You may dare to say; why Anambra? Well why not Anambra? If
not Anambra then who? There is no
denying the fact that Anambra historically plays host to the socio-political
Irokos of Igbo nation. The likes of Professor Chinua Achebe, Dim Odumegwu
Ojukwu just to mention but a few. In terms of political and judicial processes,
the state has also set some judicial precedents and also introduced some new
lexicon into the ‘polictionary’. I will not forget in a hurry the era of
governor in waiting, abduction of governor and of course supplementary election
which is the latest.
However, November 16th governorship election in
the state was another avenue to taste once again the political satire that has
engulfed the state since the inception of democracy, this time it was more
melodramatic than the previous elections. After the administration on Mbadinuju
which was strangled by so called night of the church ‘Sir’ Emeka Ofor, an
incredible election produced Chris Ngige no thanks to General Obasanjo’s
Iwumatic theory of rigging by allocation of votes to an anointed candidate in
other words; people’s wishes were subjected to meticulous political purgatory.
Of course Chris Ngige made an outstanding mark within three years as a governor
before he was erupted by Obasanjo’s volcano. Mrs Atiaba, Andy Uba all tested
the political seat of Anambra after the funny impeachment brouhaha that the
court later discarded. The tsunami cleared way for Peter Obi, a
successful businessman who prefers a frugal life style in a country where
almost all the states executive governors want to acquire private jets even
when they cannot pay N18, 000 minimum wages. People opined that Peter Obi was
returned the second term due to Ojukwu’s influence. Peter Obi’s administration
impacted more on human capital development and we also know that investment in
human capital takes time to materialize; this is not to say that
infrastructural development was unattended to. In a nutshell, Chris Ngige was
rigged in and rigged out!
FACTS!
It’s however an undeniable fact that the candidate of the
All Progressive Congress in the last election, Dr. Chris Ngige enjoys a huge
popularity among the citizens of the state especially his stronghold of Idemili
North, this is connected to his visible achievements recorded during his time
as the governor of Anambra. It’s also a fact that his popularity was reduced
due to the deportation saga, were governor Fashola decided to deport few Igbos
that reside in Lagos under the umbrella of destitution. Chris Ngige decided to
defend Fashola’s action because he belongs to the APC and at the end of the day,
Fashola apologized to the Igbo nation while Ngige was abandoned in the
wilderness of ‘eyaa’. APGA were quick enough to score some political points
from that unholy action. It’s also a fact that going by free and fair election,
it would have been a tight contest if not a victory for Ngige. It’s a fact that
the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance in the last governorship election,
Chief Willie Obiano is a political toddler, very respectable and successful
banker but not a grounded politician. Again this throws up a fundamental
question; must we leave politics to politicians alone? Or better still must
someone be a politician before contesting for elective position? It’s also a fact that Anambra in the past
eight years have not been in the hands of politicians but technocrat. It’s also
a fact that Obiano has the capacity to take the state to the next level
considering his educational antecedents and his social exposure that is if
paper qualification is equal to willingness and goodwill. It is a fact that the
rigging concept was not fully avoided from the three major political parties
that participated in the election, it’s also a fact that free and fair election
in Anambra cannot be determined by INEC but by politicians and stakeholders . If
the political elites are determine to make election free and fair, of course
they will stay with the rules of engagement but how possible could that be in a
state where a person may just dish out N2bn just to make sure another person is
not elected governor. It’s a fact that
the PDP had an understand with APGA, it’s a fact that President Jonathan never
interfered with that election, it’s also a fact that PDP will not challenge the
outcome of this election, the same way they didn’t in EDO state. If Tony
decides to go to court, the court will knock him out in a kunfu style as court
recognizes party not individual in this case. Another funny fact is that the
candidate of the Labour Party, Oil man Ifeanyi Ubah could have bought the
entire voters if it were to be possible. It’s also a fact that while PDP was
campaigning in court, Ifeanyi Ubah had a wonderful campaign but it was
unfortunate for the most important
campaign in Anambra is the one that is conducted in the polling boots, that is;
‘vote for money’..lt’s also a fact that people of Idemili North which is a
stronghold of Ngige were meticulously disenfranchised which is a new system of
rigging.
What is important is that the political consciousness of the
Igbo nation is beginning to manifest in such a way that those who claimed to be
‘born rulers’ will soon be challenged by this sensational consciousness of the
Igbo nation.
FALLACIES;
In the pre, during and post Anambra election higi haga, a
lot of things came into play, while some people were busy buying voters card
and paying voters to vote not according to their consciousness and conscience
but according to the dictates of Naira and Kobo offered to them. For you to win
in Anmabra, you must equally put your money where your mouth is.
On the day of the election, the APC and Labour Party agents
came up with a super story, telling all who cares to listen that the APGA
candidate has dropped from the race which was a big fallacy. I almost believed
it but when I saw Ifeanyi Ubah asking for the refund of his resources, Chris
Ngige stammering during press conference and Tony confused about the exclusion
of his name in the voters register, I immediately knew that their
‘awuwolization’ has failed, again that fallacy didn’t sell. It was also a
fallacy that, Prof. Jega the INEC chairman was used to rig Anambra’s election,
the last time I ran integrity check on Jega,
he cannot be cowed or influenced in anyway, though the blames should be placed
right on his table which he had already acknowledged. It’s also a fallacy that
PDP campaigned very well within the short time they had, for most of their
campaigns took place in the courtroom.
FANTASIES;
You may call it living in a prophetic imagination or
swimming in an ocean of uncertainty. Few of the candidates were again believing
that their popularity as a result of past glories or popularity for a good
campaign outing will be able to give them the required votes. Top on the list
of fantasy is Chris Ngige, who believed he has done it before and will still do
it again. Perhaps he has forgotten that time changes event. Am sure he did his
homework but not good enough to submerge Peter Obi whom people believed he
knows nothing about politics but he has been able to tell the world that indeed
he’s a good learner who has learnt the Nigeria’s political circle on the job.
Ngige also believed that the influence of APC big wigs like Tinubu and Buhari will
earn him the desired votes but he failed to recognize that that popularity will
never cross Onitsha Head Bridge for any reason whatsoever. Ifeanyi Ubah also
believed that the number of days he spend counting his money and campaigning
was enough to give him the required number of votes. I totally agree with him,
if election is to be won by money and campaign, Ifeanyi Ubah for me was
outstanding but unfortunately the gods have the final say. Again Willie Obiano
could not have imagined being the governor of Anambra state; he was handpicked
by Obi and brought to Anambra. An unpopular candidate in a popular political
party. Tony Nwoye who happens to be the godson of multi billionaire, Arthur
Ezeh was believing that his closeness to the Presidential Villa will make
things happen for him, it use to be possible under Obasanjo but not anymore. The
presidential Villa in the last six years has reduced their interference in
electioneering and judicial processes.
Conclusively; Anambra’s election to me lived up to
expectations and in fact should be commended for nonviolence approach. Before
now the elections are characterized by snatching of ballot boxes, violence here
and there but this time around, it wasn’t about snatching of ballot boxes. It
was a scientific and systemic rigging. Just identify the stronghold of your
closest rivalry, identify the returning officer in that area and induce him or
her in quantum and he will seriously forgot to come to the polling boots with
the original result sheets. Isn’t that so simple to do? Moreover, at the end of
Anambra’s election, it’s either a judicial precedent is set or a new lexicon is
introduced and this time it is called a ‘Supplementary election’. For Willie
Obiano and his camp, INEC has done a wonderful job, for Chris Ngige and APC,
INEC has failed woefully, For Ifeanyi Ubah and Labour Party, INEC should refund
their resources, for Tony Nwoye who is shouting in the wilderness, INEC was
compromised, and finally for PDP, the people of Anambra have spoken.
From my humble opinion, the election was not won by the
number of broomsticks available at that particular time, nor by the number of
people covered by the umbrella, nor by the number of labourers in the state,
but significantly by the number of ‘kukulukuuuuuu’ that was heard before day
break. I congratulate high Chief Willie Obiano, for Ifeanyi Ubah and Tony
Nwoye, better luck next time. As for Chris Ngige and APC, see you in court
where I predicted the election will be concluded. God bless ‘Ndi Anambra’ and
long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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