By Ajokubi
As the Imo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) strategizes to reclaim power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in 2015, the major question every well- meaning Imolite often ask is, who among the array of governorship aspirants the PDP parades can give the party victory in 2015? The question is worthwhile, considering the fact that it is not always easy to dwarf a ruling political party in any contest.
To digress a bit, Okorocha’s emergence as the executive governor of Imo State on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in 2011, wasn’t an easy task. It was as a result of circumstances orchestrated by internal sabotage the party suffered then. That is why he was described by many as “a child of circumstance”. So it will be the height of self deceit for the PDP to think that it will clinch power from the APC in 2015 with any candidate they feature. The battle, from the way things are going, requires a credible, courageous, and above all, a stainless candidate, meaning that the party has to change its old method of selecting candidates. It will no longer be a business as usual.
Hence, how to get a candidate that will do the party proud in 2015, remains its greatest challenge of the year, following the way and manner the aspirants and their supporters, including some notable leaders of the party, are going about it. A number the leaders are taking the opportunity to enrich themselves, not minding whose ox is gored, while others do not understand the situation on ground at all. They see it as a Child’s play and jamboree.
In a nut shell, let me remind the leaders, delegates and members of the party that they have an aspirant that possess all the notable and required imprints of an accomplished politician, an aspirant Imo people want, and in a simpler and clearer statement, an aspirant that will give them victory in 2015 if given a ticket. He is no other person than Chief (Barr.) Humphrey Anumudu (Onye Ma Uzo). Observation proved that he is the only aspirant that is widely accepted by the people of Imo State.
However among the large number of politicians jostling for the governorship seat on the platform of the PDP and other political parties, he is the only one Imo electorate have sympathy for. They are of the view that he is the most credible, reliable and dependable aspirant in the party. Interestingly, what the people of Orlu zone are saying about the Mbieri-born politician is what the people of Owerri and Okigwe zones are saying. No discordant tune, meaning that he is largely accepted by the people of Imo State, including those in other political parties.
While commenting on the chances of the PDP winning the 2015 Governorship election in the State, Chief Romanus Ibekwe, like other Stake-holders in and outside the PDP, said that the party would loose the governorship election in the State if it fails to feature Anumudu as its candidate.
Chief Ibekwe, a PDP faithful in Obowo local Government, who bared his mind while fielding questions from newsmen in Owerri recently, said that he had taken time to assess all the guber aspirants in the party and discovered that it is only Anumudu that can give the party victory in 2015, saying that he is humble, decent and straight forward, the qualities he said other aspirants lack.
In his words, “Chief Humphrey Anumudu is the best aspirant in the PDP. He is the only aspirant we can trust. He is also humble and straight forward. If the party chooses him as its candidate for the 2015 Governorship election, they will certainly win the election because a good number of the people of the State are out to vote for him. I will advise the leaders of the party not to Miss Anumudu, unless they are not prepared to win the election.
The PDP Chieftain, who enjoined the party leaders in the State not allow what happened in 2007 to repeat itself in 2015, asked them to avoid selfish interest and sentiments. He maintained that they should field Anumudu he said Imo people have sympathy for, having contested for the same position for about three times and still remains focused, courageous, humble and decent in his style of politics.
He however made a reference to what happened in 1998, when Chief Anumudu made an immeasurable sacrifice for the growth and unity of the party and state at large, stressing that none of the aspirants in the State can do what he did then.
“My advice to the leaders and the delegates of the party is for them to know who is who before casting their votes. Let them not place their selfish interests above that of the party, because we want to win the governorship election in 2015. Let me say it again, the only person that can win the election for us is Anumudu. He is on ground more than others, but most of our members don’t know because of sentiments and selfish interest.”
Another notable stakeholder of the party, Chief Ben Iwuchukwu, while expressing his support, said that he has assessed all the aspirants for the governorship seat and found out that it is only Anumudu that is ready to make sacrifices for speedy development of the State.
Making referred to what Anumudu did in 1998, when he conceded his guber ticket to the former governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa, the PDP Chieftain said that it was a clear demonstration of good will, as he did to for peace, unity and development of the State, and called on other stakeholders of the party and Orlu Zone in particular to compensate Anumudu now that it is clearer that he will make it if given the ticket.
In his, Chief S.N. Chikezie, a PDP Chieftain from Nwangele local government area, vowed that no amount of preasure would make him support an aspirant or candidate that is not credible, explaining that he is supporting Chief Anumudu because of his good character and decent political disposition.
He State that with Anumudu, the PDP will definitely win the governorship election in 2015, and urge the leaders governorship delegates not to allow themselves to be influenced by money-bag and desperate aspirants that have nothing to offer.
I am supporting Chief Anumudu because of his character. He is decent, straightforward, humble, reliable and credible. With what is happening in the State today, I can say that a large number of the people have discovered the qualities that forced me to support Anumudu. I therefore urge the State exco, leaders and delegates of the party to support him. He will do the party proud at the end of the day,” he said.
Also speaking, a Community leader, who is also a strong member of the PDP in Ngor Okpala local government area, Chief Joseph Onyewuchi, said that he cannot do without Chief Anumudu he said remains the only aspirant that could be trusted, and enjoined the PDP stakeholders to rally round him in the interest of the party and people of the State.
It would be recalled that recently, a socio-political organization championing the political cause of Owerri Zone, Owerri People Front (OPF), on seeing the danger inherent in the conduct of the PDP governorship primaries in the State, conducted a public poll for Owerri Zone governorship aspirants to enable them known the aspirants from the Zone that have the acceptability and whose aspiration go beyond Owerri Zone.
After the exercise, the OPF, under the watch of its National President, Hon. Ebere Chukwuemeka, addressed the journalists on the outcome of the opinion poll, and mentioned four aspirants form the zone that secored the highest votes. The full detail of the result of the poll published in the Trumpeta Newspaper proved that out of the four aspirants, Chief (Barr) Humphrey Anumudu scores the highest votes.
Barr. Anumudu’s victory at the poll was celebrated by the people of Imo State. It did not posed any doubt or surprise, as Imo people already knew that he will dwarf others in any contest if given the opportunity. Reason. He is largely loved by the people because of his decent political style, courage, vision, and peaceful disposition, which remain the major attributes of an accomplished leader.
The position of the people of one zone simply shows that Chief Anumudu, if given the PDP ticket for the 2015 governorship election, will give the party the needed victory. This is a fact because Imo people do not only have sympathy for him, they want to be given an opportunity to express their sympathy in 2015.
However, a political analyst Law Ahamefula, while commenting on the assessment carried out by a group of political analysts in the State, said,” Some political watchers and analysts in the State had painstakingly assessed all the PDP governorship aspirants and made certain discoveries. In the first place, they discovered that the party will not make head-way in the State if it makes the mistake of choosing any of those that see politics as a do or die affair, or those ones that have occupied political positions before and failed to deliver.
Continuing, he said, “I am therefore of a strong recommendation that Imo people indeed, need a change, and therefore require a man who is clean both in act and behavior synonymous to the Biblical Nathaniel of Nazareth, the only man Jesus Christ described as devoid of cheat and cunniness. It also appeals me to urge Imo People that Chief Humphrey Anumudu is the aspirant among the myriad of aspirants jostling for the governorship of Imo State that can deliver the dividends of democracy to Imo people adulterated and sincerely with the fear of God.”
With these and other related ones, I can say that the people of Imo State are eager to vote for Chief Anumudu if allowed to fly the party’s flag. I therefore urge the Nnamdi Anyaehie-led exco not to create room for anybody to upset the apple cart. The exco and leaders of the party should go beyond individual interest and take decisions that will help the party to elect a credible and marketable candidate like Chief Anumudu. They should see this as the time to correct the past mistakes, and not the time to make another mistake.
Ajokubi is a journalist and political analyst
