Obiano: Victory limited by popular votes by Kodilinye Obiagwu and Leo Sobechi, Awka DESPITE the declaration of Mr. Willie Maduabuchi Obiano of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as the winner of Anambra State governorship election, the fact that he was not able to score 50 percent of the total votes cast shows that more voters did not approve of his victory. The result announced by the INEC revealed that out of the 1,770,127 registered voters in the state, only 425,254 valid votes or about 24 percent were cast for the 23 governorship candidates in the two-legged governorship election. And out of the 24 percent of the registered voters that voted, APGA’s Obiano polled 180,178 votes or 42 percent of the total votes cast to defeat his rivals. But Obiano’s closest rivals, Mr. Tony Nwoye (PDP), Senator Chris Ngige (APC), Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah (LP) and Mr. Godwin Ezeemo (PPA) polled 97,700, 95,963, 37,495 and 5,120 votes, respectively, totaling 236,278 votes, representing about 56 percent of the total votes cast. Yet, it is obvious that the number of governorship contestants affected the tally of the winning candidate, but Obiano was able to secure 25 percent of the total votes cast in the election in 19 out of the 21 local government councils of the state. He, thus, justifies his return as the validly elected governor, according to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). However, a critical aspect of Obiano’s return is the fact that his victory is dogged by litigation, including those of alleged double registration, perjury and faulty nomination process, as well as possible challenge at the Election Petitions Tribunal. While a civil rights group has dragged the Governor-elect to court for perjury, claiming that he presented a false document, namely, voters’ registration card to INEC on oath, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged his qualification to stand for the election based on the possession of multiple voters’ cards. Disclosing the party’s decision to drag Obiano to court, Anambra State Chairman of the PDP, Prince Ken Emeakayi, said that so far as it is an offence to register for an election twice, his party insists that the APGA flagbearer was not qualified to stand for the election. He contended that PDP’s candidate that came second in the election should rather be sworn into office. Also, rival governorship candidate of the APGA in the Maxi Okwu faction of the party, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, is still in court, claiming that the screening and eventual clearance of Obiano by a three-man panel to run on the APGA platform offends the APGA constitution, which stipulates six members empaneled from the NWC, including the national chairman of the party. Nonetheless, at a joint press conference at the Governor’s Lodge, Awka, on Sunday, Governor Peter Obi and the National Chairman of APGA, Mr. Victor Umeh, said Obiano’s victory marks a turning point in Anambra politics. He said that despite expectations of detractors, the APGA had produced two governors back to back. Apathetic or peripatetic voters AS winners continue to exult and losers plot, it is debatable whether Anambra voters like to exercise their rights to vote. The questions will continue to be asked in the face of the level of disenfranchisement that trailed the conduct of the 2013 governorship election. For instance, why was disenfranchisement an issue in this election? Though reflectively, it was an issue in 2010 when Governor Peter Obi was elected for a second term, it is arguable if it reached the same crescendo attained in the 2013 gubernatorial poll. Despite the 1.7 million registered voters, less than 100,000 voted for Obi, the winner of the election. On his way to victory, Obi had raised the question of absence of voters on the day of the election. What then could have given the APGA victory? In 2013, the APGA went into the election without the aura of its late spiritual leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, as it did in 2010. Obiano, the party’s candidate, vigorously flaunted the performance of Obi, and made continuity the theme of his campaign. Has Obi become the magic wand for the APGA now? The whole state will recognise how Governor Obi canvassed the issue of fairness and equity by pushing for power shift to Anambra North. This became the second plank of APGA’s campaign. But did other political actors buy into it? The leader of Nzuko Imeobi of Idemili North and South Local Government Areas, High Chief Obiora Okonkwo, who is also the Political and Economic Adviser to the Archbishop of Onitsha said: “For this election, we considered fairness and equity but we agreed that fairness can be further advanced in the manner we approach the issue of zoning or rotation of power. “It was our decision that zoning could be better realised when all the parties involved come together to talk about it and work out the modalities.” High Chief Okonkwo said an effective zoning would have been that which most people would accept. “Power sharing must come from a Charter rather than relying on the benevolence of anyone or the dynamics of prevailing circumstances; everything must be done to ensure a smooth transition,” he said. “This agitation for zoning actually comes from the fact that leaders have not been fair in their dealings with their people. “Zoning has its advantages and drawbacks, but for the sake of fairness and giving people a sense of belonging, we support it.” In his response, the traditional ruler of Igbariam, in Anambra East Council, Anambra North senatorial zone, HRM Eze (Dr.) Nkeli Nzekwe Kelly I, the Okalakwu of Igbariam, faulted Obi’s insistence on power shift to Anambra North. Eze Nkeli described the rotation of power to his senatorial zone as a “perpetuation of godfatherism in the politics of the state.” “This is a phenomenon that we are trying to run away from and this is what the governor is enshrining in the state by ensuring that the next governor comes from the zone,” the monarch said: “Although we welcome the zoning of power to Anambra North, the process adopted by the governor can be interpreted as an imposition of his choice of candidate on the people of the North. “Willy Obiano, who is our son, might not necessarily have been the choice of the people from Anambra North. “We wanted a situation where all the political parties would have picked their candidates from the North and then we all would have picked our candidate rather than Obi limiting our choice with his own candidate, Obiano.” A former governorship aspirant from the North like Obiano, Ogbuefi Tony Nnachetta, said of the absence of Odumegwu-Ojukwu factor: “Ikemba anointed Obi and the governor delivered on that mandate. In the absence of the Ikemba, it is in APGA’s interest to compare Obi’s performance with two or three other administrations in and outside the Southeast. “Proportionately, Anambra has done better than most states. Lagos State, for example, earns N25 billion monthly as internally generated revenue (IGR). Anambra has a paltry N2 billion as IGR and earns another N3 billion from the Federation Account. “I believe that Anambra has a story to tell on how the fund has been deployed. Obi’s record is good enough to win any election, but the question is, are we able to pick it up and run with it? Who has the competence to pick up the baton and run? He anticipates that in a post-Obi era, “Anambra will need a man of competence, leadership qualities that can stand with his colleagues and refuse to share Anambra’s paltry money; a man comfortable in his own skin.” Though it is often said that victory demands no explanation while failure permits no alibi, Anambra poll gives room for further elucidation.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 21:25:56 +0000
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