ABIA 2015: The lot falls on Ukwa/Ngwa The battle for succession in Abia is shaping up and it will not be an easy job for the incumbent and stakeholders given the array of potential candidates on ground. IT is not surprising that since Governor Theodore Orji made it public that he would support the emergence of an Ukwa/Ngwa person as his successor political activities in the area have heightened. Traditional rulers from the area have been especially active, meeting and reaching out to politicians from the area and urging them to ensure that the good opportunity provided by the governor’s promise is not allowed to elude them. The intense consultation is understandable. At the creation of Abia State, the founding fathers met and decided that power should rotate between the two major blocs that constitute the new state. They are Old Bende and Ukwa/Ngwa people [old Aba Division]. The Old Bende comprised of the present day Bende, Arochukwu, Ohafia, Isiukwuato, Umunneochi, Ikwuano, Umuahia North and Umuahia South Local Government areas. The Ukwa/Ngwa bloc consist of the present day Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, Obingwa, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Aba North, Aba South, Ukwa East and Ukwa West local government areas. At the time of the accord, Afikpo, a part of present day Ebonyi State, was still part of Abia State belonging to the Old Bende. In fashioning the accord, the founding fathers reasoned that rotation of power between the two divides would make for peace and equity as well as ensure even development of the state. They therefore christened it “Abia Charter of Equity”, and it was signed and sealed by the stakeholders. But since the creation of the state 22 years ago, power has remained in the hands of Old Bende. No Ukwa/Ngwa person has had a successful shot at Government House. The first civilian governor was Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who had a brief stay before the military took over. Dr. Onu incidentally is from a part of Old Bende that is now in Ebonyi State. After Onu, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu became the second civilian governor. He governed for eight years and handed the baton to the incumbent, Orji, who in 2015 would complete his two terms of eight years. So the Ukwa/Ngwa people have been hoping that the opportunity would come their way someday and waiting eagerly with apprehension because of the distrust among the political class. However, Governor Orji seems to want to prove that thinking wrong and hence his reassurance. Governor Orji may have been sincere in his promise to shift power, the trouble however may be with the Ukwa/Ngwa people themselves. This is because the Ukwa/Ngwa people have among themselves some deep rooted political disagreements. First, among the Ngwa people, they are fighting over the area that will produce the governor: the Ngwa people of Abia Central senatorial zone or Abia South senatorial zone. This perhaps is why presently there are many people from the area aspiring to occupy the Umuahia Government House come 2015. At the last count, no fewer than 15 persons from the bloc are said to be interested in taking over from Orji in 2015. Notable among the names being mentioned for now are Senator Nkechi Nwaogu; current Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu; Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; Chief Acho Nwakanma, a two-time former deputy governor of the state; Chief Gabriel Onyendilefu; a member of the House of Representatives, Chief Uzo Azubuike, a renowned banker and younger brother of former Senate President, Chief Marc Wabara, Chief Chris Nwonta, an Abuja based legal practitioner, Friday Nwosu, Chief Okezie Orji, the State’s Accountant-General. And among the legion of aspirants being touted around Chief Emeka Wogu, Senators Nkechi Nwaogu and Enyinnaya Abaribe, Chief Acho Nwakanma, Uzo Azubuike, Chris Nkwonta and Gabriel Onyendilefu are seen as serious contenders for the PDP ticket. There are also Comrade Chris Akomas, a former deputy governor of the state whose party is not known now; Reagan Ufomba, who ran on the platform of APGA in 2011 and Nyerere Anyim, a chieftain of the newly registered APC. Other names being touted include the deputy speaker of the state House of Assembly, Alwell Asiforo Okere and A.C.B. Agbazuere. But many of these people are seen as pretenders while some are spoilers. And for sure many more names will still come up as time goes on. It is pertinent to know that 98 per cent of these aspirants are of the ruling PDP. Though in line with the electoral law, none of these aspirants have openly declared his or her interest to run but their body movements show what they have up their sleeves. No doubt, the contest for the ticket of the PDP for the 2015 polls will be hot, but political watchers believe that it will be a straight battle among the Abuja line-up of Wogu, said to be reliable, loyal, accommodating and full of respect; Abaribe, Nwogu and Nkwonta who is coming strongly from the Ukwa axis. Free and fair primaries Acho Nwakanma and Onyendilefu, believed to be close pals of Governor Orji may also make some waves in the event of free and fair primaries. Despite the positive rating he has on ground, Wogu is believed to be focused on his job in Abuja believing that stakeholders especially the governor would rally behind who they think best for the job. Though Orji had on many occasions publicly said that he had not anointed any person to succeed him, political watchers believe that the governor cannot be aloof to the choice of the person expected to continue the good projects he has started in the state. It may not be easy however for him to choose as a good number of these aspirants are said to be in his good book.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 00:56:54 +0000
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