Negligence by elected representatives fuel allegation of marginalisation in South East, says Ezeh

The senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu West zone, Enugu State, for the 2023 general elections, Prof. Nick Ezeh, yesterday, said that negligence of the wellbeing of the South East by its elected representatives was responsible for allegations of marginalisation by the people.

He stated that elected officials are just after their personal and family interests, noting that the result is the abandonment of the interests of those who brought them to power, resulting in the culture of abandoning projects in the area.

Ezeh, who made the observation during the unveiling of his manifesto, titled, ‘Restoration Mandate 2023,’ insisted that the South East region could have had better infrastructure if those elected to represent the region had pursued the wellbeing of the people.

He insisted that no administration, now or before, had marginalised the zone, stressing that elected representatives of the South East should be held responsible for certain abnormalities in the region.

He said: “People, who go to the centre to represent us don’t think about how to improve the general well-being of the zone. They, first of all, think about how to better themselves and their families. “That is why there are dilapidated public projects, which should serve the needs of the people.

“Every Senator gets a constituency project. Ministers are appointed from different states, and governors get a monthly allocation. But what do they do with them? They first of all take care of their personal and family needs and save for those unborn. That is why it appears the South East is marginalised in the scheme of things.”

Ezeh, a professor of political economics, stated that his zone, Enugu West Senatorial District, remained the least developed in Enugu State despite being represented by someone, who rose to become a Deputy Senate President at a time.

“We are faced with poor education and health facilities; erosion challenges and environmental degradation; inequality in political appointments, poor road network, lack of potable water, among others.

“People who neglected our well-being have always been the ones representing us. That is why we must work to change the system for the good of our people,” he said.