In continuation of political permutation likely to manifest in 2015, this regular back page commentary made a foray into the struggle for who would be Orlu zone man in Abuja. The piece titled “the Rat Race For Orlu zone Senate” will be concluded this edition.
For those who were chanced to go through the first part of this analysis, the expected rumble that will characterize APC senatorial primaries will be a child’s play compared to “kata kata” that is likely going to dominate proceedings in the rival Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Bubbling with good-to-go aspirants, there is no doubt that anybody who gets the ticket at the end of the day must witness enough scratches from challengers. Judging from the calibre of aspirants hustling for the senatorial ticket in the PDP, the law courts than the ballot box for party primaries may again be the final arbiter.
Even as the second tenure desire of the incumbent, Hope Uzodimma is still cloudy, the likes of ThankGod Ezeani, Felix (JAFAC) Idiga and Eze Nwauwa have made their interests known. The rumuored ambition of Orange Drugs owner, Tony Ezennia seems to have fizzled out without empirical evidences to confirm his interest. In recent past, Uzodimma has recoiled into his political cocoon nest moments after his much touted governorship ambition generated uproar in the state. The cross fire tackles that trailed the rumoured guber desire may have forced Uzodimma back into political laboratory for proper research and analysis before experimentation on next agenda for 2015. If not governorship position which seems unlikely, the incumbent senator of Orlu zone is another sure aspirant for the Abuja Red Chamber back -to-back.
Uzodimma has every reason to throw his hat into the ring again for the senate position. Without becoming guilty of exaggeration, the PDP structure in Imo state, especially in Orlu zone cannot be divorced from the senator’s stronghold. Despite his position as Board of Trustee member of the party, he can be said to be a major stakeholder in the party. When the PDP lost the 2011 election, the party appeared more like a sheep without shepherd. But Uzodimma and few notable office holders at the federal level became the only men standing by proving necessary incentives to keep the party and its stalwarts floating till date. That singular act endeared him to many as he has numerous followers even beyond as the senator became a rallying point.
I can’t specifically asses Uzodimma’s score card to know whether his first tenure is enough to justify another chance and fresh mandate. But if what I observed last year’s December where he not only feted constituents but also doled out empowerment resources to Imo West senatorial zone people is any thing to go by, then he has proved a point.
The exercise held in Omuma, his home town was “one-in-town” yet-to-be experienced in the in history of legislative representation in the state. Apart from bountiful constituency reach out, Uzodimma has been oiling the PDP machinery in the state. With his wide contacts, influence and financial muscle which he freely throws out in abundance to associates, he can easily bulldoze his way to emerge tops at the end of hostilities.
However, the forceful challengers willing to give Uzodimma a run for his money for Orlu zone senate ticket should he seek a return ticket will be one of the climax of PDP primaries in the state. The forced withdrawal experienced in his camp seems to have opened the Senators flank to his aggressors thereby demystifying his political prowess.
A group of politicians across the state said to be enjoying from Uzodimma had floated Imo Hope Foundation, a campaign outfit to pursue the governorship interest of the Senator for 2015. After the maiden address where the group led by Ugochukwu Nnawuihe, an ally of Uzodimma from Owerri zone, Jones Uzoka, (Orlu zone coordinator), Iyke Njoku (Owerri zone coordinator) et al, drummed support for the Senator to join the race at the Best way Hotel, Owerri some months ago, nothing has been heard from the camp except mouthful of critisms against the call .
Since the fire of the Nnawuihe group has quenched, the senate return bid is definitely loading. But the implication of the dying guber dream is that Uzodimma is not invincible. Today, other stakeholders in Orlu zone who are also enjoying back-up from power brokers in other zones are plotting to rattle Uzodimma and subdue his growing influence.
However, Uzodimma’s overwhelming status in PDP can be said to doing him more harm than good as renewed “political” opponents within the rank and file of the party have emerged and are turbo-charged to fight him to finish. The return of former governor, Achike Udenwa, who cannot be wished away in Imo State politics especially his Orlu zone domain alongside his key followers appear to be a threat to Uzodinma in the zone. Only recently, Udenwa was nominated the Apex Leader of the party for Orlu zone by a group of Orlu political leaders of PDP extraction believed to be opposed to the serving senator. At the said meeting where the former governor received the nod as the leader, the senator and his allies were conspicuously missing and not part of the meeting at his home..
Interestingly, one of the outstanding signatories to the Udenwa leadership affirmation is ThankGod Ezeani. Ezeani from Ideato North has shown tremendous interest to run for the senate position. Ezeani is not a neophyte in electoral contest. At the dawn of Nigeria’s nascent democracy, Ezeani represented Ideato Federal Constituency in the House of Reps. Since the Senate seat seems elusive to the Ideato bloc of Orlu zone, Ezeani wants to break the jinx next year by throwing his hat into the ring for the battle.
Ezeani also loaded with the necessary logistics to prosecute a senatorial ambition has not hidden intention that he has what it takes to give Uzodimma a run for his money should he resurfaces for Orlu zone PDP ticket. The former Reps member never hesitated to match Uzodimma bumper-to-bumper in ago battle and supremacy battle ahead party struggle for the senatorial ticket.
Keen watchers of Orlu zone politics cannot forget in a hurry attacks in the media through newspapers advertorials between Uzodimma and Ezeani groups. The inflammable exchanges which had unprintable trappings were enough signals that the race for who merits the coveted ticket would be a game for the survival of the fittest.
Having tasted legislative knowledge in the lower chamber of the National Assembly, Ezeani is not new in the system and therefore cannot be said to be a push over to be easily wished away with a wave of hand in the business of politics.
Another factor putting Ezeani in frenzy mood is the Ideato factor. Of all the federal constituencies in Orlu zone, only Ezeani’s Ideato bloc is yet to have a feel of the senate taste as well as Isu, Nwangele, Njaba and Nkwerre Federal Constituency in the new dawn. Ezeani may receive sympathy support based on zoning sentiments which is also becoming a determinant factor in choosing candidates for some positions. The new alignment Ezeani seems to be forming with the incumbent senator’s antagonists will also add as a leverage to excel as the anti-Uzodimma elements may consider him and other contenders as preferable alternative.
Irrespective of the favourable zoning arrangement and alliance with Udenwa forces in Orlu zone, Ezeani will go extra mile to overcome challenges from the serving senator. If the current PDP guidelines on delegates for the primaries are considered, Uzodimma who unarguably controls the party structures as he can be said to have hold of the Ward and LGA executives may mesmerize him to cart away the ticket. Ezeani was only heard in Orlu zone PDP when the preliminary exercises for 2015 senate race commenced, whereas Uzodimma has been in touch with the office holders for over four years ago. It is on record that while each of the LGA party chairmen has a hummer bus, LGA party secretaries and ward chairmen have vehicles and keke courtesy of Uzodimma. Ezeani’s command of the party structure at all levels will say how far he can go in the senatorial quest.
Carrying the banner of Orlu LGA in the race is billionaire businessman, Felix “JAFAC” Idiga. JAFAC as he is fondly called is gradually becoming a household name in Orlu zone politics. The Amaifeke- born mega contractor gained prominence among people at the grassroots through his philanthropic gestures manifested in JAFAC Foundation; a non government organization geared towards assisting the less privileged and indigent persons in the society.
JAFAC is not resting on his oars to grab the ticket. Armed with the mega bucks to match Uzodimma cash-for-cash, he is among those tipped to wrestle power from Uzodimma in the senate race. The big time contractor has also established strategic campaign machinery by combing all locations in the zone for support. What is however going for JAFAC is that unlike the aforementioned aspirants who have tasted public mandate to be assessed, JAFAC is a novice without a monstrous “baggage” to be poorly rated
JAFAC however faces an uphill task if he wants to succeed in becoming the Orlu zone man in Abuja. Just as he has bright chances to succeed, encumbrances likely to stop him are also lined up. As a political neophyte, he will inadvertently pay the supreme sacrifice of falling prey to those I brand “political vampires”, whose stock in trade is to milk any aspirant dry by seeking for monetary incentives to give aspirants necessary support and wherewithal to guarantee a party ticket. This is the heat period for this grade of politicians and the likes of JAFAC who are not versed in political “orography” may fall prey to the irascible quest of this type of coordinators and foot soldiers. Similar what may befall Ezeani will also visit JAFAC. JAFAC can be said to be floating in PDP by lacking the power to produce party executives at ward, LGA, Zonal and state levels. His late arrival to the party after brief stint with a rival party may put him at great disadvantage to muster the relevant party officials from the already caged pack believed to be loyal to Uzodimma. One common question on the lips of many PDP stalwarts is whether JAFAC can freely utilize his resources to “spoil” them in Orlu zone and drift support to his side ahead the party primaries scheduled for next month.
Next on the line among the pronounced persons battling for PDP ticket in Orlu zone is Eze Ama Nwauwa. From the royal Nwauwa family, the politician is one of the latest entries into the race who has enough war chest to take others to the cleaners. Apparently not intimidated by the array of first class aspirants ahead of him, Nwauwa from Izombe in Oguta is in the race for the showdown. Not minding that two of his kinsmen, Francis Arthur Nzeribe and Alhaji Maduagwu both from Oguta LGA have gone to the senate in the past to represent Orlu zone, Nwauwa is upbeat about replicating the feat performed by his constituents’ years ago as a House of Reps during the military era in 1992. The odds working against Nwauwa, a lawyer, turned politician; is his late entry into the race. Also, he appears not to be popular in terms of grassroots reach when compared to other aspirants that are well known. This aspect may also affect his acceptability confronted with the zoning issue; Nwauwa said it does not exist in senate context.
Running a lone race is member representing Ideato North in the Imo State House of Assembly, Eudora Igwe, otherwise known as Okwesilieze. The former LGA chairman of his council has never hidden intention of going to senate movements after she stepped in as a state lawmaker three years ago.
Trailed by stroke of good luck, Okwesilieze signaled intention when he formed a pseudo political group that serves as non governmental organization, called Adaoma Foundation. She has not stopped in junketing the 12 LGAs of Orlu to advance her ambition through the Adaoma group. Inspired by the belief that it is the turn of Ideato clan in Orlu zone, Okwesilieze is firing on all cylinders to grab the seat in Abuja since he appears to be the only APGA candidate from the zone. So far, no notable candidate is posing a change to her. Instead of tinkering how to outsmart her challengers to get the party’s ticket, election things are already on Okwesileze’s mind.
A clearer picture of who becomes the ticket owner in PDP will however emerge in the next few weeks following count down to the party’s primaries. No matter how it goes, it would definitely be a photo-finish at the end of the battle.
