Dr. Malachy Chuma Ochie has dismissed recent allegations by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against the Enugu State Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as unfounded, alarmist, and devoid of evidence, describing them as “political hysteria masquerading as moral outrage.”
In a strongly worded response to a press release signed by Dr. Alex Obiechina on behalf of the ADC, Ochie said the claims were a mix of conjecture, exaggeration, and outright fabrication aimed at provoking fear rather than informing the public.
According to him, there is no policy, directive, circular, or administrative instruction issued by the Enugu State Government under Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah requiring civil servants, teachers, or local government workers to submit their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), National Identification Numbers (NINs), or bank details for political purposes.
“None exists,” Ochie stated, stressing that no civil servant, ministry, department, or official memo has been identified to support the allegations.
He challenged the ADC to produce at least one verifiable victim or authenticated instruction if its claims were genuine.
He described the press release as neither whistleblowing nor civic vigilance, but a fictional narrative presented as resistance politics.
“This is not opposition; it is puerile propaganda,” he said, adding that likening routine governance in Enugu State to “economic hostage-taking” and “institutional terror” amounted to what he called rhetorical vandalism.
While acknowledging the legitimacy of multiparty democracy and political pluralism, Ochie noted that belonging to different political parties, including the ADC, APC, or others, was healthy for democratic balance, particularly in areas such as Greater Awgu.
However, he warned that pluralism does not justify dishonesty or the manufacture of unverified claims.
“Oversized accusations without evidence do not strengthen opposition politics; they diminish it,” he said, arguing that credible opposition should focus on policy interrogation, budget scrutiny, timelines, and measurable alternatives rather than sensational allegations.
Ochie further contended that the ADC’s statement deliberately ignored what he described as the tangible performance record of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, citing infrastructure delivery, institutional reforms, fiscal discipline, urban renewal, and ongoing reforms in education and healthcare.
“These are not press statements; they are visible and measurable realities,” he said, adding that governance in Enugu State was driven by execution rather than propaganda.
He noted that Enugu residents and civil servants were discerning and politically conscious, insisting that democracy in the state was not as fragile as the ADC’s claims suggested.
“Opposition is welcome. Lies are not. Criticism is necessary. Falsehood is corrosive,” Ochie said, urging political actors to engage with facts, ideas, and credible alternatives rather than fear-mongering.
