By Boniface Nwufo
As the Abia state charter of equity which has been the thread that held the various political tendencies together is finally torn to shreds, there are new realities, permutations, alignments and realignments currently unfolding in the state. Some weeks ago, a former senate president, Chief Adolphus Wabara had warned the PDP leaders in the state not to jettison the power rotational arrangement in the upcoming 2023 governorship election hinting that to do so will come with unintended political consequences.
Going by the state’s charter of equity, the next governor of the state ought to emerge from Abia North senatorial zone, and this much was agreed by all the stakeholders in 2015 and 2019. It is also common knowledge that the incumbent governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is a beneficiary of the power rotation arrangement, and if truth must be told the founder/chancellor of Gregory University, Uturu, Prof. Gregory Ibe in 2019 acceded to the entreaties of Abia elders to yield the political space to Ikpeazu, while power will return to Abia North in 2023. Surprisingly and in a manner reminiscent of a volte-face and total betrayal, the current PDP leadership in Abia state has reneged on the promise that after the eight years tenure of the incumbent governor that power will seamlessly revert to Abia North senatorial zone.
Since action begets reaction, Professor Gregory Ibe who is a frontrunner for the coveted office of the governor of Abia state has decided to dump the Peoples Democratic Party and pitch tent with the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. As many political pundits are beginning to analyse the political developments in Abia state ahead of 2023 governorship election, the likely scenario is that APGA which has in the aftermath of Soludo tsunami in the last Anambra state governorship election has become an unstoppable political movement in the South East and will in 2023 clinch the governorship seat in Abia state. If this permutation comes to fruition it will upend the calculations of those political leaders who are currently calling the shots in Umuahia, the state capital and who have out of selfish interests decided not to toe the path of equity, fairness and justice.
After many years of missed opportunities and leadership failures, the citizens of Abia state and indeed the South East are beginning to clamour for the emergence of selfless and visionary leaders to extricate them from the pangs of underdevelopment, poverty and retrogression. From all indications most Abians see their expectations and hopes encapsulated in the governorship aspiration of Prof. Gregory Ibe who has remained the major private investor in the state since the setting up of the prestigious Gregory University, Uturu. The establishment of the university is a clear indication of his faith in the progress and development of the state and if given the opportunity can replicate his vision of development in all parts of the state.
With the numerous challenges confronting Abia state, especially paucity of funds due to low revenue allocation, there is the need for a leader that can think out of the box, and leverage the advantages of his global contacts and knowledge of the world to attract investors to the state and open untapped opportunities for the people. Faced with dwindling resources 2023 provides an opportunity for Nigerian voters to ensure that they carefully vote for leaders who have the capacity and intellect seek for new ways of doing things for the betterment of the people. This is not the time for experimental leadership, rather we need leaders like Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state who is well equipped for the job, and possess the requisite knowledge to proffer solutions to the problems of the state.
Abia state has huge untapped potentials and it takes a leader with thoughtful insight and innovative mind to unlock the opportunities inherent in the state. For example Aba as an industrial and commercial hub can serve as a skills acquisition and job-creating centre for the South East and South South geo-political zones of the country. Similarly the can-do spirit of the Aba artisans and innovators ought to be encouraged and supported for the rapid economic development of Abia state and Nigeria as a whole. The new governor of Abia state must be someone who is knowledge-driven, IT-savvy and whose world view will see possibilities where there seems to be impossibilities. He must understand the importance of education for an all-round development of the people. Even in the area of trade for which the people are famous, there will be need to modernise it to align with current global realities and challenges. There is need to build an economy that will be problem-solving, creative and foresighted, and by so doing be adequately prepared for the future.
Prof. Ibe has in the last twenty-two years rendered selfless service to many states in Nigeria, and his recognition across the world, including the United Nations, World Bank and other international bodies will impact positively on the development of Abia state. It is therefore gratifying that in a bid to find a platform to serve his people he has finally pitched tent with the All Progressives Grand Alliance and the earnest hope is that Abia people will in 2023 choose a selfless leader who not has capacity but have the interest of the people at heart.
Nwufo writes from Lagos