Anambra: No Kudos For PDP's Theatre Of Political Absurdities
Anambra State, since the advent of the current republic in 1999, has been the nation's political sore point, a test ground for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP's) experiment in political absurdity-with the connivance of some indigenes.
By Godwin Ijediogor, Lagos and Chuks Collins, Awka
ANAMBRA State is a place best known for the astute businessmen and political leaders it has produced for Nigeria since independence. Most of the early leaders of the Southeast were from Anambra State, including the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Ukpabi Asika, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and the late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, among numerous others.
But of late, indeed, since 1999, Anambra has been in the news for the wrong reasons. It has become a theatre of absurdity, a minefield for political minors and opportunists, and a fertile ground for outsiders to test their strength at mischief making.
Today, Anambra is in the news-again for the wrong reasons, ranging from the real and imagined, some of which are peculiar. It has become a hotbed for political experimentation and theatrics.
Right from the early days when Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju was held captive by his supposed sponsor and godfather, Chief Emeka Offor and coerced to sign an Irrevocable Standing Order (ISO) for some of the state's funds to be paid to the latter, things have retrogressed steadily.
When the Peoples Democratic Party decided to deny the winner of its repeated primaries, Mbadinuju, its ticket for curious reasons, being the only serving governor denied a return ticket, it enabled a new and more vicious godfather, Chief Chris Uba, to emerge.
Unknown to many, including the party's hierarchy, Uba moved in for selfish reasons, to handpick and install Dr. Chris Ngige as candidate and later governor of the state.
Asked about the relationship between Uba and Ngige, who were at one time his good friends, and whether it would last, Mbadinuju told The Guardian: "Between Chris and Chris, they are two sides of the same coin. Betrayal is their middle name."
And true to his prediction, when the thread that bonded and held them together broke, crises simmered between them and soon snowballed and indeed consumed the state, starting with the abduction and failed bid to unseat Ngige, allegedly masterminded by Uba.
Then came the razing of the state's property and heritage by local and imported thugs and urchins from neighbouring states for several days, while the security agents looked on or the other way. At the end, inestimable percentage of the state's heritage was destroyed in the carnage.
Respite came following the final ouster, willy-nilly, of Ngige by the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division and the assumption of office by Governor Peter Obi of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) on March 16, 2006.
Tension once more gripped Anambra when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), just one year into Obi's tenure, went ahead to conduct the governorship election in the state, like others, in 2007 and declared aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Domestic Matters, Andy Ubah, winner. Andy was actually sworn in and spent some days in office.
But that was challenged by Obi at the Supreme Court, on the premise that his four-year tenure had not ended by the time the poll held. His arguments were upheld and the apex court in a landmark judgment ruled that Obi tenure would end on March 16 next year.
Since then, Andy has been going from one court to another seeking the 'revalidation' of his 'mandate.' His attempt to have the Supreme Court to reverse itself failed.
He is currently at the Court of Appeal tribunal in Enugu, seeking to be declared 'governor-in-waiting' to enable him take over on March 16 next year from Obi, thereby foreclosing the forthcoming governorship election, for which the contest has become messy, especially within the PDP. The court, which was earlier billed to deliver its judgment last Thursday has now differed it to Friday, November 13.
The peace in the state was short-lived, as criminal activities heightened in the state, especially kidnapping, forcing many prominent indigenes to flee and those living outside the state to stay away from home.
But these are not the main issues putting the state at edge at the moment; it is the choice of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo as PDP governorship candidate in the election and actions related or emanating thereof.
The uproar more over the process of his emergence than his suitability was yet to die down when his aged father, Simon, was abducted from his Isuofia home, Aguata Local Council home. The abductors initially demanded a N500million ransom for his release, which was later reduced. He was finally released on Wednesday night.
The kidnap of the older Soludo was linked to the political stalemate in the PDP, with accusations and counter-accusations flying about the different camps, necessitating the quizzing of Chris by the state Police Command.
The release of the former apex bank chief's father and the lingering disagreement within the PDP over the choice of its candidate, coupled with Andy's bid have all complicated the situation in Anambra and once more portrayed the state in bad light and as a test ground for all manner of absurdities.
But what are the Anambra people, the indigenes doing to retrieve the state from the clutches of the cabal that has held it hostage all this while and supervised the plundering of their heritage?
Some of them, here, point the way forward...
