By Alex Okwu
The All Progressive Congress APC Abia state chapter, hitherto perceived by many desirous of a paradigm shift in the political narrative of the God,s own state as an alternative, may have imperceptibly ,but steadily proven not to be ready for such role. And as it is, Abians are being told in clear terms either to remain where they are and or seek redemption to their disenchantment else where other than the APC.
For one,with the count down to 2023 polls,the APC Abia, apart from having to contend with how to exonerate it self from culpability in the monumental failure and uncanny nepotistic disposition of the President Mohammad Buhari administration at the center,equally appears,not prepared for the task of serving as an alternative platform in the state.
In deed ,the party appears to be currently threading irretrievably on the path to political infamy,in such a jet like speed ,that it may not be able to recover well enough before the dawn of 2023 polls.
So many factors seem to be accentuating the party,s road to political perdition. But for now, a few will suffice.In the main, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, the gubernatorial hopeful as well as the party top hierarchy have to contend with the small matter of how to control the dust being raised by the choice of Bar. Mrs Gloria Akara from the Ukwa axis of Abia state.as the Deputy Governorship candidate. Originally, said to have been conceived to woe the otherwise marginalized people of the oil producing area of the state,the seemingly political masterstroke appears to be yielding negative results. Not a ;few including party faithful, and major stakeholders are finding the choice strange. Their misgivings are believed to be first, anchored on their feelings that Mrs Akara,s choice was not a product of consultations among the people,but rather the sole decision of High Chief Emenike. They are said to be of the opinion that any one who is genuinely concerned about their plight ought to seek their inputs before taking such a weighty decision. Mrs Akara.according to findings,is widely perceived as a political novice,one totally detached from the people,and is not in tune with the aspirations and trajectories of the long suffering people of Ukwa land,and as such can not lead them out of Egypt.
Others have also tended to question her political antecedents and political worth in terms of the doggedness,and astitudenes required to galvanize the people,as she is said not to be close to the people,before now.
Before her emergence , personalities like Marc Nwagbara, the younger sibling of the erstwhile Senate president Adolphus Nwagbara and some other political figures from the area had been projected .In the end, some intriguing factors ,including alleged pecuniary considerations were said to have been preferred. As it is ,the APC in Abia state may not reap the expected harvest, in Ukwa with the current misgivings trailing its decision. Not with some other parties equally picking their gubernatorial running mates from the area..In formed sources have revealed that ,Akara,s choice was heavily influenced by some powerful forces outside Abia state.
Instructively, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and a former Head of state under military dispensations were said to have tilted the scale in her favor. Before now, she was at home tendering to their spiritual flocks together with her husband in their ministry,and is believed not to be interested in political activities.
However, if the party,s choice of gubernatorial running mate,is posing a threat , the in-fighting between the immediate past minister of state for Solid Minerals Dr.Uche Ogah and High Chief Emenike is not helping the fortunes of the party either .The duo have been in the trenches ever since the conduct of political parties primaries over who is the authentic gubernatorial hopeful. While the battle lasts, and continue to take its tolls on the party, many watchers of the drama will no doubt see the development from its proper perspective- pay back time for Emenike as he did same to Ogah in 2019 even till the eve of the elections.
In the same ,vein for daring to claim to have wrestled the structure of the party from Former Governor Orji Uzi Kalu,,in the state ,as well as even attempting to deny him a return ticket to the senate, but for the intervention of the party,s national body, Orji appears to be fighting back. It is no longer debatable as to who is behind the formation and sponsorship of the nascent political platform-the Action Peoples Party APP.
Win or lose ,the masquerades behind the APP will be fulfilled so long they succeed in deflecting the over bloated ego of Emenike. So far the party and its promoters have concentrated their energies and resources on any perceived strong holds and or strength of the APC in the state. Motive. First and most importantly to deflect Emenike,s ego.
Yet,his political nativity will not permit him to see the red lights on time and come down from his delusory heights.
This is just as it will not also allow him to see his grave political blunder in alienating the Ngwa axis of the Abia Central Senatorial zone. Political wisdom and configuration of Abia state had all suggested the ceding of the party,s Senatorial ticket to the Umunnato., himself being from the Umuahia axis for the sake of equity and inclusiveness. But he chose to cede the slot to the Ikwuano/Umuahia area ,thereby completely alienating the people .Even his choice of Abia central senatorial seat is not spared of the battle of attrition rocking the party as the duo of Hon. Sam Onuigbo,and Chief Emeka Atuma are currently locked in a legal brickbat over who is the rightful candidate.
May be APC, Emenike, and others are not contesting to win ,but to live up to their acclaimed billing as perennial contestants.
Alex Okwu lives in Umuahia, Abia state
