If death had known the quantum of political upheavals that would characterize the bye election for Imo North Senatorial District, it wouldn’t have cut short the life of Benjamin Uwajumogu.
Uwajumogu, until his death was the second term Senator who represented Imo North, otherwise known as Okigwe zone. After a fruitful first term, having left the Imo State House of Assembly as speaker (2011 to 2015), luck smiled on the late Ihite Uboma born politician when he upgraded to become a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015. His exploits continued in 2019 after first term as he won a back to back victory for the senate still under the All Progressive Congress, APC. He was in the position before death struck.
Since nature abhors vacuum and it became imperative that a successor must emerge to represent the interest of Okigwe zone in the upper legislative chamber, the struggle for who would take over commenced immediately with interested bidders within his APC told.
Early signs that his death would be catastrophic to the party showed when the Uwajumogus kick started succession war before final interment. While his corpse was still resting in the morgue for last departure to his Umuchii hometown, reports had it that the elder sister, a renowned politician, Adanne Uwajumogu was locked in bottled fight with the widow, Mrs Uwajumogu over who should have the mandate to complete the tenure the former speaker started.
The Uwajumogus were not the only ones involved in the battle bid as others from the zone declared interest too.
Among them was Ben Uwajumogu’s successor in the Imo Assembly, Acho Ihim, one of his predecessor as House member who represented Ihitte/Uboma state constituency, and former SSG, Mark Uchendu. Also Chikwem Onuoha, and Mathew Omegara joined the race.
Not left out is an old war horse in the race for Senate, Ifeanyi Araraume who alongside the likes of Athan Achonu, Frank Ibezim, and others filed out for the throne.
The process leading to the choice of the APC flagbearer was indeed dramatic which also opened fresh wounds of hostility in the Imo State chapter of the APC.
Before the primaries, it was evidently clear that the skirmishes between the two major factions of the party would definitely resurface. Reminiscent of the pre-2019 election brushes that rocked the sanctity of party cohesion, a fresh intra-party crisis ensued moments the primaries commenced. The denouement of the APC schisms in Imo was the emergence of more than one person as claimant of the ticket.
A brief flash back reawakens memories to how Frank Ibezim, backed by one of the factions in the battle, emerged victorious while Araraume claimed victory courtesy of the opposing group.
Other contenders were not left out as they posted results in public that they won.
While Ibezim hinged his ticket claims to the fact that the panel set up by the party’s national office in Abuja that conducted the primary that favoured him, Araraume kicked against his position on the basis that he was the authentic winner. The two-time Senator of the zone engaged in sublime tackles against Ibezim when it was revealed that the latter was not screened by the screening and Appeal Screening Committees set up, therefore unqualified to stand for the election.
The above revelations dragged the matter to court where a Federal High Court in Owerri gave judgment that removed Ibezim for Araraume plus other cacophony of court rulings. But a consummation of the theatre of absurdities rocking the Senate election was the last minute court judgments that have not only put the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the APC in a quagmire, but also thrown the people of the zone into a morass where, they are at loss over who is the winner of the election despite INEC announcement of the result.
Okigwe zone is fast entering the record books for being the first Senatorial District to have concluded an election where results are announced and winning party named without a candidate as winner.
Barely 12 hours before the December 5, 2020 date of the election, an Appeal Court, Ibezim ran to ruled that Araraume’s name be removed from the list of contestants while a Federal High Court in Abuja disqualified him (Ibezim,) the supposed beneficiary of the Appeal Court, because of alleged perjury.
It is remarkable to note that during the campaigns, both Araraume and Ibezim mounted the platform to seek for votes from their constituents.
Ironically, both sought the support of voters for APC. But INEC, barred by court decisions couldn’t announce the winner who rode with the party’s ticket. Nothing has been heard from the electoral body since Sunday results were announced which of the party candidate won last Saturday Bye-election in Imo North Senatorial zone.
The question on the lips of many, especially those from Okigwe zone is what next? Will the zone remain this way without a clearer winner despite the conduct and announcement of result? Several unsure permutations, claims and narratives about what would be the outcome have dominated discussions concerning Uwajumogu’s successor.
It has been observed that what have been regular in the analysis are subjective views orchestrated by partakers which can’t be separated from product of partisan proclivity. Majority of those involved who are professionals in the legal sector is an attempt to twist the events to favour their side.
One significant factor that can’t be swept under the carpet in the inability of the zone to have a Senator elect after elections have been conducted and results declared is the Supreme Court factor. Similar to what was obtained in the governorship race of Imo State, the Supreme Court may be the final arbiter of who would be the Okigwe zone man in Abuja. In Imo State Governorship election of 2019, the PDP candidate, Emeka Ihedioha was declared winner by INEC and sworn in on May 29, 2019. After scaling first Tribunal hurdle and that of Appeal Tribunal, Supreme Court came to settle scores in favour of Uzodinma.
There is likelihood of another Supreme Court taking charge again in Imo politics. It is obvious; Araraume who is vigorously fighting to get the position would proceed to the Supreme Court after the Appeal knocked him off from the race. Similarly, Ibezim’s lawyers will challenge the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja and that will take him to the Appeal. A negative outcome arising from this appeal will also land him in the apex court to seek final remedy.
Not left out in the Court battle would be the PDP candidate, Emma Okewulonu.
Okewulonu, from INEC result sheet came second and stands to benefit from the exclusion or denial of victory to any of the contending APC candidates.
Okewulonu has asked INEC to declare him winner followed by protests from youths of Okigwe zone who stormed the office of the election organizers to make case for him as the PDP candidate.
The PDP candidate in a statement is asking that INEC should have without delay comply with court judgments he claimed, disqualified both Araraume and Ibezim from taking part in the elections as no political party fields two candidates for same position in any election.
It is obvious that Okewulonu is already filling papers to court to ask INEC declare him winner arguing that the two court judgment’s prior to the election didn’t give APC mandate to produce a candidate for the polls.
Irrespective of what would be the outcome, suffice it to say that the cracks noticed on Imo APC wall have developed major holes capable of sinking it. Going by observation, the deepening warfare may not be strong enough to hold the party together before next general election except there is a re-approachment for the major stakeholders to embrace peace.
Already Araraume, a claimant to the victory has lashed out to Governor Hope Uzodinma in a video footage that has gone viral, accusing him of playing anti party politics and giving support to his former party, the PDP in the scheme of things. There is no love lost between Araraume and Uzodinma at the moment thereby forcing lawmakers of the Imo Assembly loyal to the governor asking for party sanctions against Araraume.
A cold war emerged when the governor appeared not to be comfortable with Araraume running for the Okigwe zone Senate. Uzodinma favours Ibezim alongside the federal minister in charge of education, Emeka Nwajiuba.
A division now exists where the major stakeholders have different camps. Araraume who is back to APC after moving out to run the governorship context in 2019 under APGA, on return, pitched tent with the political family of the former governor, Rochas Okorocha. Okorocha and Araraume, through a combination of Rescue Mission political family and what is left for Destiny Organization of Araraume, are at daggers drawn with Uzodinma’s, Camp Hope political group who are in alliance with the Coalition team. Beneath the battle for who gets the senate seat is the subtle supremacy war between the two rival groups battling for the soul of Imo APC.
The war for who succeeds Uwajumogu has also torn apart political leaders from the zone. Only recently, Araraume was said to have come hard on a political guru from Okigwe zone, Tony Chukwu. The altercation coming in from of verbal exchanges between the two multi millionaire politicians has eroded the rank and file of Okigwe political class. Until the Supreme Court in its usual manner comes in with the final results, let’s watch for the next scene of the Okigwe zone drama.
