The holy book admonishes that ‘he who thinks he stands should take heed lest he falls’. In other words, the Bible urges everyone to regularly do self-examination lest one gets lost in one’s self importance. In similar tone, there is a very popular saying which has become a cliché, though its meaning holds strong despite its near overuse: ‘what goes round, comes round’. But in my mind, what captures the current political murmuring in Ebonyi state in respect of the 2015 governorship elections most succinctly is the Igbo saying that rhetorically asks: Omegbu nwa ogbe, o ga akpo nkeya a la nmmo. Roughly translated: ‘those that oppresses the orphans, do they plan to take their own children along when they die?’ Engr. Dave Umahi, the ambitious Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State and his footsoldiers are currently not at peace in Ebonyi State because the state governor and his boss, Chief Martin Elechi, in cahoots with other power brokers in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ebonyi State have endorsed Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, as the PDP consensus candidate for the forth-coming 2015 governorship election in the state. It is important that we understand the character of the man, Engr (Chief) Dave Umahi, popularly called Ekubaraoha by his admirers. Engr. Umahi was a construction engineer based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State who came home (Ebonyi state) in the build up to 2003 general elections to throw his hat into the shark-infested waters of politics. By that time, the ANPP led by Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, a kinsman of Engr. Dave Umahi (both men hail from Uburu, in Ohaozara local government area) was the major opposition to the PDP in Ebonyi State and the powers that be needed ‘an insider’ to checkmate Dr. Onu against the then incumbent governor of the state, Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu and Engr. Dave Umahi was on hand to do just that: checkmate Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. Eventually, Engr. Dave effectively ran him out of the state. . As a reward for his exploits, Dave Umahi emerged the State Chairman of the PDP and all hell was let loose. Immediately Dave Umahi became the party chairman, Ebonyi speedily became a one party state where the fear of party chairman was the beginning of wisdom, even for the governor of the state. As if that was not enough, Engr. Dave Umahi as a party chairman started what is now known as consensus/adoption of candidate in all the elections that the party was involved in Ebonyi state, suddenly; the party chairman and his group became the determinant factors in who takes whatever position in the state. In areas where Engr. Dave Umahi had advantage, he used the party to control all levers of power. For example, in his own local government area, inspite of the fact that there weas an array of highly qualified candidates and party members that had experience and were genuinely interested in contesting the local government elections, Engr. Dave Umahi had to go bring a young man from Abuja imposed him on the party and the man eventually became the local government chairman of Ohaozara LGA. In a similar vein, in the neighbouring Onicha local government, it was even more bizarre. Engr. Dave Umahi also installed an unsuitable person. Even in Afikpo North council area, Engr. Umahi installed another person. And the list continues endlessly! To cap it all, Engr. Dave Umahi became the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi state as a reward for his role in imposing candidates on the Peoples Democratic Party as against more popular candidates of the party . Engr. Umahi as a party chief ensured that the right of party members to determine who flies the flag of the party was not respected in the name of consensus and today, as fate would have it, he has been paid in his exact coin. Revenge they say is best served cold and this time, the very system Engr. Dave Umahi enthroned in Ebonyi state PDP has come to haunt him. What an irony! What is good for the geese is also sauce for the gander , they say! For Engr. Dave Umahi and his footsoldiers, he should sheath his sword and as a ‘correct’ party man if indeed, accept his fate lest he commits anti-party activity! Or, he can as well switch to another party if he is confident that the people of Ebonyi desperately need his ‘Midas touch’ to turn the state’s fortune around. Besides, his posters say that his is a ‘Divine Mandate’. So, if God be for him, definitely no one can be against him. Dr. Mimiko did it in Ondo state, Al-Makura did it in Nassarawa, Dave Umahi may just test his popularity and do it in Ebonyi. Enough of plunging Ebonyi PDP into anarchy in the name of interest, no one interest is above the interest and peaceful co-existence of the state. God Bless Ebonyi State and God bless my dear country, Nigeria
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 21:35:55 +0000
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