By Chekwube E. Nzomiwu

History is important because it enables us to see how events of the past account for our present circumstances. When Nigeria gained Independence in 1960, the first indigenous Governor-General, Owelle Dr. Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, came from Onitsha, a town located in the area called Anambra State today. Azikiwe also became the first Senate President of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966 and later, the first indigenous President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at the time of the First Republic in 1963. In that same era, the third Senate President, Nwafor Orizu, came from Nnewi, a town equally located within the area called Anambra State today.

In the Second Republic, Anambra State produced a Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Edwin Ume Ezeoke. In the truncated third Republic, it produced another Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Agunwa Anekwe. In the first part of this Fourth Republic, it again produced a Senate President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo. All these things happened when Anambra played at the centre of power in Nigeria. Even the incumbent Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo could not have served as the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the time he did, if Anambra State operated outside the mainstream.

Regrettably, the State lost ground politically in Nigeria since March 2006 when Mr. Peter Obi mounted the saddle as the Governor under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Obi became Governor consequent upon the judgment of the Justice Garba Nabaruma led 2003 Anambra State Governorship Election Tribunal, nullifying the election of his predecessor, Dr. Chris Ngige of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). At the time of the judgment, PDP controlled the national government. The Court of Appeal, Enugu Division upheld the judgment of the lower tribunal, which enthroned APGA as the ruling party in Anambra State.

For the past 19 years, APGA which was formed in June 2002, has not grown beyond Anambra State in spite of the goodwill it enjoys among Ndigbo because of the involvement of former Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, seen in his lifetime as the de facto leader of the Igbos worldwide. After suffering consecutive defeats in presidential elections, Ojukwu later became the Life Leader of APGA and he held this position until his death in November 2011.

After Ojukwu’s demise, APGA came close to returning to the mainstream when then-Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha wanted to move the party to the centre of power in Nigeria during the formative days of the APC in 2013. Okorocha met resistance from Peter Obi and his Agulu brother, Chief Victor Umeh who was the National Chairman of APGA at that time. Okorocha later joined the APC with only his loyalists in APGA. Obi also left APGA for the PDP when he realised that the party cannot take him beyond Anambra State, before moving to Labour Party to contest the 2023 presidential election, won by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of APC. Umeh, now a Senator, had since teamed up with his brother, Obi, in Labour Party.

Regardless of the exit of its founding members, APGA has held onto power in Anambra State amid prolonged leadership crisis, which has kept the party in and out of different courts, including the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The party has managed to survive by aligning with the party controlling power at the national level in every election cycle. This has not in any way helped APGA because every ruling party sees it as a fair weather friend.

The retarded growth of APGA is seen as a cog in the wheel of progress of Anambra State. States like Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia have become more relevant than Anambra in national political affairs. Currently, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives is from Abia, while Ebonyi and Enugu produced senior Ministers in the APC led federal government. Despite the much hyped closeness of the Soludo government in Awka to the Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) presidency, Anambra got an inconsequential position of junior Minister in the federal cabinet.

In terms of federal presence, Anambra State is lagging behind. Ebonyi State has two federal universities, a federal polytechnic, a federal college of agriculture and teaching hospital. Anambra State has only one federal university, one federal polytechnic and a teaching hospital.

Today, the Tinubu government is building a pilot methanol plant worth N40 billion in Akpugo, Enugu State. The plant is the first of its kind in West Africa. Once completed, it is expected to address substantially Nigeria and Africa’s industrial needs. Don’t forget that Enugu also hosts the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, a federal polytechnic, a federal school of social works, school of statistics and a teaching hospital, to mention but a few.

Hence, as a well-meaning indigene of Anambra State, I support the idea that the November 8 Governorship Election offers an opportunity to reconnect our State to the centre. In football, it is the dream of every team to play in the premier league. So also in politics. Anambra State has lost a lot by playing in the lower division in Nigerian politics. Besides, we have been a lone ranger for too long. If we are the “The Light of the Nation,” it makes sense that the light should shine at a central point, where it can illuminate the entire nation.

Luckily, APC, the ruling party in Nigeria has an array of aspirants for the Agu Awka Government House. Worthy of note among them is billionaire businessman, estate mogul and former federal lawmaker, Hon. Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, popularly known as “Ikuku Oma” (fresh air). While I respect the other APC aspirants, they are no match for Ukachukwu in terms of pedigree, capacity, competence, experience and resourcefulness. He is a grassroots politician and mobiliser.

At 59, age is still on his side. He has requisite experience in public service, being a former Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and a former member of the House of Representatives. He possesses the sagacity, courage, boldness and never-say-die spirit, as well as the street credibility to deliver Anambra to APC, if he gets the ticket.

The ruling party has nothing to fear if it presents Ikuku oma because he has the financial war chest, valuable contacts and networks required to prosecute the governorship election, having crisscrossed the three major political parties in Anambra State-PDP, APGA and now APC- in the course of his eventful political career.

Besides, Prince Ukachukwu has established and sustained friendships, regardless of political affiliation, and across ethnic and religious divides. As a good and devoted Christian, he is known for his public spiritedness, philanthropy and services to humanity, including award of educational scholarships, execution of health projects, and sponsorship of skills acquisition and other empowerment programmes.

For now, the ball is in APC’s court. If the party does the needful by presenting Ukachukwu, I strongly believe that the Anambra electorate would prefer to return to the centre, rather than remain in serious deprivation under APGA’s rule.

• Dr. Nzomiwu is a media and communications practitioner from Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State. He wrote via [email protected]