The soapbox lull in the November 16, governorship election in Anambra state was enlivened recently with the defection of Chief Godwin Ezeemo from the All Progressives Congress (APC) .to the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), with hordes of his supporters.
Ezeemo, had engaged the APC in a gutsy battle of due process and rectitude when they attempted to impose former governor of the state, Senator Chris Ngige on the party as its candidate. The attempt collapsed on its face when Ezemoo insisted on a proper congress. The repeat congress, however still failed the stiff test of fairness, and equity, which compelled him to search for another platform.
The search ended at the PPA, which since its inception in 2006, and unprecedented success in the 2007 general elections has maintained a steady rise. In Anambra state, as in many others, the party has been greatly energized and re-invigorated. The former state chairman of the party Chief MNC Ameke gave vent to the growth when he said “PPA has grown in leaps and bounds. Don’t forget, we controlled two states before. We have a number of legislators in the National assembly and in some state Assemblies.”
The new feeling is given a major boost when it is realized that among the major parties in serious contention for the governorship seat, it is the only one, outside the Labour Party (LP) that is not enmeshed in crises.
Ezeemo, admitted this much when he expressed satisfaction with the calm and focus of the party “Barely two months to the elections, the other parties are still in courts struggling for tickets. We have no distractions here and our campaigns are going on gradually, without disruptions”.
The Gangway
In the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), no one knows yet who the candidate of the party is. Various co-ordinate court judgements have backed the candidature of Senator Andy Uba, and Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu. Chief Tony Nwoye who was produced by a faction recognized by the National working Committee, NWC, of the PDP is also in court trying to validate his candidature.
In the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the fragile peace pact secured a few days to the primaries, failed the test of time, as the party nose divded into crises. The Maxi Okwu led faction held a congress and perked a parallel candidate.
Although the new APC has been waddling along, the messy and badly handled deportation of Igbo “destitutes” in Lagos by the APC government in the state remains an abiding political baggage for the candidate, and the party. The mass defection of Ezeemo’s supporters may have decapitated the party in more ways that can be easily seen. The merger of different fledgling parties into the APC had hardly gained ground when the exodus came.Also the party has been struggling to make inroads into the stateand would definitely suffer severely from the blow,with only two months to the elections.
With these Albatross, the coast is seemingly clear for the Labour Party (LP) and the PPA.
A leading member of the PDP in the state Chief Chike Aroh sums up the straits. “Unless these three parties put their houses in order quickly, we might be in for a shocker. There is a very ugly situation whereby, full campaigns have not fully taken off in earnest, because there are still tussles for the tickets in the law courts”.
The confusion in these parties has greatly vitiated their strengths at the ward and local government levels as members have been left in the lurch without clear – cut directions. The PPA has benefitted immensely from this. Scores of supporters of these parties are daily defecting to the party.
Ezeemo finds succor in the words of the celebrated late Novelist Chinua Achebe. “When we gather together in the moonlight village ground, it is not because of the moon. Every man can use it in his own compound. We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so. But I fear for you young people because you do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship. You do not know what it is to speak with one voice.
Zoning Mantra
When the state governor, Peter Obi first flew the zoning kite last year, little did he know that it would throw up a landmark political minefield to reap from. A close examination of all the major candidates that are yet unblemished, or befuddled, shows that only Ezemoo is from the North, where there is a gathering clamour that the next governor of the state should emerge from. Nwoye, a factional candidate of the PDP is the only other one from the zone. He has yet to get the all – clear from the courts to fly the flag of the party. The skirmishes in the PDP is perennial and may likely not be resolved before the elections. It occurred in 2003, 2007, and 2010. On each occasion, the crises provided the leeway for the emergence of “the willing, and prepared” as governor.
The godfather Syndrome
Since the inception of this democracy in 1999, Anambra Politics have been riddled with godfatherism.
Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju, who ruled between 1999 and 2003, was caged by his godfathers, leading to a historic paralysis of governance. Dr Chris Ngige who emerged as governor in 2003, also had no breathing space before he was finally sent packing by the courts. A new consciousness has crept into the politics of the state, drawing heavily from the past. The electorate is wary of looping godfathers and are most likely conditioned to throw their hats behind a candidate without a godfather. Ezemoo, again soars high on this score. Since his entry into partisan politics, he is not known to be associated with any known godfather. A PPA chieftain in the state Chief Okey Osoluka says “We have gone through a rough road in the past, and we are determined not to go through that road again.
This state needs development, and the way to achieve it is not by electing a governor who has a godfather in the state. This is why people like Godwin Ezemoo are needed at this point in time.”
To underscore the fresh perspective, a nationalist and first republic minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, advised that the electorate should sift through the candidates of the various parties and elect a governor that has the prerequisite qualifications and pedigree to transform the state without being cluttered or hedged in with the many vices of Anambra politics. Mbazulike, who was the chairman of the Elders committee in the aftermath of the crises that attended Ngige’s governorship explains: “My advice to the electorate in Anambra state is to choose carefully and vote with their conscience. Any mistake again will take the state back and retard development. Let us put fairness and equity ahead. Let us vote for a candidate that will work for us and not for their masters. Let us vote for one who is qualified in every respect and who is not controversial.”
Ezeemo Who?
He is taking the state by storm. His story is Cinderella – like. Before now, he was known as a London based businessman, whose philanthropic activities knew no bounds. He devoted his time, energy and resources in helping the underprivileged. Early this year he sponsored a five-day seminar in Awka, to inject a sense of direction in the politics of the state and to help the people choose the right leadership for the state. The seminar, which was put together when he was apolitical became the launch pad for his current aspiration, as he was inundated with calls to provide the essential leadership which he sought for. The Umuchu born Ezeemo, accepted the challenge from his people and joined the race.
He rationalized his entry into the race this way. “Our people at no other time than this deserve a selfless leader. A man who has their interest at heart, and who has the antecedents. The people are aware and are behind me. This is why you are seeing my supporters with me in PPA.”
Ezeemo has sponsored more than 1150 students at post-primary and University levels. He single handedly built and donated a press centre to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra state council. He constructed a massive church building for the Anglican community in Umuchu, his hometown. He has also aided the Catholic Church in the state financially, overtime. The PPA candidate has no warts in his political career, and is his own man in all ramifications.
His victory at the polls will surely lay a solid foundation for the rapid growth of the state and steady the course o f its politics.
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