Late Afro-beat Maestro, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, will continue to occupy a space in the record books of the Nigeria entertainment Industry. Not just because of his peculiar style distinct from local content music, but for employing satire as part of his unique approach to entrapping admirers and listeners of his famous tunes.
Fela may have had in mind the present actors in Nigeria’s political scene when he came up in the late 70’s and 80’s about “Demonstration of Craze” his trademark definition of “Democracy”. The Afrobeat star who died in 1997 went further to come out with “Overtake Don Overtake Overtake” a mockery of the Nigeria system speaking volumes of absurdities.
From what is going on in the Imo State chapter of APC, Fela’s “Overtake Don Overtake Overtake” has inadvertently occurred.
The drama characterizing the conduct of Imo APC primaries will attract the likes of famed film producers Tchidi Tchikere and Tico Benson into making a fortune by capturing the scene for movie purposes.
So far, the trending question on the lips of many in the state since the primaries ended in a stalemate is “Ihuru Gulak ‘meaning “Did you see Gulak? Gulak, the man sent to lead other members of the committee is also another point man among the actors in the shoddy display ravaging the Imo State chapter of the party that is becoming famous for incubating troubles during each party exercise.
For commentators interested in politics of the state, there is much to write, but not without letting out interesting details, claims and counter claims showing that “Overtake Don Overtake, Overtake in Imo APC.
Episode 1, was on Monday October 1st, 2018. It was the date scheduled for the primaries. Before 10am, suspected fake results started pouring out from all angles with different agents of governorship aspirants postings results to claim victory.
From the Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere to Jude Ejiogu and other aspirants, it was victory post. Hope Uzodinma and Uche Nwosu camps were not left out.
Later, reports had it that the team sent from Abuja to conduct the primaries led by Gulak Ahmed has entered Owerri for the exercise even reports were fired out by agents.
As at 11pm, the team led by Gulak issued a statement at a first class Owerri hotel stating that all results are fake except the one organized by his team.
Few of the aspirants were present to hear him out at the hotel before they left.
Day 2 (scene 2) Tuesday October 2, 2018, Reports filtered in that the committee head, Gulak had disappeared into the thin air and nowhere to be found in Owerri to conduct the primaries.
Factional APC spokesman, Jones Onwuasoanya raised the alarm when he issued a release to that effect. Before the statement of the Daniel Nwafor led Exco spokesman could circulate, Gulak had reportedly declared Hope Uzodinma, Orlu zone Senator winner in Abuja.
To increase the tempo of the frightened tension surrounding the disappearance of Gulak, the electoral committee head raised accusations of attempts to kidnap him while on duty in Owerri for the primaries in Owerri.
Read Gulak’s statement carried by national dailes;
“Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Imo State Governorship Primary Committee, Ahmed Gulak, has alleged that he narrowly escaped being kidnapped in the state.
“Gulak said this in an interview with reporters in Abuja, on Tuesday.
“He explained that he and other committee members conducted a peaceful exercise which produced Senator Hope Uzodinma as the party’s standard bearer for the 2019 governorship election for Imo State.
“He said Uzodinma won after securing “423,895 votes to defeat eight other aspirants, including Governor Rochas Okorocha’s son in-law, Uche Nwosu.”
“Gulak alleged that about nine out of the 12-member committee were “kidnapped,” by persons he described as “agents of the governor” who were led by a team of policemen to the hotel where the committee members were lodged.
“He alleged to have left Owerri “under the cover of darkness at about 4:00 A.M.” to make his way to Abuja.
“Gulak said, “Myself, Col. Igbanor and Hon Bernard Miko were the only three doing this job, as others disappeared, and we learnt that they were at the Government House.
“So, when we sensed that something was fishy, by 4.00 A.M., we left Owerri after concluding the entry of the results.
“I was informed and the AIG Zone 9 called to inform me that they went for investigations and discovered that the governor himself and some policemen came and rounded up those members and took them to the Government House and until now, they have not been released and anything could have happened to them.
“The election was held, results generated and a winner emerged and the winner is Senator Hope Uzodinma.
“My secretary disappeared around 2.00 A.M. In fact, the case of Sadiq Bello is most pathetic because he doesn’t know anywhere in Owerri.
“He called a while ago that he has not eaten and has no money on him. That is the price and hazard of this job.”
Meanwhile, agents of Okorocha’s adopted candidate, Uche Nwosu had taken over everywhere in search of Gulak and co.
Frustrated and apparently not wanted to be defeated, they swiftly went into town to also claim victory. The pro Nwosu group claim the Governor’s son in-law won by issuing a result credited to them by the other members of the committee members Gulak left behind led by the secretary, other committee members signed the result sheets too.
Back to Abuja, Adams Oshiomole, APC National Chairman, visibly worried by the development in Imo, described the results being paraded by Uzodinma and Nwosu as fake. The chairman went further to stop the primaries indefinitely and disbanded the Gulak committee. Reports quoted Oshiomole to have said results being circulated as the outcome of the Imo governorship primaries as fake. Oshiomhole stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday. APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole .The APC chairman also revealed that the party had disbanded the Ahmed Gulak-led Committee that conducted the party’s governorship primaries in Imo. According to him, another committee will be set up immediately for the conduct of fresh primaries in the state before the end of the week. “Imo was not too good news for today, but not surprising they have to learn to begin to comply with rules, they have two fake results, none of them is genuine. “We will disband and we will appoint a fresh committee (electoral panel) that will conduct transparent direct primaries that reflect the will of members of APC in Imo regardless of the interest and powers that are behind any of the groups. “The truth does not require supporters club to stand, it has its hands and legs and we will do just that”. Oshiomhole, who said he was in the villa to update President Buhari on the developments in the APC, ruled out the possibility of honouring parallel results from states.
Scene 3: Gulak fires back declaring that the result he submitted is original and the National Chairman has no right to outlaw his result and proscribe the committee he led to Owerri.
From the foregoing, who says Overtake Never Overtake Overtake?
Imolites are watching for season 2
