Who emerges as Buhari’s choice in Anambra, Enugu?

AS the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to commence May 29, a lot of lobbying and meetings are ongoing across the states of the federation in the quest to get ministerial nominees for the expected new cabinet.

In Anambra, the battle for the single ministerial slot for the state is expected to be between some chieftains of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, of the party in the state, ruling All Progressive Alliance (APGA), who has been serially accused by the Igbo social-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, of openly working for and supporting the second term bid of President Buhari, prior to the 2019 elections.

Within the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are contending forces such as the current Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige (who was also a former governor in the state), Dr Tony Nwoye, Senator Andy Uba, APC National Auditor, Chief George Mogahalu, Chief Johnbosco Onunkwo and Senator Margret Okadigbo, the wife of the late Senate President Chuba Okadigbo, among several others.

A source within the APGA disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that, given the closeness of Governor Obiano to Buhari and his being the governor on the platform of the APGA notwithstanding, his public admiration for the president and unhidden support for his second term bid in the build up to the last presidential election may be considered factor strong enough for the governor to influence the choice of who eventually becomes the ministerial nominee from the state.

While not seeking to underrate the chances of the aforementioned APC chieftains from the state, a chieftain of the APGA, Mr Pascal Otimkpu, however said Ngige should be allowed to continue with his job in the federal cabinet. According to him, the Minister of Labour and Productivity is an asset to the Buhari administration and is also a strong voice for Anambra State.

He further noted that Ngige has been with the party since the days of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) where he contested in 2011 general election with the former Minister of Information and Communication, the late Professor Dora Akunyilli of the APGA and won to represent Anambra Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly. However, it should be noted that in spite of Ngige’s victory in the 2011 election, he, as the APC supervising officer, could not deliver for President Buhari and the party in the 2019 elections.

His shortcomings, real and perceived, notwithstanding, Ngige may be in a better stead to retain his job in the expected federal cabinet which composition the president has said would shock many Nigerians. The minister was said to have made some invaluable contributions to the Buhari administration as the Minister of Labour and Productivity Minister, while he was also visible in the N-Power programme, settlement of industrial labour crises and the recent assent to and expected implementation of the N30, 000 national minimum wage.

Another contender for the plum job is Dr Nwoye who currently represents Anambra East/West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. Nwoye, who served as National Director of Youth Mobilisation for 2019 Buhari/Osibanjo Campaign Group, is a youth mobiliser who was once a president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). A source within the APC disclosed that the federal lawmaker stands in a better position, as a minister, to protect the rights of the youths, irrespective of their political, religious or ethnic orientations.

In the case of Senator Andy Uba who lost to Ifeanyi Uba of the Young People’s Party (UPP) in the 2019 senatorial contest, many observers in the state are of the view that being given a ministerial appointment would serve as a compensation, given the conflict of interests and the accusations and counter-accusations that arose in the state chapter of the APC during its governorship primary which produced Nwoye as the party’s candidate in 2017.

Interestingly, the duo were once chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state when Senator Uba governed Anambra for 17 days while Dr Nwoye served as the state chairman in 2006, respectively, before they both defected into the APC Shortly after the 2015 general election. However, Uba is said to have an edge over Nwoye as the former is said to have a very close relationship with President Buhari, Senator Godswin Akpabio and the Senate President-hopeful, Senator Ahmed Lawan.

All hope is not lost for Chief George Moghalu, the current APC national auditor, a source within the party told the Nigerian Tribune  the source maintain that he would have all the 36 states of the country and Abuja as his constituency if he eventually gets the state’s ministerial slot. Many of his loyalists also believe that the APC national auditor would not allow what is due to the people of Anambra State elude them in any way.

Apart from the above considerations, acting chairman of APC in the state, Chief Basil Ejidike, may also be a deciding factor in who eventually emerges as the ministerial nominee from Anambra State. Many observers in the state believe that, under his watch, Anambra APC is confident that wise counsel across wards would prevail and patriotic members of the party would abide with whatever decision is taken to pick the ministerial nominee from the state without any rancour. This was as the general view is that President Buhari would pick a party member who will work according to the APC manifesto in all ramifications.

In Enugu, the APC has always been in the opposition flank as the state is in the grip of the PDP since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999. Therefore, it will be pretty difficult for the ruling party in the state to successful deploy its machinery to influence ministerial positions at

the Centre.

In 1999 to 2015 when PDP held sway both at the centre and at the state level, successive governors in the state then influenced the appointments of people like Honourable Dubem Onyia (who won election into the House of Representatives), Mrs Fidelia Njeze and  Frank Nweke (jnr), to mention but a few.

• Kogites must do this for God!

Although, the APC is still in charge at the centre with the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Enugu State chapter of the party seems to be at disarray, especially with the colossal losses of its candidates in the just-concluded general election in the state.

As things are now, it is difficult to pin-point who the APC as a party is backing for ministerial offices, even as names of some of its chieftains, including Osita Okechukwu, Lady Juliet Ibekaku, Senator Ayogu Eze and Godfrey Onyeama are put up by some observers.

Okechukwu is a strong ally of President Buhari and Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON). Lady Ibekaku, Special Adviser to President Buhari on Judicial Matters, lost to Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP in the Enugu-West Senatorial District during the 2019 elections.

Senator Eze was the APC governorship candidate who was defeated by the incumbent, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the PDP, in the election. However, a source disclosed that the former Senate Committee Chairman on Works might be drawing his strength from some influential emirs from the North who, it was said, will see the appointment of Eze as a minister as a sort of payback as they revealed that he was instrumental to the execution of some dam projects in the North while in office.

Onyeama, who is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, is being speculated to have the backing of a top member in the presidency to return to office. One nagging issue critics of the Onyeama are however holding against him is that he is not a core politician and had not met the expectations of larger segment of his constituency.

Apparently to have a united front, stakeholders of APC in the South-East zone met recently in Enugu where they tabled ways of strengthening the party after a critical review of its performances in the last general election in Igbo land.

In the communiqué signed by the convener of the meeting and APC national vice chairman, South-East, Emma Eneukwu, urged all interested members in National Assembly leadership to go ahead with their ambitions.

The APC leaders resolved, among others, that there was need to utilise the zoning of principal offices in the ninth National Assembly to further deepen and strengthen the electoral appeal of the party, especially in parts of the country where it may be considered as weak.

The APC chieftains noted: “At all times, it should be borne in mind that since democracy is a dynamic process, our great party should remain a truly national party with broad based support in all parts of the county, the South-East zone inclusive.”

Will history repeat itself in the forthcoming appointment of a minister of Enugu extraction?