The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, is off to a flying start in Anambra November 18, 2017 gubernatorial race. The throbbing ambience of camaraderie that marked the peaceful conduct of the party’s primary election on Tuesday, 15 August, 2017 at Prof Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, signified unbound commitment to pending vigorous electioneering, pursuant to the return of Chief Willie Obiano who freely received reelection mandate in the exercise. The smooth sail of activities of the day was fulfilling to the large number of Anambra citizens who had been anxious over a hyped legal ruse tailored to crack APGA’s harmony and cause the party pubic disrepute. The successful primary election consolidated the mission of the Chief Victor Umeh-led Obiano Reelection Campaign Team to entrench the governor’s second term bid.
But the real catharsis dawned among APGA faithful following the vacation of the Order of Mandamus with which Chief Martin Agbaso was desirous of diminishing Chief Obiano’s radiance in the build up to the November 18 election. The Wednesday, August 16 Enugu Court of Appeal unanimous judgement voiding Agbaso’s spurious claim to APGA leadership fundamentally scuttled the major ingredient of Obiano detractors who, in Agbaso, crave to create internal disaffection and plunder the party’s soft underbelly consequently. But APGA’s solidarity, its diligence and the goodwill it has garnered over its eleven and a half years of stellar governance in Anambra, in addition to its legendary adherence to the rule of law, availed the party victory over the machinations of impostors. One would however not expect these fellows to readily succumb to a failed noxious project: they have continued to pelt pebbles just well enough to justify their cloudy engagement. Regardless, the discerning Anambra electorate have little problem seeing through the shenanigans, as they continue to lend support to the growth that APGA and Obiano mean in the state.
A cursory look at the unfolding expressions of bad blood amongst members of most of the other political parties in the November gubernatorial race upon the conduct of party primaries calls for great concern. While the primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, were almost marred by protests and violent displays of discontent and anger which led to the use of tear gas to disband the army of disgruntled fellows, that of the United People’s Party, UPP, turned even more awry with the reported death of a delegate and injuries on many, following an attempt at stemming unruly security breach amongst restive delegates. These instances are foretastes of the unsavoury possibilities that might be visited on the state in the course of electioneering should the appropriate security agencies and Ndi-Anambra fail to be proactive in forestalling the looming mayhem in their political space.
Whatever informed the deep grudges that led to the abrupt withdrawal of Chudi Ofodile from the UPP primary; and Senators John Emeka’s and Stella Oduah’s as well as Honourable Lynda Ikpeazu’s withdrawal from the PDP’s; whatever informed Chief (Dr) Patrick Ifeanyi Uba’s outbursts in stout rejection of the result of PDP primary election, point to the breeding revolting temperament amongst groups with high tendencies of deliberately undermining the signature safety of Chief Willie Obiano’s government. However, Ndi-Anambra remain confident that given Obiano’s high premium on security matters, those who nurse such unholy violation of peace would not find it easy. He will definitely not recline and watch miscreants turn Anambra into wasteland.
Despite the endemic murkiness of politics in Anambra State, since the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, assumed political leadership of the state in 2006, the state governance took a new turn in the reckoning of history. Against boisterous and often tumultuous expressions underpinning the play of politics amongst other visible political parties in Anambra State, APGA’s measured restraints, civility, and insistence on upholding the supremacy of the law, have insured its strategic composure and steadfastness in continually increasing the frontiers of good governance in the state. From Mr. Peter Obi’s eight year government to Chief Obiano’s three and a half year government, the All Progressives Grand Alliance has established an unprecedented tradition of good governance that has stood Anambra State out as a template for tourism on good governance across the country.
Victory at elections hardly comes cheap anywhere. It is even more difficult in Anambra State where a multitude of vibrant politicians with deep pockets either contemplate assuming political offices themselves or propping up lackeys as sure tickets to elite influences and public funds. With the emergence of the major contenders for November 18 poll outlined in the incumbent Chief Obiano for APGA; Dr. Tony Nwoye for the Presidency’s APC; Mr Oseloka Obaze for the wobbly PDP, and Chief Osita Chidoka for the unknown quantity UPP, the tone of the electioneering is set; and the race is lost and won.
Apart from Chief Willie Obiano whose APGA unarguably represents the pride of Ndigbo and boasts of unprecedented development strides in the state governance, and who has recorded high performance indices in his four pillar development agenda of Agriculture (more in its mechanized form), Industrialization, Oil & Gas, and Trade & Commerce; as well as posts enviable attainments in his thirteen enablers of security, education, health, youth mobilization and entrepreneurship, women empowerment, public utilities, road infrastructures etc, other candidates out there need to vigorously convince the Anambra electorate that they would not readily give in to pressure from the political structures of their emergence and compromise the state. They will have a big task contending with Anambra workers in the suspicion that prompt payment of their salaries might be compromised as obtained in many of the states controlled by these other parties. Ndi-Anambra are mindful of the trajectories of these parties in the politics of the state, and would bear these in mind as they step out to vote.
Give and take, baring whatever electoral underhand that might underlie the oppositions’ plots, Ndi-Anambra are largely behind Chief Obiano who has given them unprecedented safety and has groomed investments within. They appreciate the governor for his humanness, naturalness and clear commitment to service.
Okechukwu Anarado writes from Adazi-Nnukwu.
