Three musketeers of Ebonyi politics

GRACE EGBO writes on the power blocs in the politics of Ebonyi State and the ongoing alignment of forces after the 2019 elections.

THREE names currently ring a bell in the politics of Ebonyi State. They are a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu and  the incumbent governor of the state, Dave Umahi. Though their individual levels of influence within the political space vary, the trio command much recognition and attention across the state.

Since Nigeria returned to civil rule on May 29, 1999, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has consistently dominated the political scene in the state, forming the government and winning state and National Assembly elections. Despite the All Progressives Congress (APC) taking over at the centre in 2015, the PDP has maintained its hold on the state. This was also in spite of the frantic bid by Dr Onu to lead the APC to create an upset in the 2019 general election in the state.

The minister is a close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari. He was the national chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), one of the parties that coalesced to form the APC during the buildup to the 2015 general election. As the most ranking APC leader in Ebonyi, Onu has not been able to ‘deploy’ federal might to deliver the state to his party. The combined force of incumbent Governor Dave Umahi and former Governor Sam Egwu, a serving senator, constitutes the stumbling block to the APC making a major incursion into Ebonyi.

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Egwu, first governor of the state, completed the two terms of four years each in 2007, made an unsuccessful presidential bid, as well as chairmanship of the PDP at the national level. The sour relationship between him and his predecessor, Chief Martin Elechi, was his albatross. He came back from a temporary leave of absence from politics in 2015 to team up with Elechi’s deputy governor, Umahi, the incumbent governor. Today, Umahi is in firm control of not only the PDP machinery but also the veritable kingmaker beyond the southern axis of the state. Coversely, most of the allies of Elechi are in limbo, as those  who ran for elective offices were unsuccessful.

For Anyim, he maintains an awesome political stature in the politics of Ebonyi. He remains the face of a powerful political bloc but which some critics say seems not to be promoting an inclusive politics. It is, however, said to have been fair in the allocation of democratic gains to the the people of Ishiagu, the root of Anyim, who is also a former president of the Senate.

Apart from Egwu, other notable politicians in the camp of Umahi include Obinna Ogba, Anayo Edwin Nwonu, Lazarus Ogbee, Sylvester Ogbaga, Livinus Make, Chukwuma Nwazunku and Amah Nnachi. However, there are speculations that Ogba, a serving senator has a governorship ambition. He is said to be making serious consultation with the Abakaliki bloc on his touted ambition. Ogbaga, a fourth term member of the House of Representatives from the Abakaliki bloc, has also reportedly indicated interest in the race. Ogbaga is from Abakaliki Local Government Area with claims that it will be the turn of the area to produce the governor after other zones have had their own. There are other names like Linus Okorie, a two-term member of the House and former Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture. He is considered to be a major force from the constituency of Umahi, who according to sources, might seek a senatorial ticket in 2023.

Generally, Anyim, Onu and Umahi remain the three musketeers in the politics of Ebonyi. Yet, there are other formidable forces that have heralded their arrival in the political space of the state in the last few years. There is yet another set of politicians described as the young Turks, whose influence and role involved building a political machinery capable of altering the existing configuration before the next general election. But only time can determine how far the new forces can go in their efforts to change the status quo.