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Abia 2023: High, low points of seven key contenders
By Ori Martins
Abia State is central to South East and Nigeria’s economic socio – political growth and development.
The first premier of the defunct Eastern Region in independent Nigeria, the late Dr Michael Okpara, as well as the country’s first military head of state, the late General Aguiyi Ironsi, hailed from Abia State.
Besides having a long list of Igbo and Nigeria’s trail blazers, across disciplines, which included Pro Eni Njoku, Alvan Ikoku, JOJ Okezie, Gen Ike Nwachukwu, Jaja Nwachuku, Commodore Ndubuisi Kanu, Commodore Emeka Omeruo, Paul Ogwuma and few others.
Abia State sensationally produced the football club that broke the eternal CAF Champions League jinx as Enyimba lifted the once elusive continental diadem in 2003 and retained it the following year. Ever since, Enyimba have been Nigerian champions more than any team in Nigeria.
What is more spectacular is the symbolism of the figure seven in Abia politics and reflective evolution. Created in 1991 by then General Ibrahim Babangida, and the head of state’s first name (Ibrahim) is spelt in seven alphabets.
Umuahia, the capital city that also housed Biafra’s head of state, General Odumegwuu Ojukwu, during the civil war, has seven alphabets. A combination of Aba, perhaps, West Africa’s largest industrial hub, and Abia, the state’s name, produces seven letters.
After Abia was carved out of the old Imo in 1991, its first military administrator, Navy Captain Frank Ajobena, has his surname spelt in seven alphabets, just as the last military governor of the state, Col Anthony Obi, has figure seven symbolically fashioned out in his identification (Anthony).
Even now, the serving governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, shares in the historically significant seven letters application. And now, there are seven key governorship contenders for the battle to the Abia State Government House in 2023. The seven leading candidates, their low and high points are, based on views of political experts and prevailing circumstances.
Bishop Emeka Nwankpa
Nwakpa
It is yet to be known where Bishop Emeka Nwankpa is drawing his political strength and assurances from. Informed political commentators in Abia say, besides his being a founding member of the now defunct Acton Congress (AC), the Onitsha based business man, has no known political tentacles in God’s Own State.
Certainly, among the youngest of the seven key governorship candidates – his official bio-data indicates he is 52 years – Nwankpa comes from Umunkalu Ntigha, Isiala Ngwa North LGA.
Probably, his ecclesiastical description of bishop is anchored in the fact that he parades a Diploma Certificate in Theology after graduating from the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, in Anambra State.
Those who know him very well confirm he is the General Overseer of not much known Chapel of Faith International Bible Church, Onitsha, Anambra State.
Although, Nwankpa’s beautiful billboards and posters are strategically erected and placed in virtually all the nooks and crannies of Abia, his popularity and acceptability in the state still remains doubtful and unconvincing. His party, Accord Party, AP, equally doesn’t tally convincingly among the masses. “I don’t think any unbiased follower of Abia politics will rate Bishop high. He is not known”, a political commentator noted in a radio station in Umuahia.
Mascot Uzor Kalu
Kalu
He was the first chief of staff to then governor, Chief Theodore Orji, now the senator representing Abia Central in the national assembly.
He is a younger brother to former governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, who also is the senator representing Abia North in the Red Chamber.
ThIs University of South Carolina, USA trained economist and financial expert, in spite of his reputed war chest and contacts to the high and mighty, is not reckoned by political pundits in the state as he is not a recognizable face in the pulsating Abia political evolution in the current dispensation.
His chances clearly suffers a setback if it is remembered that his political party, Action Peoples Party, has no much following in Abia. Moreso, he has failed elections twice when he contested for House of Representatives in 2015, for Aba North and South on platform of the PPA. He was again on the ballot in 2019, for the same position on the APC platform and like in 2015, he failed.
It is very difficult for Abians to decipher why this particular Kalu has decided to pose against his elder brothers, Orji Uzor Kalu and Nnana Kalu who are promoters of APC, in what some analysts have described as “Abia’s brother brother”. According to Eze Rex Chima, an Aba based public affairs analyst, “Mascot Kalu has no chance in the 2023 governorship election”.
Enyinnaya Chima Nwafor
Nwafor
He has been accused by most Ukwa La Ngwa people of betrayal and consciously aiding the the successes of other candidates from Old Bende Division. In fact, in a recent communique issued at the end of its meeting recently at Abia North LGA, leaders of Elders Council of Ukwa La Ngwa, through the leader and deputy leader respectively, lampooned Enyinnaya Chima Nwafor for working against his people’s interests.
The Umuojima, Ogbu, Osisioma Ngwa LGA born politician, for the inclusion of Enyinnaya to his particulars, shares the same name with his father, the later Dr. Chima Nwafor, who was a former deputy governor of Abia State in 1992 and 2003 ( Ogbonnaya Onu (92) and Orji Kalu, 2003).
Nwafor, young, vibrant and energetic, is an seminarian whose journey to priesthood crashed quite early, having attended Ascension Junior Seminary.
A graduate of Federal University of Technology Owerri, (FUTO), where he studied Electrical and Electronics Engineering with a B.TECH., HONS.in 1999/2000.
Born 46 years ago and likely the youngest of the governorship candidates, Nwafor, according to a report, is a prudent manager of persons and resources as he is said to have managed several family and personal businesses, with a special reference to the family’s hospitals. A philanthropist of note the founder of Each One Aid One, has really assisted the poor and needy, particularly the sick, aged and students.
Sadly, Nwafor is in what many believe to be a wrong party. “The fact is that you are either in APC, PDP, LP or APGA. These are the four parties completing for space not just in Abia but in the South East region. Engineer Nwafor is not in any of the these four I mentioned. His YPP is not reckoned with in Abia”, Chibuike Kamalu, a PDP supporter from Arochukwu noted.
Ikechi Emenike
Emenike
Journalist, publisher, activist, unionist and businessman, High Chief Ikechi Emenike may easily be decorated with award of being the most consistent face in Abia politics among those contesting for the the 2023 governorship election. He has been a regular participant since 1999, contesting other positions before joining the governorship fray in 2003.
At 65, Emenike who hails from Ohuhu community in Abia North LGA, is an old war horse. He in 2003, in 2007 and 2011 under different political parties before joining the APC in 2014 but lost the ticket first to Prince Paul Ikonne in 2015 and Uche Ogah in 2019.
A widely known President Muhammadu Buhari supporter, hence, the president intervened in his favour when former minister of state for solid minerals Dr Uche Ogah insisted on being the authentic APC candidate but later conceded the governorship ticket to Emenike.
That action sharply divided the soul and body of APC in Abia as most leaders and elders of the party either supported Ogah or Mascot Kalu for the governorship ticket. Observers say Emenike, though in a very strong APC party with national incumbent powers and spread, has no muscle and charisma to emerging victorious in the 2023 polls.
Alex Chioma Otti
Dr. Otti
The rave of the moment based on the recent Labour Party, LP, resurgence made possible by Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate, is Dr Alex Otti.
A First Class economist and renowned banker, Otti was the managing director of the defunct Diamond Bank, where he resigned for Politics in 2014.
After losing the PDP ticket, he pitched his tent with the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and contested the 2015 governorship election. He was believed that he won the election but for mysterious Obingwa LGA votes that controversially went against him. The governorship tribunal in Abia returned him but he lost in the appel and supreme court respectively.
Otti hails from Atani in Arochukwu LGA but he is also at home at Nvosi in Isiala Ngwa South LGA where his grew up following his father’s relocation of the area a missionary. In fact, most people, till today, still see him as an Ngwa man. So, he enjoys the dual citizenship of the two most populated regions in Abia State – Ukwa Ngwa and Umuahia blocs. This is an advantage.
Otti has assured he would revive Aba and make it the Malaysia in Abia. He said he would turn Umuahia into a truly capital city, and then provoke a youth employment that would make all youths in the to be self reliant when he is elected.
However, his traducers say he is a man who jumps from one party to other and so he may not win again. His opponents also note the fact that he is from Abia North and at the same time chose a running mate from Abia North, is a minus to him. But Otti an Otti supporter, Anya Onyenonfe, said “. The issue is that Otti is experienced, exposed, capable and he has capacity. Otti never left any party by his choice, he was frustrated out PDP, chased out of APGA and sacked from APC because of his honesty and quality. On his choice of deputy, Otti never made any mistake. It is a propaganda against him”.
Gregory Ibe
Ibe
Regarded as a leading employer of labour in Abia State in view of his now high flying Gregory University Uturu, Gregory Ibe is a front runner in the 2023 governorship election.
A graduate of ESUTH, where he obtained a Degree Certificate in Management Sciences in 2006. He is currently the chancellor of Gregory University Uturu.
Over time, he had always aspired to contest for the Abia State Government House election but on the two pervious occasions, he withdrew.
In all his past political associations, he had been identified with the Ibe the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He associated with all three PDP presidents of Olusegun Obasanjo, Musa Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan.
It was therefore surprising that Ibe, despite his heavy investment in PDP and long association with the umbrella party, dumped the house he built for APGA after he failed to secure the party’s governorship ticket.
Ibe believes that it is the turn of Abia North after power has rotated among the three geo political zones of Abia North, Abia Central and Abia South.
Bookmakers are of the option that APGA is not as strong as it used to be in Abia in the years past and so, Ibe may just finish among the first three candidates in the 2023 election. Even some big APGA names like Chief Udensi are not with Ibe.
Uchenna Ikonne
Ikonne
An erudite Professor of Optometry, Uchenna Eleazar Ikonne is coming from the academia as he was the vice chancellor of Abia State University Uturu.
The man from Agburuke Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North council attended Manila Philippines Central University, where he obtained his first degree in optometry before proceeding to acquiring a Master’s degree in Hospital Management at St Jude’s College, Philippines. Ikonne eventually had a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Environmental Health Sciences, at Abia State University Uturu.
His first port of call was at Park Lane Hospital Enugu, in 1985, from he went over to Abia State University Uturu as lecturer. A simple man who is down to the grassroots, Ikonne says he will transform Abia into an industrial hub and make creation of job his priority.
He is highly favored as PDP has been the party in power – that is power of incumbency. But a report says the Ngwa nation is rooting for him.
However, it is said that Abia North zone is not happy with Ikonne’s emergence as it was against the zoning arrangement in the state. But Clems Udoka Agu, an Ikonne follower countered and said, ” The zoning arrangement was very much observed because in 2007 we agreed that power couldn’t shift to the south without touching down at the centre and that was how Chief T.A. Orji came about. Governor Ikpeazu is from the south, power cannot shift to the north without dropping at the centre and Ikonne is of central extraction”.
The 2023 fight is between Ikonne of PDP and Otti of LP.