Ernest Ndukwe, former chief executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission requires no much of introduction. He steered the ship of Nigeria’s telecommuncations revolution, and sign-posted Nigeria’s image across the globe with his transparent management of the nation’s telecom resources. He democratized mobile phone services and put mobile phones in the hands of every Nigerian after decades of lack.
In advanced societies where performance, integrity, commitment to selfless service and other sterling virtues guide people’s choice for effective representation in the upper chamber of parliament, Ndukwe’s aspiration to represent Anambra South Senatorial Zone under APGA, would have been declared a no-contest in his favour!
Even in a clear contest where citizens of this senatorial zone are allowed to vote in an open, fair and transparent manner, the Ndukwe personae towers above any contestant to the senate, irrespective of party affiliation. But elections in this zone are always mired in controversies with major allegations being that results of elections come from the blues even when ballots are not cast.
But the trio of Uba brothers, Senators Ugochukwu and Andy, and now Chief Chris Uba, propped up by then President Olusegun Obasanjo ahead of former Vice President of Nigeria, Chief Alex Ekwueme, has made it clear that the senate seat belongs to the family. Chief Chris Ubah at a recent press conference asserted that the elder duo has taken their turns, and that 2015 is his turn. The refusal of Senator Andy to let him is now a subject in court while both are currently in the field campaigning for the seat under the PDP.
It may sound ridiculous but it is widely believed that the disposition, whims and caprices of the Ubah brothers have become the rule on who gets elected to any office in the zone. Close to any general elections since 2003, no politician eying the state assembly, House of Representatives or the Senate under the PDP, will succeeded without the approval of the Ubah brothers, especially, Chief Chris Ubah. In most of the cases, nominations have become very controversial, and since 2003, there has never been an election in the zone without the PDP having a set of three candidates campaigning for each of the seats from the state to the National Assembly. Even in the most unusual circumstances, the Ubah brothers have prevailed against any opposition, be it at inter, or intra-party levels.
The Ubah brothers have broken the national record in uncommon domination of the political space within their carved empire. That empire is the Anambra South Senatorial Zone which they have held in their stranglehold since 1999. When they began in 1999 with the appointment of Senator Andy Ubah as the Special Adviser on Political Affairs to President Olusegun Obasanjo, the controversy surrounding the nomination of his senior brother, Ugochukwu, to the senate, was resolved in their favour. Curiously, the two other senators whose elections who contested on the PDP platform under same platform and under similar circumstances of party nomination, lost their seats at the courts.
With their dominance of the political scene of the area, the Ubah brothers began to push up the ante. On July 10, 2003, Chief Chris Ubah, broke another world record with the attempted abduction of the sitting Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige. The tacit approval of such a heinous crime against a democratically elected governor, by the Obasanjo regime at the centre, became a signal that the dynasty has come to stay.
This was to follow in 2007 with the forceful swearing-in of Dr. Andy Ubah on May 29, 2007, after purportedly wining in an election in which the number of votes cast were more than the number of people registered in the entire state. It took the Supreme Court to reverse this forceful assumption of office when it pronounced that the seat of the governor was still occupied by Peter Obi.
With their pre-eminence and political connections, Dr. Andy Ubah prevailed over Nicholas Ukachukwu’s nomination and went ahead to become the current chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC. Going into this year’s elections, Senator Andy and his aides have told all those who cared to listen that his vintage position in the senate will come to bear sooner than later. Chief Chris Ubah, on his part, is a member of the BOT of the PDP. The self-acclaimed godfather of Anambra State PDP, who is now battling his brother to the seat, currently plays court to other aspirants to other elective positions in the state as he is said to own the lineup. In the Anambra South Zone, all the citizens, including politicians are spectators while the Ubah brothers are playing, refereeing, and scoring the goals.
Ironically, while the Ubah brothers have completely emasculated the political space in Anambra South Zone, and in deed across the state, they are finding it difficult to share the spoils of the war among themselves. This is why Dr. Andy Ubah and Chief Chris Ubah are now pitted against themselves over the Anambra South Senate Seat.
While INEC has published the name of the latter, with a notation of a court order forcing them to so do, Dr. Andy Ubah is also campaigning as the heir to this political throne. In the different comic campaign trails of the brothers, no serious subjects are raised. Boasts about their wealth and political connections are the key subjects.
Notwithstanding that for all the years that the Ubah brothers have held sway, dividends of democracy for the people in the zone have remained a mirage, and in fact, are hardly a subject of discussions. For all their connections, the two federal roads within the zone – Nnewi – Ekwulobia–Oko-Umunze-Okigwe Road, and Nnewi – Uga – Okigwe Road, extending across the Ubah brothers residences, have not received any government’s attention. Their presence at the corridors of power is read in the pages of newspapers like fiction stories. The electorates in the zone are only privileged to see the Ubah brothers once in four years – during electioneering campaigns when they engage in salutary interactions with political and opinion leaders in the zone.
In all, it is the fear of the political connections of the Ubah brothers to the Presidency, and INEC, that is assumed the biggest threat to Ndukwe’s aspiration. Whether real or imagined, past experiences have shown that the Ubah brothers have put their connections to maximum use. It is only a credible and formidable opposition like Ndukwe that has the potentials and the capacity to challenge the Uba brothers.
Perhaps, Engr. Ndukwe’s emergence under APGA may be the break to the cycle of inaccessible, ineffective, and indeed, non-performing representation of the people of the South Senatorial zone of Anambra State. But the question is: Will Professor Jega’s men in INEC muster the courage to conduct free, fair and transparent election in the zone and let the people decide who would represent them? Would this be the end of the era where the political godfathers are given the opportunity to nominate the electoral officers in a contest where they are candidates?
- Emenike writes from Ekwulobia, Aguata LGA of Anambra State.
