Who Said Ndi Igbo Have Not Benefitted Greatly From GEJ's Administration? That South East's Vote Of Confidence On Jonathan.

As Ndigbo say, you may tell the blind that there is no oil in the bowl of soup, but he/she does not need anyone's help to know whether there is salt in it. His/her taste buds certainly know better. Also, when a beautiful woman happens to have been married to more than one husband, she does not need a soothsayer to know which one is better.

Therefore, having lived under successive military and civilian regimes since the fall of the First Republic and the consequent emergence of an "almighty" Federal Government, it was only natural for Ndigbo to seize the opportunity of the South East zonal rally of the PDP to resonate President Goodluck Jonathan's commitment to infrastructural transformation of the South East and the sense of belonging he has accorded Ndigbo as bona-fide stakeholders in the Nigeria Project. The difference he has made is like a bangle on the wrist of Ndigbo. They do not need a mirror to observe it.

Before now, there appeared to be a national conspiracy to deny Ndigbo a direct access to the outside world since the end of the civil war. Whereas international airports were sited in places that are of far less economic consequences compared to the South East, the quest for an international airport for the South East remained a pipe dream. From Onitsha to Nnewi, Aba, etc. the great technological prowess and economic potentials of a very mobile, enterprising, and business-minded people were abandoned to rust in gross disuse.

It took the coming of the Yar'Adua/Jonathan administration to designate the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu an international airport. This followed that epic visit by a delegation of the South East Caucus of the 6th Senate to late President Yar'Adua led by SenatorIke Ekweremadu and indeed the concerted efforts by South-east members of the National Assembly and all political stakeholders of the region. With the Enugu State Caucus of NASS agreeing to Ekweremadu's suggestion to commit the budgetary provisions for their constituency development projects for a year to the project, President Yar'Adua was greatly moved and awarded the initial N4.1 billion contract towards the actualisation of the international airport.

However, it was under President Jonathan that the Federal Executive Council meeting of October 19, 2010 approved the gazetting of the Akanu Ibiam Airport as an international airport. President Jonathan also awarded a reviewed contract of N6.1billion to bring the total contract to about N10.03 billion. He laid the foundation for a new international terminal in May 2013. Under him, the South East ultimately recorded that historic maiden international commercial flight from Enugu on August 24, 2014.

President Jonathan's administration has also laid further foundation for the economic regeneration of the South East through the already completed Onitsha Seaport, which now awaits concession to start operations. Anybody who knows the volume of imports that emanates from businessmen/women and economic activities around the South East would readily appreciate the significance of this port.

The Second Niger Bridge has also moved from the realms of pipe dream to realness. Not only has President Jonathan done the "real groundbreaking", the 1,590 metres long bridge, which forms part of the 11.90 km length project with two major bypasses also had Senator Ekweremadu's suggestion for the inclusion of rail line at the conception stage adopted. The N117.860 project will be completed in 48 months under the Public Private Partnership, PPP, arrangement with a solid funding arrangement that will see it flow non-stop till completion. Thus, Senator Ekweremadu who had personally gone to the Federal ministry of Works on August 9, 2011 to vent his displeasure over the state of South East roads and the delay in the construction of the Second Niger Bridge at the time, was right when he declared at the recent groundbreaking ceremony the Jonathan era as a turnaround era for Ndigbo.

It is also well known that Ndigbo are a set of highly industrious and enterprising people who prefer the enabling environment and resources to be able to bake their bread rather than beg for loaves. Thus, their enterprising spirit makes them potential great beneficiaries of some ongoing nationwide transformation efforts of this administration such as the Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri Eastern Corridor railway project as well as the privatisation, reforms, and huge investment in the power sector expected to increase electricity supply to 40,000 megawatts by the year 2020 despite current hitches. The industrial, technological, and indeed economic revolution this would catalyse in Aba, Nnewi, Onitsha, etc are better imagined.

Apart from infrastructural development projects, it is worth adding that the appointment of Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, now retired, as the Chief of Army Staff was as symbolic as it was jinx-breaking.

From the foregoing, it is also correct to say that President Jonathan's Transformation Agenda in the zone and the nation in general has a veritable instrument and ally in Senator Ike Ekweremadu. As the highest political office holder from the south East, his sound leadership, character, humility, and the immense goodwill he enjoys among federal lawmakers and the nation's political leaders have helped him to smoothly anchor the President's agenda for Ndigbo.

Truly, the deafening applause and vote of confidence passed on Mr. President by Ndigbo at the PDP rally was a deserved path on the back. The earthshaking ovation that greeted Ekweremadu when he mounted the podium at the rally also reaffirmed that his efforts at attracting Federal Government presence were not going unnoticed among Ndigbo and among the good people of Enugu West Senatorial District. Those were the least an appreciative people could have given to a transformational President and people's Senator who are by destiny and uncommon leadership qualities working harmoniously and unflinchingly as change agents for the South East. Indeed, the South East under President Jonathan was best summed by Ekweremadu himself during a recent phone-in radio programme on the President's transformation efforts in the region. His words: "I am not saying that everything has been achieved. No, we still have challenges in some areas. But we must give credit where it is due and to those the credit is due. As we say in our place, 'Etoo dike na nke. A THISDAY Extract.