Nigeria’s fledgling democracy is yet at the dawn of
another litmus test. This time around, it is the turn of Anambra State to hold
gubernatorial elections. Due to exigencies of history, about 6 Nigerian states
hold their guber elections at different times from majority of the 36
states. These states are Kogi, Edo, Adamawa,
Bayelsa, Sokoto, Cross River, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and Anambra states. Come
October – November 2013, it will be the turn of Anambra State. The major
difference here is that while 2 or 3 states will usually hold their elections
at the same time, as a result of fallout from the election tribunal; Anambra
(the Light of the Nation) usually occupies the centre stage alone.
The significance of this is the searchlight of the
entire Nigeria nay the world will beam on Anambra during the election week. As
should be expected all the political gladiators and heavy weights in all the
political parties will as a matter of necessity congregate in Awka, to garner
and drum up last minute support for their party candidates. Although this is
not a sine qua non for victory; while
it worked in Kogi State for the PDP, they were unable to re-enact the act in
Edo State. However, political watchers are waiting in anticipation and the
Anambra political landscape is not expected to disappoint.
In life there is no gainsaying the fact that there is
a season for everything under the sun. The holy bible even goes further to expatiate
on this by giving a comprehensive list in Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8; “To everything
there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time
to sow and a time to reap.” Likewise in politics, there is a time to
assume power and a time to relinquish power, although some people might add a time to be governed well. Such a time
has come to Anambra state.
Yet while such a time is at the door steps of Anambra,
and unlike what obtains in Nigerian politics where power is handed over; the incumbent
governor has not deemed it fit and appropriate to name a befitting successor.
Back to the holy book, Saul, David and Solomon where all anointed kings and
successors to the throne of Israel, and true to their being made oly by anointing, performed wonderfully. Governor
Obi cannot be said to have been anointed, in the beginning, for he had to fight
tooth and nail to reclaim his mandate at the election tribunal; but the second
time around, there was some element of anointing for he was my beloved son, grant me this last wish.Just
like the anointings in the bible, he doubled his efforts at improving the road
networks in the state.
History of Nigerian politics is replete with stories
of anointing that have ended favourably
and ones that ended in catastrophe: Tinubu
and Fashola; Orji and Orji are two examples that readily come to mind representing
favourable and catastrophic anointing respectively. In most instances when the
incumbent has served out his full tenure, it is expected that someone like the
deputy governor, a commissioner, some high ranking officer in the government or
party is groomed to take over.
The importance of anointing a successor for Anambra
state cannot be overemphasized. First, Obi has done a marvellous job through
building road networks and other people oriented projects, but his achievements
will come to naught if the right person is not left in charge. Someone who can
built on what is already on the ground; a person who can consolidate his
achievements and improve on his shortcomings ( as no one is perfect). Secondly
to avoid being hounded around the world by anti-corruption agencies of EFCC and
ICPC. For it is common knowledge that immediately things go wrong, the
scapegoat is usually the predecessor. However, with an anointed successor, the
governor leaving office is adequately protected and even venerated in
state, no matter how bad the situation
may be. Actually, the latter reason is more pertinent than the former for
history are abound with stories where just weeks after leaving office, a former
governor is hounded by law enforcement agencies and anticorruption agencies.
Having said that, the entire world is surprised why
till now, no anointed successor has emerged from the camp of the incumbent,
just barely 5 months tothe elections. Again, the incumbent is yet to inform
world of his future plans. Whatever those plans maybe, definitely, tenure
elongation does not feature in it. While holding his cards to his chest, Anambrarians
are warming up to choose from the multitude and cacophony of discordant tunes
being peddled around and about by would be occupants of the government at Awka.
However, since, no one is being groomed to take over, yet still, Anambra must
transit to the next level of its development. So who is best suited to achieve
this, and transform the state to its next level of development? While this seems
like an innocuous question, it portends several implications, and cannot just
be answered out of hand.
Several criteria should be used in discerning the
right person to take over the reins of leadership from Gov. Peter Obi. The first
is, which of the candidates can best articulate the problems of Anambra state?
Which of them thoroughly understands these problems; not just someone who repeats a written script.
Secondly, which of the aspirants has made efforts, to solve the first problem besetting
the state; and finally, which of the aspirants has made efforts to solve the
second perceived problem of Anambra state. Anambrarians should not just line up
behind anyone, rather, they should think of voting for someone who has scored
100% in all the above three mentioned areas.
In the first instance, what are the problems of
Anambra state? Corruption, youth unemployment, youth restiveness, armed
robbery, kidnapping, irregular power supply, ecological problems,
infrastructural decay, etc. Although, not necessarily in the order presented
here. Which of these aspirants has best articulated these problems in all forums?
In the 5 day seminar on Rediscovering Igbo Values, Godwin Ezeemo spent time to
enlighten the audience on these problems facing Anambra and Ndigbo and on the
best way to ameliorate them; that was even before, he signified his intention
to contest for the governorship election. Again, on the formal declaration at
the Glass House at Awka, he again repeated these problems; in a media parley
with journalist at Ulo 2012 Festival of Achalla Umuchu, he again re-echoed these
problems. From all indications, these problems have been causing him sleepless
nights. Because not only does he understand them, but he actively wants to see
to their final annihilation.
Juxtapose Ezeemo’s position with those of other aspirants,
none of them comes even anywhere close to understanding these problems, not to
talk of having a readymade solution to them. What most of them do is read out
from a written script. A philosopher once said: understanding a problem is half
the solution. No doubt, Achi fully understands the problems facing his beloved
state, what now remains is to provide
him with the platform to fully tackle these problems, and only Anambrarians can
be able to provide him with such platform.
The second problem facing Anambra state is youth
unemployment. This hydra headed monster, unfortunately, does not affect Anambra
state alone, rather, it is pervasive in Nigeria, although the southeast states
have more than a fair share of it. The reasons for this will be the topic of
another forum, suffice to say that these problems are here with us. All the
aspirants in their individual capacity have made efforts to solve this problem
with their personal resources in one way or the other. No doubt their Directors,
P.A’s, Special assistants, Advisers and
all the personnel involved in their campaign organizations are all off the
labour market. This is a plus for all of them.
However, a look at the aspirants for Anambra 2014
shows that only three stands out as industrialist, these are Ezeemo, Ify Ubah
and Obinna Uzor. These three has through their personal efforts provided jobs
for thousands of unemployed Nigerians. The fact that so many Nigerians owe
their daily bread to their investments is a great plus for the 3 of them, as
their efforts are complementing government efforts to reduce unemployment and
poverty. But of these 3, only Ezeemo truly has his headquarters in Anambra
state. Ubah’s Capital oil is in Lagos; Uzor’s Gocuz group is in Lagos; while
Ezeemo’s Orient Group is in Anambra. So while the 3 has provided employment,
Ezeemo has provided specifically for Ndi Anambra, and has specifically promised
that future investments will not be anywhere outside Anambra state. Charity should
begin at home.
Ezeemo’s singular efforts has provided jobs for
thousands of Anambrarians. Moreover, the anticipated expansion for the fiscal
2014 of his Agro allied investments in line with the Federal government’s
transformation agenda in the Agricultural sector will provide jobs for a
further 1000 unemployed youths in different cadres directly. While the fallouts
like recharge cards sellers, restaurants, food vendors, okada operators,
vulcanizers, barbing and hair salons, newspapers vendors etc. will definitely
transform Anambra state into a state that imports workers from other states of
the federation. Because the envisaged transformation will provide jobs for all
Anambrarians who truly want to work.
However, more than that, Achi-Nagbara-Oha Anambra
State as the name aptly signifies, has touched the lives of many families in Anambra
State through his investments that span various industriesand create jobs. The
saying give a man fish today, you feed him for one day; teach him how to fish,
you feed him for life; is the view of Achi. Several aspirants believe in giving
cars, bags of rice, Okadas, etc. where does that leave us? Back of square one.
However, if all those cars, Okada, bags of rice, Ghana must go bags etc. are
pulled together and invested there is no doubt that hundreds of Anambrarians
will be employed directly, and thousands through auxiliary and support services.Thousands of
Anambrarians owe their daily breads to Achi’s investments, this is the type of
man to hand over the reins of power over to because his antecedents shows that
he has a burning passion to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in
the state.
The third index is ability to fight corruption.
Transparency International (TI) once rated Nigeria as the most corrupt nation
in the sub-Sahara. Even with all the efforts by successive governments to fight
the monster, it rears its ugly head in all walks of life. There is no doubt
that corruption has prevented Anambra state and the entire Nigeria from
achieving its full potential. The question now, is how does the people of
Anambra state determine which of the aspirants is corrupt, or will promote
corruption if voted into power. No doubt, it is an uphill task, but with tact
and carefulness, voters can discern who is corrupt and who is not. While it
might not be very easy to determine who
is or who is not corrupt, some indices will come handy. Although,
the law states innocent until proven guilty, but the good people of Anambra
state cannot afford to gamble with their future and the future of their
generations yet unborn. An Igbo adage says no smoke without fire. In this case,
alleged but not proven counts as guilty. Based on this, some criteria will be
used to adjudged who has tendency to be corrupt:
Ø been a guest of the anticorruption agencies of EFCC
and ICPC
Ø ever carried out a government contract;
Ø ever partnered with any federal, state or local
government over any venture;
Ø ever held a political appointment;
Only those who answered negative to all the above
questions can seriously be thought to be totally free from corrupt activities.
From the foregoing, there is no doubt there is only
one person whom the cap fits; that person is Achi-nagbara-oha Anambra State;
therefore, Godwin Chukwunenye Ezeemo is the un-anointed successor.
