Just as predicted, the political turmoil in Ebonyi State took another dimension. The State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) witnessed the appointment of yet another Caretaker Committee to run affairs of the party. This time around the National Working Committee (NWC) seem to have put Ebonyi PDP under ‘Colonial rule’. Though the setting up of a caretaker committee appears to be the NWC’s way of ensuring a level playing field for governorship and other aspirants, there are indications that some highly placed party chieftains are benefitting from the rift. Meanwhile the state government is in the thick of a plan to hold a rally for Jonathan and demonstrate its control of the PDP structure in the state. The import of the rally sources say; is to demonstrate to Jonathan who had the upper hand in mobilising Ebonyi people.
The dissolution of the State Working Committee followed the disputed ward and local government congresses, as well as, the dispute over whom between the deputy state chairman, Joseph Onwe and acting chairman, Mazi Ben Akpa should be in charge of the party. The setting up of the caretaker committee does not appear to enjoy the confidence or approval of the governor, Chief Martin Elechi. However, few hours before the dissolution and setting up of caretaker committee, Elechi weeded out some Coordinators for reasons bordering on (political?) corruption. Membership of the caretaker committee seemed to have received inputs from the Secretary to Government of the Federation, (SGF) Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and former governor, Dr. Sam Egwu.
The intrigues playing out in Ebonyi State chapter of PDP leaves much to doubt about the real intendment of President Goodluck Jonathan. There seems to be more questions than answers in the relationship between the President and some second term governors, especially those from the South East. From what is going on in Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi, could it be that President Jonathan is settling for new allies? Having secured the governors’ endorsement via right of first refusal, could it be that the president does not find any more need for the governors in the belief that he could win the presidency without their input? And having been a deputy governor before ascending to the governorship, vice president and president, could it be that the President harbours soft spot for Ebonyi State Deputy Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, who is being supported by the SGF against Elechi?
However, as the Ebonyi political crisis over Elechi’s succession plan continues to develop, stakeholders paid a solidarity visit on the Governor at the Government House, last Monday. During the visit which held at the Banquet Hall of the Governor’s lodge, speakers declared unalloyed support for the governor, stressing that “whoever was siding with an upstart that is neither founding father nor founding son,’’ should be prepared to kill all Ebonyians.
Prominent politicians that were in attendance included Senator Chris Nwankwo, the former deputy Governor, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, for chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Elder Anyim Ude, former member of House of Representatives, Mrs. Elizabeth Ogbaga, former health minister, Prof. C. Onyebuchi Chukwu, members of the state House of Assembly including traditional rulers.
In his remarks at the occasion, Governor Elechi declared that regardless of the struggle for political power and positions, “democracy has come to stay in Ebonyi State.” He explained that democracy is no longer conceived in the context of transition from military to civilian rule as it is not simply the change of guards from somebody in military uniform to another in agbada or traditional wear, it has to do more with a change of mindset; it is no more with immediate effect, willy-nilly, but with due consideration to the yearnings of the people,” he stated. Thanking the conveners of the meeting, Elechi said “I am made strong by the sentiments expressed,” adding that he is even more overwhelmed by the volume of prayers from the people. “I have been receiving text messages in the last one week from across the country, from bishops and archbishops from different denominations, all expressing solidarity and support that no evil shall overcome us; so with such reinforcement, why should I lose my sleep?” he said.
The Ebonyi Chief Executive said Nigeria’s democracy is being challenged; “it is being challenged like a boat in a stormy sea, but my concern is one thing: the militarization of the polity because that is going back to where we are coming from,” he remarked recalling that in the past seven years and seven months, his administration has been preaching peace and trying to practice peace. While stressing that the solidarity visit came to him as a surprise, Governor Elechi disclosed that up until the preceding night he was deep in thought planning and programming for a rally this weekend. He said that during the rally “we will thank the president for accepting the overwhelming demands of Nigerians to run for a second term.” He said he has no doubt that everybody would attend even as he added: “we are inviting in a special way those who go to Abuja to report and complain to be there and address the people. Then we can know who is deceiving the people and who is telling the truth.”
On the vexed issue of delegates list and the local government congresses, Elechi said one thing Nigerians would fight against is the falsification of (election) results. His words: “That has been the only gospel I have been preaching in Abuja and will continue to preach namely falsification of results. The first congress on the first of this month went on smoothly everywhere in the state but alas, those who came from Abuja are not respecting the result of that first congress. And I have protested that we cannot allow any falsification of results; there is no room for compromise. It is either we accept the result or in the alternative cancel that and go back.” On the way out of the puzzle, the governor suggested that the party could as was done in Anambra state, resort to the automatic delegates list as pronounced in the party’s constitution.
“But we cannot yield to threat or falsification of any other thing. On the 8th when the second congress was to hold consequently, those who came from Abuja, seeing the seriousness of the matter had to go back without the election, but what am I hearing? That results of an election that did not take place have been compiled? So how can we accept that? How can we give chance to peace, how can we talk of democracy? It is those who are afraid of being defeated that resort to such practices. I think democracy has to do with the wishes of the people. It is either the people accept you today, or they may postpone their acceptance of you to some other time. I don’t call it rejection. So we must do things the right way. Nothing is right unless it is right!”
Reacting to the latest impeachment in the House of Assembly, the governor recalled how on December 7, 2011 he met with the honourable members of the House of Assembly and disclosed to them the rumour he was hearing “that impeachment was hanging in the air. I seriously advised against it but after I left the following day for Senegal, to Gambia then back two weeks later, they had their way.” He noted that it was their prerogative to change their leaders. “And so when the unarmed forces struck again in July this year I intervened and pleaded and eventually peace returned, but treacherous peace. And something else happened; one thing certain is that you cannot impose on the House of Assembly a leadership that they don’t like. And so when all is said and done, the House must have the leadership they want and not an imposed or enforced one provided they do it in a way that gives us peace,” the governor stated. He condemned the attempt by the police to prevent the members from gaining entrance into the legislative complex, saying that based on that encumbrance; their decision to sit elsewhere could be justified. He argued: Using police armoured personnel carrier to block the entrance of the Assembly raises a big question. If you say an impeachment is validated only when it takes place on the floor of the Assembly, what happens when there is no accessibility to the House by a force you cannot control? These are questions to be raised at the appropriate places. But I continue to appeal to our brothers and sisters in the House to please remain calm in spite of provocation.”
For the first time, Elechi explained what informed the choice of former Prof. Chukwu as the consensus candidate. He declared: “The Governor in any state is first of all, a human being before he became governor. He must have interest and in expressing that interest he must keep to the laws of the land. We have done that in a very civilized manner. Prof Chukwu is here in person; until now and by now I mean as far back as September 2012, when I received national honours, those of them in Abuja led by the SGF organised a reception for us. And we had a meal together to celebrate the event. Until then I had never sat together with Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, either to eat or to drink. He is not my personal friend, we have never done anything in common, but I am looking for somebody who is solid, who is qualified, who is committed, and who will work for Ebonyi state. I did not go for somebody who will look after me in my old age; I did not go for somebody who would consult me before he takes decision. And I sought for somebody with self-confidence that in every given situation he would know what to do, whether to act on advice or seek advice.”
Ambush against Egwu’s Senatorial Ambition
Sources at the PDP headquarters disclosed that after a meeting with the National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, governors complained about the infringement of the NWC on the smooth working of the party in their states. Mu’azu was said to have made a plea to the Ebonyi governor that former governor Sam Egwu, be considered for the Ebonyi North Senatorial district. Elechi was said to have told Mu’azu that the senatorial ticket for Ebonyi North was not what should be settled in Abuja, stressing that he and his predecessor should go back to Ebonyi to iron that out. But loyalist of Egwu said they doubted the sincerity of Elechi over the issue of the senatorial seat, recalling how the governor in similar circumstances scuttled the second-term bid of Senator Anthony Agbo. “Ebonyi North senatorial district comprises four local councils; and as you know, the Izzis from where the Governor’s inlaw, Chris Nwankwo, comes, have three councils while Egwu’s area has only one council. If Egwu is allowed to go to a primary election, the outcome could be contemplated especially when you remember that more delegates would come from Izzi,” the source explained.
Given this tricky situation, the Egwu group has continued to side with Senator Anyim in the gang up against Elechi. The decision of the PDP NWC to suspend the acting Chairman, Ben Akpa, Secretary, Uche Ali Ega and Organising secretary, Mr. Amaechi Oken for one month while reinstating the State Working Committee, has been described as a triumph of the Egwu/Anyim group. Within the camp however, the plot by the members to identify with the governorship ambition of Dr. Paul Okorie, during the primary is said to have made the Deputy Governor, Dave Umahi, to reach out to some delegates without financial rewards. It is not certain how these concentric circles of intrigues would play out in who ultimately clinches the PDP governorship ticket in Ebonyi. The court has however upheld the ward congress held on November 1, 2014, even as the rival camps claim that its list is the authentic one.
A Rally Like No Other!
If the crowd at the rally organised by Elechi for President Jonathan is anything to go by, then whichever way the pendulum swings would have repercussions on the presidential and National Assembly elections. A former local government council chairman in the Egwu/Anyim camp confided in The Guardian that the game has been taken beyond Governor Elechi, stressing that the combination of Egwu and Anyim forces would produce a surprising outcome that is sure to shock the Governor and his loyalists. However, the rally held at the Abakaliki Township Stadium demonstrated the ability and capacity of the incumbent to mobilise the citizenry in a state that panders to the dictates of political patronage and influence peddling. Elechi has continued to go about his duties in the quiet confidence that incumbency plays a central role in the power configuration, more so when the governors have an unfinished business with president Jonathan and Mu’azu at the forthcoming national convention, where
the nomination and selection of both men are to be ratified. The Ebonyi situation is too risky to hazard its final outcome. The PDP primary election for the selection of its candidates for the 2015 election would determine how far the party could go in the South East.
Culled from: ngrguardiannews.com (Written by kenna Onyekwelu)
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