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EBONYI 2015: Elechi, Chukwu and the limits of exploitative propaganda
BY CHARLES OTU
Although Ebonyi State is one of the youngest states in Nigeria, its peculiar brand of politics since the return of democracy in 1999 often commands attention apparently due to its motto Salt of the nation. The holy book asked regarding salt in Job 6:6; “Can a flavourless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?” To some analysts with deep spiritual insight, it does appear that the place of Ebonyi State as the ‘flavourer and preserver’ of Nigeria’s evolving politico-democratic experience is very paramount.
Since Monday October 6, 2014 when the state governor, Chief Martin Elechi let the cat out of the bag that he would in the interest of equity, fairness and justice like to handover power to the people of Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone who were yet to produce a governor for the state and specifically to the immediate past minister of health, Prof. Christian Onyebuchi Chukwu – a heroic son of Afikpo (Ehugbo) of the legendary Omaka – Ejali protégé, some analysts and public communicators including some political stakeholders appear to have climbed out of their intellectual fog in their desperate bid to distort facts, twist history, create false and negative impressions and wanton malignant falsehoods all aimed at actualizing their selfish aims and interests thereby debasing the collective sensibilities of the rest of us in the 2015 power game in the state.
One can vividly recall that Gov. Elechi had during the said meeting with some prominent heirs and heiresses of Ekumenyi descendants, otherwise politically referred to as the old Abakaliki bloc, advanced reasons why he would like power to shift to Afikpo (Ehugbo) referring to the very significant role played by the governor of the then Eastern region, the late Dr. Akanu Ibiam in the struggle for the creation of Ebonyi State, who had declared his resolve to lead the ‘war’ for the realization of the creation of the state at Ogo-Okpota in Afikpo! This laudable move was ably supported by some other ‘freedom fighters’ including the incumbent governor of the state.
It ought to be placed on record or better still a reminder be served to various stakeholders especially those not thoroughly tutored on the political scenery of Ebonyi, that the much-celebrated endorsement of Prof. Chukwu received wide acceptance, solidarity and promises from many concerned stakeholders who viewed Governor Elechi’s endorsement of the medical guru par-excellence as absolutely super and putting a square-peg in a square-hole. This was affirmed by their eloquent testimonies in the joint communiqué issued by both the good people of Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone dominated by the Izzis and their brothers in Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone dominated by the Ezzas made public at different fora.
It should equally be remembered that the scores of stakeholders from and beyond both zones who signed the said communiqué applauded the wisdom, insight and generosity of the state’s leaders and founding fathers led by the no other than his excellency, Chief Martin Elechi in his decision to support power-shift to Ebonyi south and most importantly, his choice of Prof. Christian Otu Onyebuchi Chukwu .
They also noted in paragraphs 8 and 9 of their communiqué that “Prof. Chukwu is a great gift to Ebonyi State and Nigeria in general” thereby offering him the privilege to serve Ebonyi State in order to consolidate and advance the historic foundation that has already been laid by Governor Elechi, noting further that Prof. Chukwu is unquestionably a very talented man who had brought intellectual creativity, robust professional capability and unimpeachable integrity to public service for nearly three decades. They said he rendered a distinguished service to his country and this is the reason they invited him to use his Midas touch in Ebonyi.
However, no sooner had the governor made his intention public and the stakeholders solidarity kept swelling than the political tempo of the state changed with new alignments and re-alignments, courtesy of the governorship ambition of his deputy, Engr. Dave Umahi and a few other aspirants and stakeholders who are desirous to secure the PDP ticket for the Ebonyi 2015 governorship race. Since then, the Ebonyi political landscape has become a theatre of ‘war’ and betrayals with loyalists of the latter attempting albeit in futility to turn logic on its head saying Gov. Elechi should be crucified as an impostor trying to foist Prof. Chukwu on Ebonyians. It’s not lost on the memory of Ebonyians that the same Engr. Umahi who is now crying ‘imposition’ during his reign as the party’s helmsman made ‘dictatorial imposition’ almost a perennial feature of the ruling party even when his candidates were the least qualified. Umahi’s autocratic reign as a party boss saw only the emergence of his flunkeys and lackeys hijack party activities often harassing and intimidating faithful party members.
Their opposition to the celebrated candidacy of Prof. Chukwu only stems from sheer envy of his unparalleled achievements not only as a former minister of health before whom the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease bowed but also as an accomplished civil servant. Thank goodness, none of his critics have accused him of underperformance! What is rather obvious is that a few power mongers who feel that the state has become meat in their pot are fighting dirty to hijack the structure of the ruling PDP in the state with their fat cash all geared towards actualizing their political ambitions in 2015.
Agreed that everyone has the inalienable constitutional right to aspire to govern at any level including those from other senatorial zones, what they need not do is to throw caution to the wind by attempting to blow-off the ruling party’s umbrella that has given them shelter and comfort in their times of great storm. Stakeholders like Senator Igwe Nwagu and others readily come to mind in this respect. That their concupiscent quest for power largely contributes to the renewed crisis in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, where Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku, whom they had ‘schemed-in’ as speaker to do their biddings with a tiny minority loyal to him, is no more in doubt. The ingratitude ingrained in the character and person of Hon. Nwazunku, who has not only become a perennial gadfly in Ebonyi politics but now rightly described by many as the proverbial dog that bit the finger that fed him, is glaring.
Ebonyians still remember how a few months ago, he (Nwazunku) was saved from being impeached by his colleagues when Governor Elechi being an elder statesman and a preacher and lover of peace, intervened in the House crisis and sued for peace. It’s however curious to see the same Nwazunku behaving as if he suffered acute dementia by turning against the interest of his boss and that of many Ebonyians and poking his radical fingers in the eyes of the much tolerant Elechi administration all in a very desperate bid to become a federal lawmaker. Even the youth leader of Ebonyi PDP and Ebonyi Youth Assembly, Comrade Chinedu Ogah is now facing a tough duel from the same Nwazunku he fought very hard to save from being impeached ab initio. That Nwazunku has caused Ogah to be bundled into police cell over the House crisis tells much about his desperation and betrayal.
It’s worthy of reflection that Governor Elechi being a man who believes in the rule of law and due process at the 34th SEC meeting of Ebonyi PDP with the entire SEC handed over the party leadership to Hon. Onwe Joseph Onwe who as at then was the party’s acting deputy state chairman and in line with the party’s constitution following the voluntary resignation of the party’s chairman, Prince Ugorji Amaoti, who is now vying for Afikpo North/South Federal Constituency seat in 2015. It was however a rude shock when the party leadership realized that Hon. Onwe was working at cross-purposes with the SEC even when he was still acting having been said to have been offered money to work for some desperate politicians.
Although Onwe has often denied this, his romance with the emerging ‘Abuja-group’ to create an impression that there are factions in Ebonyi PDP is a booby trap the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee must resist.
- Otu, a public affairs analyst sent this piece from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. He can be reached on 07038104883.
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