|
Arthur Nzeribe, Achike Udenwa, Osita Izunaso And Imo West Senatorial Contest By Emeka Oraetoka
Ideally, the victory of Osita Izunaso over Senator Arthur Nzeribe could have passed as probably, the greatest upset in the just concluded senatorial primary of the PDP from that zone and even beyond. But the report by ThisDay Newspaper of Monday, 4th December 2006, that Izunaso would hold in trust, the senatorial ticket for Governor Achike Udenwa, makes the whole exercise looked rather crooked and reinforced the theory of a stage-managed election; and seemed asymmetrical to the new look PDP’s image?
The theory of a stage-managed senatorial primary gained currency, when on Monday at a press conference in Owerri, Senator Nzeribe alleged among others, that his supporters (delegates), from three [3] local government areas were denied access into the voting arena by Undenwa’s thugs, that the returning officer, Mr. Fidel Egoro was apart from been compromised by the state government, not legally qualified to preside over the conduct of the vexed election, from the point of view of the party’s guidelines or laws for the election. He further stated that results in these three (3) local government areas where Achike deployed state powers to stop his supports from voting, should be canceled, and electoral victory awarded to him, in accordance with PDP’s laid down rule on issue relating to violence and associated malpractices.
It is very easy for political opponents of Nzeribe to dismiss some of his claims as ranting of a defeated fellow. But a microscopic examination of political events leading to the senatorial election in the zone may have suggested desperation on the part of Achike Udenwa led dying order. It will certainly be a Herculean task for anybody who calls himself a loyal PDP member in Imo State to tell you whether Governor Achike Udenwa is still a loyal member of PDP or not. To start with, in one of the President’s interaction with elected governors on the platform of PDP few months back, Achike Udenwa reportedly told President Obasanjo that he was not aware of PDP executive in Imo State- In fact, that as far as he was concerned, Marcel Nlemigbo’s leadership of PDP in Imo State was not acceptable to him. The President reacted angrily to this comment from Udenwa, and asked him to sit down if he had nothing useful to contribute, apparently telling him to channel his problem on party matter to the leadership of PDP, not him, Obasanjo.
The same Udenwa was at his element best according to reports, in his anti –PDP stance during the bye-election meant to fill the vacant position in Imo State house of assembly, arising from the death of a member representing Isu constituency in the house. According to loyal PDP members, the governor mobilized everything he could and made sure PDP candidate in the bye-election failed. The violence that characterized the election prompted INEC to cancel it and had it re-scheduled for another date. According to information, an Alliance for Democracy (AD) candidate was declared winner of an election duly nullified by INEC -by Achike Udenwa led INEC in Imo State. Reports have it that before the Imo State house of assembly swore in this AD candidate, the state owned radio and television stations, repeatedly announced that the AD candidate actually won the canceled election. Ironically, the same Udenwa who informed President Obasanjo that he was not aware of any PDP chairman in Imo State praised the handling of the bye-election by the chairman, Marcellus Nlemigbo, to high heaven. The national leadership of the party later slammed indefinite suspension on the chairman, probably for act capable of throwing Imo State into crisis, as the body saddled with the responsibility of conducting elections, said it canceled the election on the ground of violence, and he went ahead with Achike’s INEC to announce their own result.
Till date, there is subsisting court order stopping INEC from conducting the rescheduled bye-election in Isu local government area. Already, political pundits are predicting that should there be anarchy in 2007 arising from elections; it may start from Imo State based on funny happenings over there. How else can one rationalize this comment from the speaker of Imo State house of assembly as reported by ThisDay newspaper of Monday, December 11, 2006: “I would not like to join words with the INEC chairman. He is a man I envy a lot. It is unfortunate for him to have made that assertion that he would prosecute me immediately I leave office for an offence I know nothing about. Moreover, if he feels that I have erred, he can go on, after-all, I am not under immunity”. It is only in Imo State that the constitutional power of INEC to conduct election has been usefully challenged. The question on the lips of political pundits is: considering these political developments in Imo State under Achike Udenwa, would PDP accept his candidature in Imo West, if he eventually decides to ask his protégé, Osita Izunaso, to step down for him, as reported by national newspapers?
Enter Osita Izunaso, apart from news of his surprise “victory” in Imo West Senatorial election, the only time Nigerians heard of Osita Izunaso, was during a nation wide broadcast by president Olusegun Obasanjo over the unfortunate incident of “Bribe for budget scandal”, that swept away the then Senate President, Adulphous Wabara. President Obasanjo used the occasion of that broadcast to reaffirm his administration’s resolve to fight corruption to stand still; no matter whose ox is gored. In the report sent to the President by EFCC, Honourable Osita Izunaso’s name was said to be in it. Incidentally, all the Senators and House of Representatives members indicted in that EFCC report, failed to scale through in their respective elections, except Osita Izunaso.
With the current determination of the ruling party at re-directing PDP from “an election-winning machine to an agenda setting party” it will amount to 9th wonder of the world for Osita Izunaso to be handed the flag of PDP in the senatorial contest proper. This is because 2007 general elections would virtually be issue based, and PDP in this circumstance may not afford to toy with Osita Izunaso candidacy because of EFCC controversy on bribe for budget scandal. On the other hand, Governor Achike Udenwa, may be disqualified by the presidential screening Committee for disloyalty to the party, however, his chances of falling back to senatorial contest according to report, will still be resisted by the party. Head or tail, the duo of Udenwa and Izunaso are at the mercy of a new PDP, which may not be for all comers anymore. The trend of disqualifications in the party is a pointer to this view. Few examples of these disqualifications would suffice here. The former deputy governor of Anambra State, Dr. Okey Udeh, was disqualified from going to the National Assembly Elections, in spite of winning the House of Representatives ticket for Orumba North and South Federal Constituency. His indictment by the judicial panel set up by the Anambra State Government over July 10, 2003, abduction saga. Honourable Salisu Buhari, the former speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, was disqualified because of his Toronto episode probably, the state pardon granted him by President Obasanjo notwithstanding. The deputy governor of Delta State, Benjamin Elue, was disqualified from contesting probably because of the gunrunning allegation against him for wish he paid visit to former inspector general of police, Tafa Balogun. The disqualification of Isa Yuguda, the gubernatorial aspirant in Bauchi State, according to PDP is disloyalty to the party and constituted authority among others.
It is therefore, apparent that the senatorial contest in Imo West is far from being over, considering Nzeribe’s weighty petition and the enumerated factors stalking both the governor and Honourable Osita Izunaso. A juxtaposition of Nzeribe’s petition with the reason behind the postponement of the gubernatorial primary on the 9th of December 2006 makes the theory of disenfranchisement by Nzeribe in his petition looks sure and almost incontrovertible. For avoidance of doubt, the Daily Independent newspaper reported on Monday, December 11, 2006 that protest on attempt to disenfranchise the original delegates from the 27 LGA led to the postponement of the election.
EMEKA ORAETOKAInformation Management ConsultantWrite from Owerri, Imo State E-Mail: orameklis@lycos. com |