By James Eze (eziokwubundu@gmail.com)
The people of Anambra North senatorial zone recently rose from a historic meeting with a resolution to adopt Governor Willie Obiano as their sole candidate in the coming gubernatorial election scheduled for November 18 this year and sounded a note of warning to other aspirants from the zone to rethink their political decisions for the election in order to avoid heavy financial loses.
The people met at the Tourist Garden Hotel in Aguleri under the auspices of the Anambra North People’s Assembly (ANPA), comprising the seven local government areas in the zone including Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayamelum, Ogbaru, Onitsha North, Onitsha South and Oyi local government areas to endorse Obiano’s second term bid.
With decision, the gubernatorial dreams of Dr. Chike Obidigbo, Comrade Tony Nwoye, Oseloka Henry Obaze and Hon Ralph Okeke may have suffered a stillbirth since the much needed home support that gives an aspirant the gravitas he needs to win the confidence of others has been dissolved.
Before deciding to adopt Obiano as the sole candidate from the zone, the group held wide consultations through a committee headed by former Minister of Health, Dr Tim Menakaya which met with the various aspirants filing out to challenge the governor in the November poll.
After due consultations and consensus building, the group held a meeting which attracted everyone with political weight in the zone during which Chief Mike Areh, a political kingmaker from Onitsha moved a motion for the adoption of Governor Obiano as the unanimous candidate by the zone. The motion was seconded by Hon. Obinna Emenaka, who represents Anambra East in the State House of Assembly and was unanimously adopted by the members of the assembly.
Offering an insight into what informed the decision to adopt Governor Obiano as the consensus candidate for the election, the group explained that since it was common knowledge that Anambra North geopolitical zone had done well through governor Obiano’s performance, it would be more beneficial to the zone to rally round him and adopt him as a consensus candidate while negotiating with the political leaders of other zones.
The adoption of Governor Obiano has been hailed as a very brilliant decision that demonstrates in clear terms the admirable political maturity of the Anambra North senatorial zone.
It is believed that with Obiano’s adoption, Anambra North Senatorial Zone has not only carefully supported the sustenance of the great administrative strides of the Obiano administration but carefully avoided playing into the hands of political chess masters who are waiting in the wings for the zone to make the blunder of presenting more than one candidate.
A direct consequence of presenting another candidate would have led to the question of whether another candidate would have been content with just one term in office since the Zone has had one term through Obiano. It would also have suggested a degree of political naiveté since it would have sent a signal of disunity about the zone.
