Special correspondent, CHUMA OGBAJE, looks at politicians seen to be interested in the governorship politics of Enugu State in 2015
In line with the situation in other states of the federation, the political climate in Enugu is gradually taking shape in the build-up to 2015 politics.
Investigations by TheNiche, for instance, indicated that political office-seekers, particularly governorship aspirants, have been forging alliances to position themselves for the prime slot.
Further checks showed that with the nod on zoning politics in the state by successive administrations, the Nsukka indigenes who constitute Enugu North Senatorial District have become the beautiful brides both within and outside the state.
The theory is that the next governorship slot has been zoned by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Enugu North. The arrangement seems to have tallied with the thinking of the opposition political parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Despite the unwritten zoning arrangement, it is still difficult to predict how the arrangement turns out, as it does not foreclose the aspirations of other politicians outside Enugu North for the office.
For example, in previous gubernatorial elections, candidates from Enugu North in other political platforms ran against the PDP governorship flagbearer where it was zoned.
Ike Ekweremadu,
The candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Okey Ezea, who is from Enugu North, is likely to try his hand in the governorship race in 2015, just as the rumour of the senator representing Enugu West at the National Assembly, Ike Ekweremadu, has resurfaced, despite his repeated denial.
What, perhaps, further compounds the permutation on the likely successor to Sullivan Chime is the fact that the governor is not known to have made any pronouncement on the issue, apparently to avoid being linked to any aspirant.
However, some notable politicians from Enugu North are already being speculated as having interest in the job. They include Senator Ayogu Eze, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okechukwu Itanyi, Vita Abba and Chinedu Onuh.
Eze, who is Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, is in the front row of those tipped to succeed Chime in 2015. The relationship between the governor and the senator is very strong as shown during the last general elections when they teamed up to fight Okwesilieze Nwodo, former PDP national chairman and his group. Many believe that the face-off between Chime and Nwodo was centred on Eze, and who controls the political structure in Enugu North.
The outcome was the gain of Chime, as he now has the latitude of influencing a candidate of his choice in 2015, a situation many see as putting Eze in right stead.
Eze, a journalist, came to political limelight in 1992 when he was appointed Special Adviser by Nwodo. Since then, his profile has been growing steadily, having served as an Information Commissioner under the Chimaroke Nnamani administration before attaining his current position.
Abba is the state chairman of PDP and has been close to Chime since the governor kept his predecessor and erstwhile political godfather, Nnamani, at bay. The main credential of the state PDP boss is that he fought on the side of Chime during the war against the Nwodos. He has a big work to do to worm his way into the hearts of the people of Enugu North as he hails from the same community with Dorothy Nwodo (wife of the ex-governor) who arguably is more influential in the zone. He is also said to be arrogant.
Itanyi was the deputy governor in Nnamani’s regime. Despite them losing to Chime in a power tussle, he seems to have forgotten the past and has remained loyal to the present administration in the state. If there is any notable politician in the state who had shown loyalty in his political party, it is Itanyi. How assertive he will be is a question some people are asking in case he is given the chance to rule.
Ugwuanyi hails from Orba in Udenu Local Government Area of the state and represents Igboeze North/Udenu Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives for the third consecutive time. One major thing that is going well for him is that he has a large heart and is loved by his people.
Sam Onyeshi, the owner of Peace Mass Transit, is a well-known transporter. He initially showed interest for governorship on the platform of the APC, but backed out when his business empire was allegedly threatened on account of his aspiration. How he will combine his business with politics remains to be seen.
Ezea is not new to governorship tussle in the state, having contested thrice and lost to PDP. Sources said he would likely try his hand again in the governorship race in 2015 under the umbrella of the APC. His admirers describe him as a courageous politician who is tenacious in his approach to the game.
Speaker of Enugu Assembly, Eugene Odo, is said to be equally interested in stepping into the shoes of Chime in 2015. Just like kinsman, Itanyi, the argument is that his country home, Ukehe, had in the past produced a governor (Nwodo), deputy governor (Itanyi) and Minister; therefore, he should give room to other communities in the zone.
Onuh is reportedly being nudged by Ekweremadu to join the governorship race in case he could not convince the people of the state to jettison zoning formula. He came to political limelight when he was appointed into the governing board of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND). He was said to have attracted many projects to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The introduction of Ohuh into the struggle for the soul of Enugu has further ignited the rivalry between Chime and Ekweremadu.
Chairman, Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Ikeji Asogwa, is from Iheaka community in Nsukka cultural zone. Often referred to as a home-base politician, he draws strength from Chime as he is said to be one of the governor’s foot soldiers.
A source also revealed that Chime is considering an Nsukka son residing in United States of America (U.S.) one Innocent Agbo as well as Chuks Ugwoke as his plan B in case Eze, Ugwuanyi and Asogwa fail to sail through.
While Agbo served as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in Nnamani’s administration, Ugwoke is the Commissioner for Information and a strong ally of Chime.
With this development, pundits envisage a clash between the godfathers in what would look like a replay of the Nnamani era when the legislature was polarised along Jim Nwobodo and the then governor.
Of greater concern, however, is the continued silence of Nwobodo and the former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, on matters concerning their state’s politics. Their silence, our reporter learnt, is making some politicians in government circle uncomfortable.