I made a tactical withdrawal from the information dissemination business for a greater part of last weekend. Through the social media, especially Twitter and Facebook, I am involved in dishing out newsbreak concerning events in the state and beyond. But last Saturday, the D-day for the much touted Anambra 2013 Governorship election was different as I went on AWOL.
Based on the intrigues and political maneuverings that heralded the dicey contest, I decided to undertake “siddon de look” approach. Few weeks to the election, I secured accreditation to join a group of international observers to monitor the election. On a second thought, I declined to be part of the monitoring based on peculiar issues.
I discovered that the election was turning to another “mother of all battles”. Verbal comments and jibes from different camps concerning the election went beyond my imagination. To worsen the matter, about 181 suspects, police branded as political thugs of a particular party were arrested in Owerri, two days to the election. Police claims after their preliminary investigation further heightened my fears about entering Anambra for the election.
Again, I was under pressure from folks and friends across the country and abroad for the up-to-date reports and minute-minute reports on the election. To save myself the stress of satisfying my newsbreak adherents, I deceived to take a French leave from my domain. Instead of hitting Anambra State last weekend, I decided to explore Umuahia, the Abia State Capital for a forced “short holiday”.
The last time I spent a night in Umuahia was about eight years ago when I handled the final match of Abia State FA Cup final match between Abia Warriors of Umuahia and Enyimba FC of Aba at the Umuahia Township Stadium as the centre referee. Since I was on a crucial assignment and had a Match Commissioner to supervise and assess my conduct before, during and after the game, I “respected” myself and chose not to explore the potentials of the capital city of “God’s Own State”.
After the 2005 experience, I was back to Umuahia last weekend but it was a different tale as I discovered that “Water don Pass Bridge”. Fortunately, the boss of one of my contemporaries and fellow pioneer student of Mater Ecclesiae Seminary, Nguru, Mbaise, based in Umuahia, was having the birthdays of members of his family that weekend. I quietly sneaked into Umuahia and switched off my phone to have a prolonged rest. As the night drew close, I requested my friend who I fondly called “Mr President” because of his similar looks with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to take me out. With nostalgia, I recalled the sweet memories I enjoyed while having a wonderful sit-out in numerous joints and relaxations across Owerri where I presently reside. To unwind and get free of stress after tackling my job for the week, I visit joints to not only enjoy drinks and delicacy but also resuscitate my mental psyche with jokes from loquacious comedians and street jesters. I wanted to catch a similar fun in Umuahia when “Mr President” who is familiar with the “night terrain” in Owerri took a scornful look at me before asking me to forget that desire. He told me that unlike Owerri, where such “joints” are available, Umuahia is different. I contested his decision and asked him to show me the way to their “old town” for me to “find my way” as a typical “Ajengule Boy”. Before he could finish giving me the direction from a rather reserved hotel, located near Government quarters, I hopped into my car and I began to do my next hobby which is adventure. However, “Mr President” complemented my adventurous exploits that evening with a Nite Club outing at De Latinos, where I later realized is the only standard Nite Club in Umuahia. The rest event for that night will be told in another form and not for public consumption. The essence of my narration is to explain how I escaped spending a bumpy weekend in Anambra in the name of “election monitoring”, after a hectic working week.
While in Umuahia, I never bothered to know what was happening in Anambra that Saturday. My response to numerous inquirers about developments in Anambra was that “I am not in town to report”.
For sure, I am aware that the outcome of the Anambra Guber election will have direct or indirect bearing on the politics of Imo State. Events leading to the poll in the neighbouring states clearly indicate that the multiplier effects would be felt more in the Eastern Heartland of Imo. A tinge of drama characterized the build up to the election with key players from Imo State adding to the dramatis personae that shaped the Guber election.
It would be recalled that after seeking for several offices at both state and local levels using several party platforms, it was in 2011 that the incumbent Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha used the ladder of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) to emerge the Chief Executive of the state by defeating other heavy weight contenders including Chief Ikedi Ohakim of the PDP, who is his predecessor. By that 2011 victory, Okorocha swelled the number of APGA Governors in the South East, believed to be the catchments area of the party.
However, the advent of a merger party called All Progressive Congress, APC, caused schisms in the party with Okorocha having a different plan about his continued stay in APGA. Consequently, he joined APC after describing his former party as a mere “cultural organization” that lacks the wherewithal to protect Igbo interest in national politics.
As 2013 Anambra Guber drew closer, Okorocha did not pretend about his interest in converting and delivering South East States to APC to become the undisputed leader in the South East. To make real his promise, Okorocha no doubt partially relocated to Anambra State where he became APC arrow head in the quest to make the party’s candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, next Anambra State Governor. Okorocha did not stop at that, he reportedly mobilized necessary logistics to deliver Ngige as part of the test-run of APC in the South East. Prior to the election, Okorocha was a regular visitor to Anambra. Signs that Imo is a major player in the Anambra election emerged when Nguge reportedly led all his Wards and LGA Coordinators to Government House, Owerri, for last minute strategic meetings with Okorocha and his political kingpins in Imo APC fold.
A day later, police and other security agencies arrested suspected political thugs, who the Imo State Command, alleged possessed incriminating items linking it with the APC.
Few days after the arrest by the police, Okorocha’s former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and now Adviser to the Governor on Justice, Barr Soronnadi Njoku organized a press briefing where he advocated for the release of the suspects adding that they are his clients. According to Njoku, the suspects from Osun State are members of a monitoring group (Justice and Equity) who entered Owerri for pre-election training since the Imo State Capital is conducive and closer to Anambra State. Njoku was joined later by another government appointee and Adviser in charge Party Affairs, Barr Uche Onyeagocha to solicit the release of the suspects. Both joined other lawyers to seek for their release in court.
Few days to the Anambra election, Government House, Owerri witnessed beehive of activities as the state probably became the APC operational area with hordes of the party’s stalwart turning the state capital into a Mecca. There were unconfirmed reports that most political appointees in Okorocha government and APC eggheads were mandated to storm Anambra State for the election.
Even as the election has been declared inconclusive and INEC insisting that there will be Supplementary Election in select LGAs, Wards and polling units, it is crystal clear that APGA would win the election. Judging from the votes garnered so far by the major candidates and parties, one needs no soothsayer to predict that the APGA candidate, Willy Obiano would emerge victorious at the end of the election.
Since the Nov 16, 2013 conduct of the Governorship election, there has not been any official reaction from APC in Imo State. Key players of the party have maintained a suspicious silence in the poll APGA had 174,710 votes while PDP and APC came a distant second and third with 94,956 and 92,300 votes respectively.
For lack of space, I will continue next week.
