The November 18 governorship election in Anambra is fast approaching and the major political parties have produced their candidates. The candidates of major political parties contesting the election are, Osita Chidoka (UPP), Godwin Ezemo (PPA), Oseloka Henry Obaze (PDP),Tony Nwoye (APC), and Governor Willie Obiano (APGA). It is a good omen that the party primaries have been concluded and ndi-Anambra are now faced with the opportunity of choosing their next governor. If they make a good choice, it will be for the betterment of our beloved state and if they make a bad choice, it will end in regret.
Already some selfish politicians have started telling anybody that cares to listen that there is nothing like zoning and that they don’t mind the consequence of working against zoning. They don’t give a damn about public interest; rather they are devilishly scheming to subvert public interest for their own selfish interest. But one thing that is certain is that public interest will always over-ride personal interest. Our people are now politically aware and cannot be misled by selfish politicians. I remember vividly that in 2013 when Mr Peter Obi was leading the campaign for power shift to Anambra North, it was being aired on radio stations across Anambra State that anybody that was not in support of power shift to Anambra North is indirectly supporting Igbo marginalisation in Nigeria. I concur with the referred opinion. We Igbo cannot be crying of marginalisation in Nigeria and back home in our various states, we are supporting marginalisation. Some people are attempting to shift the goal post in Anambra State and they must be stopped for the betterment of the state.
Dr. Chris Ngige governed Anambra State for three years. Peter Obi governed Anambra State for eight years and Governor Obiano will complete his first term on March 17, 2018.
Osita Chidoka hails from the same Anambra Central Senatorial zone with Ngige and Peter Obi. Tony Nwoye is from the same local government and senatorial district with Governor Obiano. Oseloka Obaze hails from Ogbaru and the same Anambra North senatorial zone with Obiano. Godwin Ezemo hails from Aguata in Anambra South senatorial zone. Among all these governorship candidates, Governor Obiano is the only person that is constitutionally bound to go for only one term in completion of his mandate for the people of Anambra north. The rest are constitutionally eligible to go for two terms.
As at 2013, when ndi-Anambra voted for zoning, it was done with the understanding that power can only stay in Anambra North for eight years and return to Anambra South by 2022. It is said whatever that is worth doing is worth doing well hence the reason behind my advocacy for the entrenchment of sense of belonging in Anambra State political system. Anybody trying to wave Anambra charter of equity aside in the forthcoming November 18 governorship election is an enemy of progress because anybody that wants the progress and betterment of his state will support the implementation of good initiatives in his state.
Ndi-Anambra will make a regrettable mistake, if they fail to return Governor Obiano for second term because the governor’s candidature represents equity, fairness and justice. Outside this, Obiano has performed beyond the expectations of ndi-Anambra and keen watchers of events in the state. He assumed office when Nigeria economy went into recession and he deployed his private sector wealth of experience in navigating ndi-Anambra out of recession. Other states in Nigeria felt the effects of the national economic recession but in Anambra, Governor Obiano cushioned its effect with the rolling out of tax stimulus package for our people. He did this as a leader that knows when his followers are in pain.
Today Anambra is being referred to as the safest state in Nigeria, courtesy of Obiano administration’s zero tolerance for criminality in Anambra State. His administration received applause for doing well in the agricultural sector.
Tony Nwoye and Oseloka Obaze are candidates of godfathers. Our people will not forget in a hurry the horrible experience our state passed through in the hands of godfathers in between 1999 to 2006. That era of brigandage and lawlessness is gone for good and must not be allowed to return to our state. It is very painful seeing Peter Obi, the man that led the struggle for power shift to Anambra North, plotting to shift the goal post at the middle of the game. His support for Obaze’s governorship ambition is fraught with a vendetta mission against Governor Obiano because of Obiano’s refusal to be at his beck and call. He wants to be the political alpha and omega in Anambra State with the sole power to make and unmake a governor in the state.
The Bible made me to understand that only God crowns kings and not humans. So I am of the belief that God made Obiano governor and claiming otherwise is tantamount to the arrogation of God powers to Peter Obi thereby making him to play god. No reasonable Anambra southerner should support the ambition of Obaze, Nwoye and Chidoka because their candidature violates the Anambra equity charter. The best option for the people of Anambra South is to support Obiano’s re-election for the shift of power to their zone in 2022.
Anambra as light of the nation must lead by example, if truly we want the actualisation of Igbo Presidency in Nigeria. We cannot be advocating for rotational Presidency in Nigeria whereas we are doing otherwise back home. Nigerians are watching us to know if we are going to do the right thing and our failure to do the right thing will have a dire and regrettable consequence on us politically. Peter Obi enjoyed the opportunity of second term because ndi Anambra thought it wise to vote him for a second term, so that the people of Anambra Central will not feel short-changed. An adage says that “when you treat children well and equally they will be happy “. In the case of Governor Obiano, the general public and ndi-Anambra acknowledges his performance in all sectors of governance and the people of Anambra North don’t want to feel short-changed hence the reason why voting him is a necessity for the betterment of our State.
Nwoye is contesting to retire old politicians in Anambra State. When he emerged APC candidate for the November 18 governorship election, his supporters while jubilating in social media were saying that his victory at the APC primary is tantamount to the political retirement of Andy Ubah and that when they win the main election, they will retire other prominent politicians from Anambra State.
…Obigwe is National Co-ordinator APGA Media Warriors Forum.
Source: The Nation
