There is a groundswell of political maneuvering in Okigwe South Federal Constituency, Imo State, ahead of the 2019 general elections. This move is being spearheaded by a group of prominent sons and daughters of the constutuency under the aegis of Okigwe Patriots. Their major permutation is to return Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba to the House of Representatives but left to take a shot at the Imo State Government House, hence the Bring Back Nwajiuba, #BBN, campaign.
Nwajiuba was a member of the House between 1999-2002 and rated the best legislator in Nigeria by a United Nations democracy study published in The Guardian of September 30, 2002. He was then Chairman, Works, Lands and Housing Committee and was instrumental to the construction of the three major roads in Imo. This stood him out not just as an astute politician and legislator, but also a great mobiliser, who knows his way around people and can rally colleagues to his cause, which is essentially what lawmaking is about. A man of integrity, Nwajiuba was also rumoured to have returned all the property of his late friend and son the late General Sani Abacha. In a country bereft of reputation, not many Nigerians could have done that, especially when the matter was strictly a business partnership between two friends.
What the Okigwe Patriots are after is not really Nwajiuba returning to the House but his clinching the plum speakership position, which will doubtlessly integrate the Igbo in the top hierarchy of the country from which it has been excluded since this dispensation.
Of course, it is not as simple as that. However, there are some questions to answer concerning this idea: Is it strategic and growth if our brother becomes a member of the House of Reps again? Presently, a Northern President is enthroned, South West has the vice president and the Speaker is a Northerner; what makes us think that they will quickly vacate the seat because Nwajiuba becosme a member? In the present dispensation, does President Muhammadu Buhari have the clout to singlehandedly install a speaker? Were he and even APC as a party able to influence or dissuade Dogara’s emergence?
Cogent as these posers are, this is not time to be pessimistic. This game favours contacts and reach more than logic of whether or not Nwajiuba will be able to dislodge incumbent speaker. Beyond that, his reach and political sagacity is one good enough for the bank. It is not even about Buhari’s ability to install speaker because this is democracy, which abhors such quests. It is a question of Nwajiuba himself being able to mobilise enough goodwill to his side, and this is not in doubt.
Truly, my hope was that he would go for Douglas House, Owerri. However, after deep introspection, it seems Nwajuiba’s chances may be limited by the war of attrition within Mbano. Senator Ifeanyi Ararume and former Governor Ikedi Ohakim are at it again and only tells you plainly that with Nwajiuba coming into the fray, making three from from the same axis, the chances of Mbano are as good as sub-zero. It’s also not really about Buhari but also about networking ability of the aspirant and I think Nwajiuba seems to hold the aces more than the incumbent speaker. Remember also that the APC is still seething with rage against Dogara and Senate President, Bukola Saraki, emerged and may be bidding its time to pay them back.
Moreover, with Nwajiuba’s faultless goodwill and nationwide appeal, as political strategist, he will be able to fill the urgent need to bring Ndigbo to the mainstream of Nigerian leadership.
The least Okigwe Patriots can do is to shun pessimism and give this worthy son of Nsu a deserving and unalloyed support, beginning with convincing the current representative of the constituency, Hon. Chike Okafor, to opt out of the race, and, perhaps, go for higher stakes, in order to have a solid home base. It is worth emphasising that Nwajiuba and Chike are not rivals but compatriots in the quest for greater Okigwe. Both worthy sons of Okigwe should be encouraged to gun for the best. Chike should take a shot at the governorship independently or as running mate since there’s no likelihood yet of any rivalry from his Etiti area.Moreover, Chike should reciprocate Nwajiuba’s unalloyed support for him in 2014 because ‘aka nri kwoo aka ekpe, aka ekpe akwoo aka nri.’ Sacrificing now is about the larger good. While many persons are engaging in the egoistic posturing of politics, abusing or deriding government and its operators, a few of us are dispassionately examining our realities.
We should take cognizance of the limitations of the All Progressives Congress, APC as regards Buhari’s poor image and the current tragicomic occupant of Douglas House. Nwajiuba should packaged and showcased beyond party lines and distinct from both characters. Once we get him to Abuja, you will be surprised how the cards would fall the right places.
Having appointed Chibuike Amaechi as Director General of his campaign administration, which Buhari is running for a second term, is no longer in doubt and it would be Herculean task to wrest party’s ticket from him. It is clear also that PDP is yet to get any concrete candidate to fly its flag, let alone provide any contest against Buhari. It is also self-evident that the Igbo are not keen on the presidency for now and this then raises the question how Ndigbo should participate in this representative democracy, as other sections of the country.
The most feasible would be in the LEGISLATURE and chances of Senator Ike Ekweremadu coming back as deputy senate president appear remote. So, we must push hardest to produce our best players for a national contest.
Cognate members for its offices, national acceptability, visibility and proven loyalty and trustworthiness are the most prized and salient sine qua non of the game. With only 41 seats at the House of Representatives, the
South East has only one seat where all the requirements are met in only one person, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.
The task before Okigwe Patriots should work on Nwajiuba and convince him on the imperativeness of getting into the ring once again. Currently, Nwajiuba as chairman, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND is sitting pretty and comfortable but it will be criminal and unpardonable if he sticks to his good life at TETFUND and ignores this stark reality or abdicates the noble call to duty by his people. It is on the other hand pure suicide and idiocy for us as a people to not take all steps necessary to compel him to engage this process, including clearing the path, as he did for Chike in 2014. Okigwe MUST seize the opportunity!