By Christian Nwokocha
…Plot to stop Obiano thickens
There are indications that the political class and their supporters in Anambra State are battle ready for the forthcoming power game to elect a new governor in November 2017 for another four years. Potential candidates are already consolidating and negotiating their way into various competing political parties.
While some candidates work hard to become the driver of state politics and policies, others are working to be simply addressed as “His Excellency, the governorship candidate of XYZ party”.
Expectedly, various interest groups have emerged milking potential candidates dry, just as they lay claim of determining who gets what in the political space of the state.
Other stakeholders and political merchants are already acting God. They have cast their fishing net in the political sea of the state, waiting to be visited with the needful by the governorship aspirants.
The chairman of the organising committee of one of the numerous organisations in the state, Movement for Greater Anambra State, Ikem Moses Okeke, in his speech during the roundtable meeting held recently, said that his group has developed a blueprint for the political future of the people and that of Anambra State. The objectives of the group, he said, were to facilitate and engender good governance in the state. “We aimed at enthroning government that will be guided by merit and excellence with an installed control mechanism to check executive rascality when such excesses occur. We are determined to install a government that will be Influential politicians were physically present during the political roundtable. They
devoid of impunity, nepotism, denominational, discrimination and all divisive tendencies that are capable of tearing us apart rather than uniting us”.
GEOPOLITICAL ZONES
Anambra State has three geopolitical zones. They include Anambra Central, North and South senatorial zones.
In the central zone, Ani Okonkwo, Victor Umeh, Chris Ngige, Arthur Eze, Uche Ekwunife, Peter Obi, Ben Obi, etc are the political class that determine the future of the area.
While Anambra North houses Stella Odua, Oseloka Obaze, the Okadigbos, Emeka Anyaoku, Willie Obiano, Obi Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, etc, the south has eminent politicians like Godwin Ezeemo, Azudialu Obiejesi, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Dame Virgy Etiaba, Ifeanyi Ubah, Andy Uba, Chris Uba, Emeka Ofor, Nwafor Olizu, Chukwuma Soludo, George Moghalu, Barth Nwibe, Obinna Uzor, etc.
POWER GAME
Obviously, politicians as listed above and more are jostling for relevance and some are likely to emerge from their respective political parties irrespective of weaknesses and crises nature of their respective parties. The battle is between Anambra South and the North. Anambra Central may not play significant role in trying to clinch the governorship since the immediate past governor, Peter Obi completed his eight years with notable infrastructural development in the area.
The incumbent, governor Obiano, who comes from Anambra North senatorial zone is likely to emerge from his political party, APGA and destined to face numerous challenges from his political opponents.
Prominent politicians in the state, including his predecessor and political godfather, Peter Obi vowed to stop his second tenure bid. Obi on several occasions boycotted functions where Obiano was billed to be present, perhaps due to disagreement over management of state funds soon after Obiano assumed office. Obi has the reputation of a prudent governor until he left office, but felt embarrassed when his successor tried to discredit his records.
Obiano was accused of nepotism, despotism, wasteful and misplacement of priority on projects and other issues affecting the state.
Analysts have said that Obiano needs to triple his efforts to cover what was described as three years of honeymoon and wastefulness. Disenchantment against Obiano appears to be high in the state, just as every notable politician in the state wants him replaced.
He comes from Anambra North senatorial zone and argument from the area is that the zone should be allowed to complete its eight years tenure.
Apparently worried that Obiano may lose his second tenure bid thereby creating a power vacuum from his zone, the former Secretary to the State Government of Anambra State during Peter Obi’s tenure, Obaze Oseloka has been positioned by political merchants and godfathers to replace Obiano from the same zone.
Leading politicians from Anambra South appear to be determined to take over power from the North, disregarding the eight years tenure argument. They relied on Chinwoke Mbadinuju’s case. Mbadinuju comes from the Anambra South and had one term of four years, but was thrown out of office for inefficiency regardless of the zone where he comes from.
In the South, there are supper politics players such as Andy Ubah, Emeka Ofor, Chukwuma Soludo, George Moghalu and Godwin Ezeemo.
If grassroots politics can be trusted, the man to watch is Godwin Ezeemo. He appears to be the most innocent, trusted and humble politician and generally appreciated by the people.
However, his party PPA is the least discussed political party in the state despite his efforts in nurturing the party. This may have accounted for why a group known as Unity Forum circulated his governorship campaign posters across the state without a political party imprint on the posters. This situation, analysts have said, leaves him with options in the areas of negotiations and political realignments to spring surprises.
Other politicians within the Anambra South zone are working hard to secure their respective governorship party tickets. Andy Uba is currently a member of PDP and representing the zone at the Senate, Nigeria’s National Assembly. But his name has been listed by the APC party chairman, Emeka Ibe as one of the major contenders, seeking governorship ticket on the platform of APC. Other persons listed by the APC as governorship aspirants include George Moghalu, Barth Nwibe, Obinna Okonkwo, Paul Chukwuma, Obinna Uzor, Chike Obidigbo, Raph Okeke, Tony Nwoye, Uche Ekwunife and Donatus Okonkwo.
Chukwuma Soludo whose name was earlier listed in APC by the party chairman has dissociated himself from the activities of the party. “My attention has been drawn to a publication in which the APC chairman was reported to have listed my name among those contesting for the party’s nomination for the Anambra governorship election. I wish to clarify that I am not a member of the All Progressive Congress and could therefore not be contesting for its party nomination”.