Ebere Uzoukwa
Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, undoubtedly, occupies a prominent space in the
political history of Ukwa Ngwa nation. Providence, sheer luck and a
combination of inherent factors made it so. Other prominent Ukwa Ngwa sons
and daughters who earlier sought the political emancipation of their
people by either committing to the Movement for the creation of Aba State
or contesting the old Imo and subsequently Abia governorship, were not as
successful as Dr. Ikpeazu.
The foray of Dr. Ikpeazu, the erstwhile Deputy General General(DGM), Abia
State Environmental Protection Agency(ASEPA), largely perceived as
‘underdog’ changed the 2015 gubernatorial permutations in Abia. Dr.
Ikpeazu’s candidacy was reportedly a fall-out of Chinedu Orji’s conspiracy
and rebellion against ‘Ochendo’ his father. The immediate past governor,
Chief Theodore Orji, reportedly on a gunpoint, adopted and endorsed Dr.
Ikpeazu’s candidacy. Ochendo Global, as popularly called by his admirers,
had reportedly settled for Chief Eric Acho Nwakanma, a former deputy
governor, who incidentally is Dr. Ikpeazu’s in-law and friend, for the
governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While the contest for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic
Party(PDP) raged, Dr. Alex Otti recalculated his moves and decamped to the
All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA). He swiftly resuscitated the ailing
Abia chapter and subsequently emerged its gubernatorial candidate. But,
Otti’s two-sided origin manifestly became his greatest albatross and
enigma. A section of Ukwa Ngwa people perceived Dr. Otti as a usurper that
intentionally hided his true identity for a purpose. To them, Dr. Otti is
biologically an Arochukwu man, residing in Isiala-Ngwa South that was
hiding under the shadows of his Ngwa residency to hijack the governorship
zoned to his landlords. It was increasingly difficult for Dr. Otti to
convince the larger population of Ukwa Ngwa people against their ‘formed’
belief and perception.
The 2015 Abia governorship was contested by four political parties-PDP,
APGA, APC and PPA. Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP and Dr. Nyerere Chinenye
Anyim hail from Obingwa in Abia South. Dr. Otti rode on dual origin
Arochukwu and Isiala-Ngwa South while Chief Chikwendu Udensi maintained
his Arochukwu’s origin.
Recall that the Abia Charter of Equity understandably guarantees rotation
of the governorship. Unarguably, Abia South nay Ukwa Ngwa was fairly
favoured to produce the governor in 2015. The Abia North had occupied the
governorship for eight years (1999-2007) under Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, who
hails from Igbere in Bende LGA. The Abia Central Central of Umuahia
extraction under Chief Theodore Orji also had her eight years
uninterrupted (2007-2015). This instinctively fired up the agitation and
claim for the governorship by the people of Ukwa-Ngwa.
Despite opposition, many political forecasters tipped PDP for victory in
2015. The overriding advantage was that PDP was in power in Abia and also
controlled the federal government. Apparently to build on that advantage,
a political jingoism christened ‘Ngwa Cause’ was propounded to drive Dr.
Ikpeazu/Ukwa Ngwa governorship project to fruition.
This, entirely changed the narratives in Ukwa-Ngwa nation. The earlier
consensus to vote out PDP as a result of its poor performance and inherent
corruption was altered and revisited on mere sentiment. The larger Ukwa
Ngwa population reconsidered their stand and supported Dr. Ikpeazu and the
PDP. This consensus adversely affected Dr. Anyim’s candidacy who also
hails from the same area with Dr. Ikpeazu. Dr. Anyim and APC became
orphans hence the entire Ukwa-Ngwa nation collapsed for PDP and Dr.
Ikpeazu. The Ngwa Cause was extended to other political parties-APGA, APC,
and PPA as Ukwa Ngwa sons and daughters in those political parties openly
resorted to anti-party activities. They freely gave Dr. Ikpeazu and PDP
unhindered chances to manipulate the results in their various localities
at the detriment of their parties.
Suffice to also say that ‘Ngwa Cause’ was propounded to surreptitiously
whittle down Dr. Otti’s popularity and influence on Abia electorate. While
Dr. Ikpeazu and PDP were stronger in Abia South and Isiala-Ngwa/Osisioma
section of Abia Central, Dr. Otti and APGA entirely dominated Abia North,
Umuahia axis of Abia Central as well as Aba North and Aba South. The
stranger elements that always decide elections in Aba, largely favoured
Dr. Otti who had promised a new dawn in Abia State. Dr. Otti’s acceptance
by Aba residents as a matter of fact influenced Hon. Ossy Prestige’s
victory as the only elected APGA House of Representatives in Abia
representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency.
Unfortunately, Dr. Otti and APGA’s victory in Nine (9) LGAs including the
five (5) LGAs in Abia North, Ikwuano Umuahia, Umuahia South, Aba North and
Aba South was not enough to fetch him the government house. Though Dr.
Ikpeazu won only eight (8) LGAs of the seventeen (17) in Abia State, the
higher figures ‘wonderfully’ garnered strategically knocked Dr. Otti out
of the governorship ring. The ‘wonderful’ Ngwa Cause results of Obingwa,
Osisioma, Ugwunabo, Isialangwa North and South conclusively decided the
2015 Abia governorship election in favour of Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu and
the PDP.
What, therefore, does Ngwa Cause stood for before and during the 2015 Abia
governorship election? What does ‘Ngwa Cause’ stands for today? Is there
any relationship or agreement between ‘Ngwa Cause’ of 2015 and ‘Ngwa
Cause’ of today?
The Ngwa Cause jingoism was largely hinged on ‘unity’ and ‘mobilization’
to ensure the realization of Dr. Ikpeazu’s governorship project. The 2015
general election provided the opportunity to break the jinx and enthrone
an Ngwa man for the governorship of Abia state. Virtually everyone in Ukwa
Ngwa nation-the politicians, businessmen, contractors, technocrats,
youths, students, farmers, community leaders, civil and public servants as
well as Ukwa Ngwas’ in diaspora were roundly mobilized into contributing
to the project to ensure its realization. For the people of Ukwa Ngwa, it
was either the governorship or nothing.
The Ngwa Cause was also an interventionist to fill the financial gap
created by Dr. Ikpeazu’s empty pocket. Needless to say that the former
ASEPA DGM hadn’t the financial resources needed to prosecute the
governorship project. Virtually all logistics and campaign tools including
vehicles were donated to prosecute the gubernatorial project. Dr.
Ikpeazu’s governorship form was purchased by some young businessmen from
Obingwa. Political leaders sponsored meetings at the local levels without
demanding for money. The Prado jeep Dr. Ikpeazu used during the campaigns
was voluntarily donated by an Ngwa son now a serving member of the Federal
House of Representatives. Needless to say that Ngwa Cause was the ‘key’
used to unlock the pockets of many great Ngwa sons and daughters locally
and abroad. Dr. Ikpeazu seemingly became richer after winning the 2015
governorship election owing to the generosity of his people.
There was also the combative side of Ngwa Cause. The youths of Ukwa Ngwa
staged a 24-hour vigilance to ensure Dr. Ikpeazu’s governorship project
was not traucated. You remember the ‘coffin parade’ in Aba before and
during the re-run elections? What about frightening libations and
incantations invoking Ngwa ancestors that were intended to artificially
create fears and intimidate the stranger elements in Aba? What about those
orchestrated violent actions at the Umuahia INEC office that forced the
State Returning Officer to swiftly reverse his decision and accepted the
controversial Obingwa, Osisioma and Ugwunabo results earlier rejected?
What about ‘contractural covenant’ of the Ngwa Cause? Recall that Dr.
Ikpeazu pledged fairness, openness, equal treatment, respect and dividends
of democracy to Ukwa Ngwa people and Abians at large. He strongly promised
against segregation as he also pledged to reciprocate the kind gesture,
magnanimity and massive support by his kinsmen from Ukwa Ngwa and Abians.
Dr. Ikpeazu was largely adjudged to possess rare qualities and character
that would drive unity, progress and development in Ukwa Ngwa and Abia.
His display of humility, knowledge and brilliance were disarming. The
people of Ukwa-Ngwa believed and hoped he would stick to taking right
decisions to restore confidence in governance. To many, that solemn
belief, aspiration and expectation morally placed Ngwa Cause as a
‘Covenant’ between Dr. Ikpeazu and Abians.
Two and some months after, is Ngwa Cause still alive? Is Dr. Ikpeazu
playing his own part of the bargain under the Ngwa Cause? Did the spirit
of Ngwa Cause died after Dr. Ikpeazu’s victory in 2015? Has Dr. Ikpeazu
shown fairness to all that contributed and assisted to the actualization
of his 2015 governorship project? The Part 2 of this episode will
entertain the above posers.
Ebere Uzoukwa, a journalist and PR expert writes from Obingwa