Ngige at the Last Bus Stop

Ngige at the Last Bus Stop

Hussaini Sani Kagara

Hussaini Sani Kagara The ruling of Justice Garba Nabaruma from Awka Election Tribunal on Friday 12th August 2005 declaring Peter Obi of APGA as the winner of the Anambra State Governorship election held on 19th April 2003 gives Chris Ngige the only option of Appeal as the last bus stop to continue to rule Anambra as the Governor. If he failed at the Enugu Court of Appeal, he must vacate Government House, Awka immediately.

Before now democracy in Anambra has been turn upside down; people have been deliberately disenfranchised; the rule of law has been abandoned and justice postponed by the power that be, lawlessness become the rule and law become an exception, what do you expect? Of course, godfathers having grazing day to display their vim and vigor of influence. It first happened on July 10 2003 when the Governor was abducted. A many described the political comedy in Anambra State as an “assault to the sanctity of democracy.” Some called it “democracy coup” while others said it was “police coup on democracy.” Before the comments hardly end, on Sunday 4th January 2004 with a cyclone speed, Nigerians were told by the media that Governor Ngige has gone missing. From that moment everyone seems to be convinced that the tides of ejection were fast on the trail of Dr. Christopher Ngige. Since the Police Coup had become abortive, the second phase of the removal plot has been using the Court to make it sound legal.

In retrospect to all that had transpired, all the commandos in the Anambra’s saga have played one role or the other. Chris Uba is a multi-billion who invest in politics and reap dividends from his political investment. He is an individual who feels unelectable, as such, uses his wealth to become governor from the bench. Chris Ngige, on the other hand was just an unpopular Physician, but charismatic and electable but need to be bankroll to become governor. Here, I think form the premise of Uba and Ngige covenant – from resignation letter(s) to the oath-taking in Okija shrine.

When the election was over and Ngige had become governor by hook and crook as the President through Audu Ogbeh’s letter. What next? Pay back time. But when the godson turns tiger what do you expect? Of course trouble. This is exactly the problem with Anambra politics. People must know that politics is business because it requires sponsorship. Even in the so-called developed Democracies of the World, people invest in politics and are certainly compensated through various forms. It is a glaring fact that most of the Wars fought so far are triggered by the interest of the multi-national defense companies as away of getting back their money which they have invested in the triumph of their candidate. Surely, Chris Uba the popular among the plotters of Anambra coup is just making ways to get back his investment.
If it is true that he was part of the plotters, then the only fault to attached to his action was he acted poorly too early with treasonable fraction.

That act of abduction and arson on the Government House, Awka were certainly condemnable at whatever pedigree, needless to say that the political drama in the State was not a new one. Over the last six years the State was embattled by all sorts of political logjam. Political-godfatherism ruined the entire socio-economic and political fabric of the State – the dividends of democracy became far remoter. For a greater part of the fours of Governor Mbadinuju workers were not paid salary and provision of social amenities became a mirage. This situation undermined the political fortunes of the former governor, Chiwoke Mbadinuju while his colleagues were given return tick to government house his own was, out of the blue, overturned by the forces of godfatherism – the Emeka Offor’s.

Godfatherism is a menace that can hardly be isolated from the political terrain. God makes leaders, but godfathers played a consequential influence in the enthronement and dethronement of leaders all over the world. They select electable motor park politicians and political scavengers from the dustbin who are preferred not for their best but subservience. If the Ngige’s of Anambra were made to be governors by the Chris Mba, the Kure’s of Niger State can be said to be made governors by the influence of the IBB’s while the Boni’s of Adamawa cannot be isolated from the sway of the Atiku’s to become. Chris Uba may have thought that Ngige was just a political-hanger; little did Uba know that Ngige was a political-master waiting to be ride to the top.

The effect of godfatherism in politics is adverse. The President, the Governors, the Legislators, Local Government Chairmen and Councillors are all made by godfathers and disguised under elections. Godfathers are networks of cells that impact on the political fortunes of others. They may be individual or corporate but the objective is always the same. To ditch the God-Fathers from having influence means inviting anarchy and to live with them one is remote controlled. Ngige most not to be hoodwinked by the impetus of sympathy from his colleagues (Governors) and general public. If truth must be told Ngige need a peace pact with the Ubas. No godson survived ditching his godfather. The Rimis of Kano fall after falling apart with Aminu Kano. Muhammed Lawal of Kwara fall for going outside the baseline drawn by the Sarakis while in the same Anambra, Mbadinuju was refused return ticket for challenging the Emeka Offors.

To stamp out the peril of godfatherism where elected individuals would have the free ride to make decisions on the enhancement of its citizenry, there is the dire need to put in place a law determining the quantum of individual and corporate participation in sponsoring any party or candidate. Unless this is done and terms such as “friends of …” (as we have seen in the last PDP Presidential Fund Raising Dinner) are clearly define, the attempted “democracy coup” alleged to have been planned by godfathers in Anambra State is just the beginning of what to happen to all the elected political post who failed to comply in earnest to the whims and caprices of the godfathers.

The political travails of Ngige are full of intrigues and mischief. He may have remain steadfast to acclaimed his contestable right amidst rampaging god-fathers so-determine for his political fall. Thus, the decision of the Election Tribunal was just a stop-over to the final onslaught – though on the face of it, judicial.

Dr. Christopher Ngige as Governor or not would remain a reference point on Nigeria’s political history. His abduction and the subsequent episodes were unbeatable political milestone never-ever to be buried in the nation’s democratic transformation.
Ngige may have been playing his cards, taking some tricks. To him, it seems like a winning hand. But there are too many jokers on the park, armed with determined vengeance. Therefore, the journey beyond the last bus stop may be full of uncertainties. Should Ngige accept the tribunal’s verdict; he will be rolling along the path of greater and brighter political influence. However, facing the last bus stop is heroic determination for justice amidst glaring enemies, but on the political front, a suicidal miscalculation. If Ngige finally falls, it will blast-open a new era of political intrigues in Anambra. How sure would we be that Peter Obi may not be impeached by the PDP dominated House of Assembly? In Anambra, the political theatrics are just unfolding.

Hussaini Sani Kagara No. 143 Masoyi Road Kagara, Niger State hsanikagara@yahoo.com