The Mazi Progressive Network (MPN), a grassroots based support group of Mazi Chima Mathew Amadi, PhD, is deeply dismayed and appalled by the unwarranted and misguided vitriol unleashed by Hon. Bede Eke, Commissioner for Housing, Urban Renewal, and New City Development in Imo State, against the esteemed person of our principal, Mazi Chima Mathew Amadi, a distinguished son of Imo State. This renewed hostility is not only unbecoming of a public official but also raises serious questions about Hon. Eke’s character and rationality.

It is perplexing that Hon. Eke’s ire stems from Dr. Amadi’s legitimate call for accountability and transparency in public finance, particularly regarding the deplorable state of public infrastructure in Ngor Okpala, notably the Nguru-Umuneke road, which traverses Eke’s own community. As a public official, who has spent much of his career benefiting from government resources, Hon. Eke should welcome constructive criticism and use it as an opportunity to improve on governance, rather than resorting to personal attacks. The people of Imo State have a right to know how their resources are being utilized, and Dr. Amadi’s call for transparency is a noble pursuit that should be commended, not condemned.

We are reluctant to engage in any dispute with Hon. Eke, as we recognize the challenges associated with limited formal education. However, it is astonishing that, despite 16 years of exposure to the legislative arm of government, Hon. Eke still fails to distinguish between constructive criticism and political attacks. One would expect that his prolonged tenure in public office would have refined his understanding of civic engagement and the importance of public accountability. Instead, his reaction reveals a troubling lack of intellectual growth and an apparent inability to differentiate between legitimate scrutiny and personal affront.

Hon. Eke’s persistent intolerance of constructive criticism—first directed at Hon. Blyden Amajirionwu for his open letter to Governor Hope Uzodimma and now against Mazi Chima Amadi—raises serious concerns about his fitness for public office. As a public official, he must develop a clear understanding of citizens’ right to engage with elected and non-elected public officials on matters of governance, rather than resorting to personal attacks. The people of Ngor Okpala, and Imo State as a whole, deserve better leadership.

If Hon. Eke had any sense of shame, he would refrain from public discourse whenever the issue of poor infrastructural development in Ngor Okpala arises. A man whose 16 years in the state and national assemblies have had no significant impact on his immediate community, or Ngor Okpala in genera especially in terms of infrastructural development, has no standing to speak authoritatively among the people of Ngor Okpala.

Given his lackluster record as a lawmaker for 16 years and nearly two years as a commissioner under Governor Uzodimma, how can Hon. Eke justify criticizing Mazi Chima Amadi for calling on the state government to repair a road that runs through Eke’s own community? It is indeed laughable that a man with zero road project in his name after 16 years sojourn as a lawmaker is asking why a private citizen, who had not held public office, couldn’t build a road for his people. Who said we should not subject Bede Eke to immediate mental evaluation to ascertain his state of mental health?

If Governor Uzodimma were truly committed to effective governance and service delivery for the people of Imo State, an individual like Hon. Eke, whose political history is marked by abysmal performance and failure, would not have been appointed as a commissioner, let alone entrusted with a critical portfolio like Housing, Urban Renewal, and New City Development. As a habitual underperformer who failed as a lawmaker, Hon. Eke is on a familiar trajectory as commissioner, having yet to deliver any notable housing project, urban renewal initiative, or new city development in nearly two years since his appointment.

It is therefore unsurprising that, beyond his unwarranted and misguided attacks on Mazi Chima Amadi, He, Eke has no tangible projects to justify his appointment or his continued tenure in office. As the saying goes, a failure has many excuses and so it is with Bede Eke, whose actions demonstrate that he is profoundly unfit for political leadership.

Moving forward, we urge Hon. Eke to cease his baseless attacks on Dr. Amadi and focus on delivering on his mandate as Commissioner for Housing, Urban Renewal, and New City Development. The people of Ngor Okpala and Imo State deserve better leadership—one that Mazi Chima Mathew Amadi has risen to provide, advocating for a government that serves the public interest rather than personal interests and aggrandisement.

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. A word is enough for the wise!!

Signed:

Mr. John Mgbu
Publicity Secretary, MPN