By Ben Anyanwu
One of the major political realities of our contemporary global system today is democracy. It is a “process” that focuses on the imperatives of consent and unanimity. The concept of “unanimous consent” is among the critical indicators of a sustainable participatory democratic process.
According to Charles Darwin ” democratization in any pluralistic society is a journey of interest anchored on a code of civilized and enlightened social template. It is this interest according to Charles Darwin’s analogy that promotes whims of hatred and fancies of deceit in politics.
The major challenge and setback in our present political culture especially on our quest for political progressivism is how to vigorously minimize the resultant entropy that have led to the promotion of selfishness against the common interest of all.
Frankly speaking, some of the convoluted scheming and maneuvering intrigues playing out ahead of the Imo East Senatorial race may lead to the scoring of political offside goal if not tamed. The fragmented and self-coordinated interests being perpetrated by NDI MBAISE and NDI OWERRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY against the interests of other Local governments in the zone can best be described as a summit of political suicide. Owerri senate seat is a common heritage of Ndi Owerri zone which comprises nine local Governments namely; Aboh MBAISE, Ahiazu , Ezinihitte, Ngor Okpala, Owerri North, Owerri Municipal, Owerri west, Mbaitoli and Ikeduru. It is not an exclusive reserved heritage of any section of the zone neither should any section of the zone claim exclusivity to the seat. All the local governments in Owerri zone have equal rights and stake even in deciding who emerges the Senator of the zone . As a political scientist, I am not ignorant of the fact that in politics there are agrements, code of equity and fairness and gentleman’s pact. The truth is that the palatable taste of Owerri zone Senatorial seat has mostly been produced as follows: Ahiazu Mbaise,( late Senator Tony Anyanwu and Isdore Obasi), Aboh Mbaise ( Senator Chris Anyanwu), Ezinihitte Mbaise ( Senator Bright Nwanne), Mbaitoli ( Senator Ama Iwuagwu), Ikeduru( Senator Evan Enwerem and Senator Samuel Anyanwu) and Owerri North (Senator Eze Ajoku and Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi). Remaining Ngor Okpala, Owerri West and Owerri Municipal. I have no problem with this. But my problem is that those whose palm kernels have been cracked by the benevolent spirit should learn to be humble and respect the stake of others.
It was on the basis of “onye emegbula ibeya” that all these local governments enjoyed the taste of the seat more the others. It was on the same spirit of “anyi Nile” and ” onye emegbula ibeya” that in 2018 at the residence of Nze Charles Onwunali in Amuzu MBAISE all the PDP critical stakeholders from the nine local governments in Owerri zone met and agreed without any “voice of Judas” that the next Senator of Owerri zone in 2023 shall come from Owerri federal constituency while the Governor will come from MBAISE . As a leader from Mbaitoli, I was among the few critical stakeholders that led Mbaitoli delegates to that harmonization meeting where we took the agreement and sealed it up. We also agreed in the meeting that we all shall also join in producing and supporting a candidate from Owerri federal constituency for senate.
But contrary to our agreement, Ndi Owerri federal constituency and NDI MBAISE are now assuming the exclusive rights and powers of deciding for other local governments of Owerri zone who becomes the next Senator of the zone. This is a self-suicidal voyage capable of causing political tsunami in Imo PDP. Even the story of the so-called adoption of Senatorial Aspirant and counter adoption going on in Owerri federal constituency negates the terms and conditions of that agreement . For Owerri Federal Constituency to claim to have zoned the Owerri senate seat, what belongs to the nine (9) local governments of Owerri Zone, to Owerri North is not only insulting to other LGAs but Political insensitivity. A situation where Ndi Owerri federal constituency and NDI MBAISE alone have scheduled a meeting to discuss about Owerri Senatorial seat is an insult to the sensibility of Ndi Ngor Okpala, Ikeduru and Mbaitoli where I come from. I am aware that such meeting is coming up. Any meeting of such where Mbaitoli and the other local governments will be excluded only for Ndi Owerri federal constituency and NDI MBAISE to talk about position that belongs to all of us is a political time bomb. Mbaitoli where I come from which is the largest local government area in Nigeria with the highest number of voters in South East cannot tolerate such a negligence. I am calling on Ndi MBAISE not to allow themselves to be boxed to a tight corner because “Echi dikwa ime”. Owerri senate seat is not an exclusive rights of Ndi Owerri federal constituency and NDI MBAISE, any meeting or discussion on that , all the nine local governments in the zone MUST be involve. We are all watching “maka na Echi dikwa ime”
Dr Ben Anyanwu, KSJI, former Dean , faculty of Social sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, writes from Nworieubi Mbaitoli LGA.
