In Enugu State and very much recently, Politics has actually proven to be somewhat, intriguing, fascinating, interesting and above all, devastating to a host majority, who even before the party primaries had placed their harts before the carts. Such individuals had pitched their tents with certain Aspirants they loved, trusted and had confidently believed head or tail, would clinch the Peoples Democratic Party’s tickets, ahead of 2023 general elections.
We are all complicit in this crime. But it is permissible in politics as what matters at the end of the day is party’s decision, sound of victory and the emergence of the ‘chosen’ among the teaming population that had jostled, lobbied, hustled and vigorously campaigned to hold the tail end of the party’s flag in jubilation, in victory and to the admiration of onlookers.
All of the above have happened. The primary elections of various political parties across the federation have been concluded with winners and losers announced by the electoral bodies of the political parties involved, to the appreciation and condemnation of many.
But that is politics though. It has remained what it is: the game of intrigues, shenanigans and one of the most generally loved ventures by humans, with so many uncertainties, astonishment, heartbreaks, upsets, and above all, bewilderment.
The above picture represents the current feeling of most political observers, political watchers and most expectedly, recent participants in political activities across the federation. Many of these individuals, mostly, the younger Nigerians were dazed by the shocking outcome of primary elections of the dominant political parties in the country – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The above position is the reason for the current upsurge and mass movement of most Nigerians to the Labor Party, which before the recent primary elections of political parties was regarded as non-existent, as it does not have any elected official whatsoever across the federation. But that is a story for another day anyways.
However, bringing the analysis down to Enugu State (which is the thrust of this article), where Barr. Peter Mbah, an oil magnate, emerged flag bearer of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), uneasiness has been the language, as Peter Mba’s emergence has continued to send shock-waves in the spine of most political personalities who had narrowed the contest in the wrong direction, prior to his emergence.
In their erroneous calculation, they had underrated the oil mogul and renowned entrepreneur for reasons best known to them. But Peter Mbah is here for us and for good. No leave, no transfer. He would, by God’s divine grace, be sworn in as governor of Enugu State, come 2023. In Sha-Alla. And he would run the circle as governor like his predecessors such as Sen. Chimaroke Nnamani, Barr. Sullivan Chime and by then, Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. That is what the state is generally known for – as a PDP state that has not changed its colors since 1999 and would not do so in 2023.
Meanwhile, the Barr. Peter Mba-phobia is real and lives in the heart of many, especially those who didn’t think that peter will make it. The phobia is simply that Peter will not be their kind of governor. He would be close to everybody and closer to nobody. They fear that those who do not actually have business or ideas to offer the new government would not have anything in common with the new system.
But that is what Peter Mba and governance anywhere should represent. I foresee a system where the best heads are rallied by the new government to continue steering the ship of the state, from where the incumbent governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, would be leaving it by 2023.
Thankfully, the wranglings and hiccups that would have derailed governance, especially, using the instrumentalities of law, have been ditched, following the recent withdrawal of Sen. Ike Ekweremadu from the epic battle that had characterized the pre-primary election process of the PDP in the state. So the coast is now clear for Barr. Peter Mbah to bring his corporate experience into governance in the state, come 2023.
Good luck, Barr. Peter Mba. Ka Chineke Mezie Okwu a!
Gwiyi Solomon Wrote from Uzo-Uwani LGA of Enugu State.
