applause. In fact, Caleb may be helping to shape the future of Enugu APC for good – or for bad.