Date Published: 05/26/11

Imo guber: Meet the backbenchers by Gele Agbai

Before and after the 2011 governorship poll in Imo State, attention has majorly been paid to the front- runners namely out-going governor of the state and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ikedi Ohakim:  Owelle Rochas Okorocha, flag bearer of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and now governor-elect and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume , torch-bearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Not much is said or heard about others who also contested in the race; the also-ran. Not many know the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) fielded Chief Ahamefula B. C. Lemchi. There was also Mrs Scholastica C. Emerole who ran on the platform of APN, Dr. Egbuna Collins of the ALP; Chief Samuel Chigozie Uwandu of the APS and Iheanacho Chigozie Gerald of the CDC.

The veteran, Hon Emeka Nwajiuba also ran on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). This latest outing is Nwajiuba’s third attempt at clinching the topmost political seat in the state.  It is also his worst outing so far. In 2003 when he first contested, he made a serious impact.

The former member of the House of Representatives dusted Chief Charles Ugwuh and Chief Humphrey Anumudu in the ANPP’s gubernatorial primary election held at Rosy Arts Theatre Owerri in 2003. Chief Ugwuh had congratulated him but later teamed up with Chief Anumudu to retrieve the ticket from the ex-lawmaker because according to Chief Ugwuh, Okigwe Zone could not produce a governor of the state owing to its small population. Little wonder when in 20007 the PDP wanted to make Ugwuh governor, nemesis deprived him of the ticket of the party. Anumudu eventually flew the flag of the ANPP while Nwajiuba defected to the National Democratic Party (NDP) where he still contested the 2003 gubernatorial poll. He came fourth.

Four years later, in 2007,Hon. Nwajiuba threw his hat into the ring again. That time, he ran on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) and lost again. One had thought that Nwajiuba would seek other positions having failed twice to realise his governorship ambition. Alas, he was not ready to get out of the kitchen though the heat has been unbearable. He once again jumped into the fray this year.

Unlike previous outings, his performance this time was about the most dismal. He ran on the platform of the CPC (Congress for Progressive Change) and placed a distant fifth with a score of 3,063 behind ANPP’s Lemchi who also garnered a paltry 3,313. Nobody knew Nwajiuba was running until his name popped up at the primary election of the PDP.

Again, he came third in the PDP primary poll scoring a ridiculous one vote. The state former deputy governor, Chief Ebere Udeagu also made a poor impact at the PDP primary election garnering only two votes as against Ohakim’s 1,069 votes.

It is amazing that Nwajiuba and Lemchi could score an average of 3,000 votes only in a state that has more than one million voters. However, you should hail them when you check the votes their other also-ran colleagues got during the April 26 and May 6 gubernatorial polls.

Egbuna of ALP got a paltry 1,078 votes; Uwandu of APS got 364 votes and Iheanacho of CDC scored 447 votes. The rest got the following votes:  Okoronkwo Ugahi Precious of BNPP 234, Francis Nnanyelugo Ononaji of DFPF 163; Robert Opara of DPP 563; Chikere Chinedu Dennis of FPN 101; Ihemadu Ahumonye Nkemdika of Fresh 122; Akomas Bernard Chukwudi of Labour Party 1,549; Apostle Victor Ashamole of NTP 790; Pastor Uche Nwole of PPA 1,698; Bernard Nkem of PRP 275; and Ike Ibe of SMDP 1,103. Pastor Nwole, a late entrant could be said to have done well perhaps due to helicopter he added in his campaign fleet.

Scholastica Emerole of APN was not recorded as having any score. Perhaps, her party is among the ones whose logos were omitted on the ballot paper. However, the DFPF whose logo is reportedly omitted has a score of 163.

Reports said both Araraume and out-going governor might exploit the omission of some party’s logos on the ballot paper to get the election of APGA’s Okorocha upturned at the tribunal. This is what the Okigwe Zone is said to tinkering with at the moment. The scales have eventually fallen of their eyes. They have realised the folly of losing the gubernatorial diadem to Orlu Zone which exited from the plum position four years ago. Araraume has seen the worst betrayal again from Chief Achike Udenwa. Udenwa contributed to a large extent in scuttling his gubernatorial ambition in 2007.

His administration did all it could to see to it that Araraume never made it to Douglas House. Araraume was at the peak of his political career then. He also commanded a large following including a huge campaign budget thanks to being a sitting senator then. He did all that should be done to be become governor but Udenwa teamed up with ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo to stop him.  The farther the Isiebu politician moved closer to government house, the farther they moved the house from him.

With their reconciliation, it was expected that Araraume would have made a good showing at this year’s poll, but he didn’t. In 2007, Araraume placed second in the race. But with Udenwa and his team backing him, he placed third. The scandalous aspect is that the Orlu zone which Udenwa was expected to deliver to Araraume fell completely to APGA’s Okorocha. Even Udenwa’s Orlu Council Area and his Amaifeke ward fell to APGA.

If Araraume and Okigwe zone succeed in upturning Okorocha’s election at the tribunal relying on the omission of some party’s logos on the ballot paper and a fresh poll ordered, I don’t see either Araraume or Ohakim winning. Currently, the out-going governor and his party are hated with passion. The Araraume governorship bid has also lost acceptance. And none of the also-ran from Okigwe zone could command a huge crowd.

Is it Ike Ibe or Nwajiuba or Sam Uwandu? Certainly, there is no Okorocha in Okigwe zone at the moment. If there is, he is yet to show up. To compound the situation, Prof Maurice Iwu has since ceased to be the chair of INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission). The truth of the matter is that the whole issue of Okigwe governorship is the creation of Prof Iwu. He used his power to realize an Okigwe governorship in 2007. The out-going governor acknowledged this severally before they fell apart.

The bottom line is that Okigwe zone should retreat to re-strategize for 2015 or thereafter. It has lost the governorship seat for now and it should not do anything to rock the boat. Again, why would someone join a race knowing that he will not win? Why would Nwajiuba, Sam Uwandu, and Ike Ibe always jump into the governorship race knowing that they wouldn’t make any headway?

Are their resources depleted or are they enriched by this frequent contest? Why would someone who has no huge following pop up every four years to run? I learnt some are prodded on to run by other big time contestants who pick their campaign expenses. The idea is to weaken opponents they consider formidable. Once this is achieved, they would then have it smooth ride. Some simply join the race not meaning to win but to be settled by the front-runners at the appropriate time.

Another reason why some join the fray is due to the multiplicity of parties. Since there are many parties, many decide to take their platforms to contest more so when the electoral umpire would advance some money to the parties. Equally, some contractors like to commit their funds on the contestants not knowing who would eventually elected. That is why virtually all contestants hold fund-raising ceremonies during which they raked millions of naira.

So the contests are a money-spinning venture. My happiness is that the parties will soon shrink in number. Reports quoted the electoral umpire as toying with the idea of de-registering some parties. Fifty-two of the parties will soon die leaving only seven. This is a good development. The measure will help in ensuring that only serious contestants join the race. Those who prance on the stage for settlement will be fall by the wayside.

However, the Nwajiubas, Uwandus, Ike Ibes, etc have enriched their curriculum vitae by their frequent contests. They might have also garnered experience too which would assist them in future contests. They are good students of Rev. Jesse Jackson who when asked why he was running for the America’s president when it was practically impossible for a black man to occupy the seat, he said:’ if you run, you may win; if you don’t run, you are guaranteed to lose’.