|
untitled
Anambra: The supremacy contest
FELIX UKA
THE current political crisis that has rocked Anambra State is no doubt worrisome but it is no way strange to the
people of the state. Anambra which parades most of the finest politicians in the country has lived with crises
right from its creation in 1991. To many what had just happened was a mere change in style and shape.
In the old Anambra State, it was between the Anambra North, which later became Enugu State and the South, the new
Anambra State. It was then tagged Anambra North and South dichotomy with the North alleging that the South was
overshadowing them in the areas of government appointments and siting of projects.
While the key players from the South then included late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Senator Nathaniel Anah (SAN) that of
North was led by Sen. Jim Ifeanyi Chukwu Nwobodo and Chief C. C. Onoh.
The North saw the creation of Enugu State as a relief and a liberation from the Southern oligarchy who was lording
it over them.
The calculation and prediction were that it would be result to peace in the state. Of course, many other states
had their own problem, but that of Anambra State not only has lingered for a long time but appears more pronounced.
The seeming face off between the duo of governors Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu and Dr. Chris Ngige of Anambra points
to the fact that the North-South dichotomy is yet to be over.
The key factor in Anambra politics is money. Chief Arthur Eze of Anambra State after the creation of the new Anambra
became the lord having amassed massive wealth from both federal and state government vie contracts and sundry businesses.
With the stupendous wealth at his disposal, he Eze, called the shots, wined and dined with all governors in the
state and was even influencing military administrators to take certain decisions. He was a lord in the state.
But with time, Arthur Eze lost grip on the state�s political machinery as his godfather, General Ibrahim Babangida
left office. The baton shifted to Chief Emeka Offor popularly known as Sir E." Offor replaced Arthur as the
link man of the presidency in the area and was empowered with award of contracts including the Turn Around Maintenance
(TAM) of most Nigerian refineries. He had so much money that when he later fell out with Mbadinuju, he vowed to
procure a whooping 150 Peugeot cars and two helicopters to counter him, Mbadinuju and install his own man as the
governor of the state.
Before then, he had used his wealth and connection to establish organisations like the Anambra Peoples Forum (
APF) to challenge Mbadinuju. He was the one rumoured to have installed Mbadinuju. He is believed to have, to a
large extent influenced the alleged upturning of the victory of Dr. A. B. C. Nwosu at the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) primaries to the favour of Mbadinuju. This has however remained a contentious assertion as many others including
Chief Chris Uba lay claim to have made Mbadinuju the governor.
Probably to compensate Dr. A. B. C. Nwosu, he was made the minister of Health, while Offor remained most influential
and instead unofficial leader of the PDP in the area.
Uba was not comfortable to be a runner-up and so worked hard to gain the upper hand in the state politics.
So barely a month after the swearing-in of Mbadinuju, Uba was said to have quartered about 30 members of the state
House of Assembly at Enugu, the political headquarters of the South East. The mission was said to have been to
effect impeachment of the governor and have his, Uba�s choice of speaker of the House, Mr. Patrick Onugbolu as
Mbadinuju�s replacement. He almost had his way and that rattled Mbadinuju. The former governor immediately came
to a conclusion that Uba could make and unmake and decided to bow to the pressure to make peace with him.
By that time, Offor and company were using their Abuja connection to unleash terror on the state, eminent indigenes
of the state like Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu busied themselves pursing
various political ambitions mostly at the federal level. The situation was not helped by the fact that the eminent
personalities were not in the good book of the presidency. They were not seen as fronts to be used to calm the
raging political atmosphere. The same situation still reigns till date.
To strengthen his hold of the state, on July 10, 2001, Chief Emeka Offor called a meeting at Oraifite town, where
he hails from and launched the Anambra Peoples Forum (APF) which opposed the Mbadinuju�s government. Also at Saint
Mary�s Catholic Church, Awka, Offor re-launched the APF during which then Senate leadership donated N1 million
to the APF.
His grouse against the Mbadinuju administration was alleged using of the Bakassi Boys to haunt those who were in
opposition to the administration. Though Mbadinuju repeatedly denied that, Offor continued to use APF to terrorise
his government.
Though the APF reigned strong, it lost strength when the Presidency was said to have fell out with Offor and had
sympathy for Mbadinuju. It was then insinuated that there were threats to relieve Offor of some of his juicy contracts
should he continue to use his wealth to run rough shod on Mbadinuju government. How true the rumour was is yet
to be verified. But the truth is that Offor soft pedalled and ran back to his business and has shown passive interest
in the state�s politics.
The particular highpoint in the crisis during the Mbadinuju�s tenure was the Bakassi Boys. While some people lauded
its good move, others faulted it and described it as barbaric. The boys killed suspected criminals and littered
their corpses on the streets. Some people were said to have used the boys to attack their opponents. But for the
ordinary people it was a relief from criminals who then ravaged the area.
The allegation against the boys and Mbadinuju became more weighty when it was alleged that they were the one used
to kill Mr. and Mrs. Barnabas Igwe of the Onitsha bar Association.
The matter is still in court. So when the national leadership of the ruling PDP set out to stop Mbadinuju through
the machinery of Uba, the issue became "who shall I send." Very reliable sources explained that Uba closed
his ears to all pleas not to field Chris Ngige.
He was said to have told his group that his image was on the line and that he needed somebody who would work and
put right the many failings of Mbadinuju. The calculated projection they said was that after the cleansing, fresh
candidate will be found for 2007. To do that the candidate for the 2003 election should be the person who would
play ball, not, an over ambitious person. So it was thought wise to use one who was not initially interested in
governorship. The lot fell on Ngige, who was merely seeking to be a senator. But that was to be a miscalculation
by Uba.
As soon as the elections were over Ngige did not take time to oppose certain decisions of Uba. And problem started.
The Uba group brought out agreements and documents said to have been signed and sealed. Ngige insisted on plying
his own political route, The development led to the abduction of Ngige�s A series of other ugly incidents started
playing out making the governor�s hold on the state precarious.
Meanwhile, he had stopped the irrevocable standing order payment through which Uba was being paid for contracts
said to have been executed in the state. So the deal turned very sour for both parties. For Ngige his police security
was withdrawn while series of suits remained in various courts.
The recent issue is the conduct of local government polls.
Earlier Ngige said he was not going to facilitate the conduct of the election until the police personnel attached
to him and government agencies were restored.
When PDP leadership prevailed on him he appointed members of the electoral commission a development that was endorsed
by the House of Assembly. They fixed December 18, 2004 for the election. But chairmanship candidates of the Uba�s
faction of the PDP met in Enugu and called for resignation of the Chairman Anambra State Independent Electoral
Commission, Chief Cornel Umeh, among others saying that Umeh is maternal cousin to Ngige. They also alleged that
the election as billed for because 18-25th was planned by the commission to rig the election in favour of Ngige
group of the party. Nonetheless, the Uba�s group got police permit to hold rally on November 18, 2004 in preparation
for the council polls.
Ironically, that same day the latest crisis that led to burning of the state Government House, ANSIEC, radio and
television stations etc. broke out.
The police is still investigating that with a view to finding the immediate and remote causes of the attack and
probably those behind the mayhem. The public expectation is very high.
© 2004 @ Champion Newspapers Limited (All Right Reserved).
Powered By dnetsystems.net dnet®
|
|
