Politics
Nnamani in ‘trouble’ over romance with APC
By Ori Martins
The erstwhile Enugu State governor and PDP senatorial candidate, Dr. Chimaraoke Nnamani, has come under severe attack by the party’s supporters following his recent positive comments on the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Eye brows were raised about the commitment of Nnamani to the PDP, which he represents in the Senate, when his name appeared in the Presidential Campaign Council of the APC, although the final list released last omitted his name.
However, he was not to be deterred by this development. Speaking last week on the qualities of the presidential candidates, Nnamani noted that Tinubu was the most progressive governor among the Class of 1999/2007. The former governor explained that Tinubu was among the Nigeria democracy groups that battled the military to standstill and demanded for the actualization of June 12, 1993 presidential election reported to have been won by the late MKO Abiola.
He stated that, having won an election into the national assembly in the ill-fated Third Republic as a senator in 1992, Tinubu was well suited for any political position in the country.
Nnamani said even while they were governors between 1999 and 2007, Tinubu stood for democracy ideals and at the same time galvanized what later became known as the Southern Nigeria Governor’s Forum which demanded for resource control, state police, true Federalism as well as fiscal federalism.
Meanwhile, his comments seem to have stirred the hornet nest as the Enugu state government has opened an inquiry into alleged $2.7 million misappropriation by Nnamani, which could jeopardize his return to the senate. Although he calmed to be innocent of the charge, the government may have found the right pretext to nail his political coffin.
Nnamani’s comments did not also go unnoticed by most PDP faithful. He was heavily criticized for it. “We are yet to understand what Nnamani set out to achieve in his high positive comments on Tinubu.
“For sure, Tinubu as the governor of Lagos State was a humongous failure. His only meaningful contribution was the improvement on Lagos revenue generation which allegedly entered into his pockets, at least, 40 %•
“Again, we are very much aware that Tinubu empowered his people mostly from Osun State while he was the governor of Lagos and majority of them were Muslims like himself. You can now see why he also chose a Muslim as his running mate.
“And, do not forget that Tinubu has a bundle of mess around him to wit: his family background has been a messy affair, with many questions left unanswered. His education status is un- known and no one really knows why he changed his name from Yekini to Tinubu.
“So, why should Nnamani, a PDP senatorial candidate be the one campaigning for such a person”?, Luke Uchenwa, a PDP supporter in Owerri, Imo State, asked.
“The fact is that the PDP should query Nnamani for him to actually explain what he meant by his Tinubu comments. I am saying this because we have yet to come over the Governor Nyesom Wike’s battles against our party and now, Nnamani is rearing an ugly head – it must be curtailed on time before it becomes a time bomb”, Kalu Udoma, who works in one of PDP’s federal house candidates’ member in Umuahia, Abia State, complained.
A Bus Imo commercial driver, Kelechi Peter, who had the PDP’s flag lavishly hung in his vehicle, agreed that the ex Enugu State governor goofed in his Tinubu submission.
According to him, “I heard that Nnamani praised and commended Tinubu as the most progressive governor among those who ruled between 1999 and 2007.
“Well, I don’t understand the meaning of ‘the most progressive governor’. Does it now mean that Nnamani himself was not progressive? That Sam Egwu of Enonyi and Achike Udenwa of Imo State were not progressive? It is baffling.
“There is more to Nnamani’s comments on Tinubu than meet the eyes. Is he trying to align with Tinubu and the APC as Wike and his camp of five governors are doing.
“You are aware Wike has endorsed APC and the Lagos governor for a second term in Eko. It is really unfortunate”, Kelechi noted.
Meanwhile, an opinion poll conducted by Business Hallmark concerning the most favoured political party among the 18 recognized by INEC for the 2023 presidential election, pointed towards Peter Obi’s Labour Party, Abubakar Atiku’s PDP, and Tinubu’s APC in that order.
For now, PDP has yet to make any official release or taking any stand on the matter.
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