Kelechi Obinna, a public affairs analyst, presents Victor Umeh, as a dogged politician in Anambra, who clocked 54 years during the week.
He emerged in the Nigeria political horizon on December 15, 2004, like a colossus with a vision, mission and agenda to turn around the electoral fortunes of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and reposition the party as the third leg in the nation’s political tripod. A political juggernaut and one of the brightest stars East of the Niger, Victor Chukwunonyelum Umeh led APGA from victory to victory until he bowed out in a blaze of glory in June 2015 at the end of his eventful tenure.
Indefatigable Umeh is a patriot, statesman and champion of the rule of law in electoral contests. His resistance against reactionary forces that impede Nigeria’s frail democracy has brought substantial sanity, probity and direction to the nation’s representative governance.
Love or hate him, Umeh is a man of the people, a quintessential democrat, and the master of political universe whose sagacity and tenacity of purpose in enthroning genuine democracy in the country has deepened, strengthened and bolstered our fragile political process.
Dogged political fighter
His first stint in politics was in 1998, when he became a founding member of the PDP and was elected state treasurer (Anambra) in 1999. He resigned from the PDP in 200l and joined other progressive minds to register APGA in 2002. He was the first National Vice Chairman (South East) of the party and later its National Treasurer.
Umeh was elected the acting National Chairman of APGA on December 15, 2004, by the National Working Committee (NWC) following the suspension of the party’s leader, Chekwas Okorie, who was accused of anti-party activities that would jeopardise the recovery of Peter Obi’s mandate at the Anambra State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. He challenged his suspension and later expulsion by the National Executive Committee (NEC) on January 11, 2005, with 23 lawsuits from January 31, 2005 to March 25, 2011 when the Supreme Court upheld Okorie’s expulsion from the party, declaring that his appeal had no chance of surviving in the apex court.
Not satisfied with the Supreme Court judgment in the APGA leadership dispute, Okorie proceeded to the Federal High Court (FHC) Abuja to be re-instated. He surrendered after the court’s judgment against him and returned the APGA certificate of registration in his custody to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 7, 2012. This brought to an end the longest political party leadership dispute in Nigeria.
As lovers of democracy heaved a sigh of relief that the APGA matter was over, one Sylvester Nwobu-Alor, reportedly backed by then Governor Peter Obi, instigated a rebellion against Umeh using what he called “APGA stakeholders” and recruited unwary party members to fight the leadership. In a mock convention on April 8, 2013, the group ‘elected’ Maxi Okwu national chairman. Ironically, the Court of Appeal Enugu Division reinstated Umeh as national chairman the same day, following the sack of Umeh’s leadership by the Enugu High Court. Twenty more lawsuits were instituted by the Okwu faction across the country, some still pending at the Federal High Court, Owerri and Court of Appeal, more than a year Umeh’s tenure ended, despite the Supreme Court judgment of January 15, 2016, which upheld his leadership of APGA, six months after he handed over to Victor Oye at the Women Development Centre, Awka, Anambra State, on June 6, 2015.
When Ohamadike, as Umeh is popularly known, took over the mantle of leadership from Okorie, APGA had two members of the House of Representatives: Uche Onyeaguocha (Owerri, Imo State) and George Ozodinobi (Njikoka/Anaocha/Dunukafia, Anambra State), while Ebikekeme Ere (Southern Ijaw) won the election in Bayelsa State but lost his seat at the election tribunal to his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart.
It was in efforts to recover Obi’s stolen mandate from Chris Ngige’s PDP in Anambra that Umeh, Obi and (now the late) Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s path crossed Okorie’s. Obi won at the Anambra State Governorship Election Tribunal in August 2005 and at the Court of Appeal in March 2006. He was sworn in as Governor of Anambra State on March 17, 2006. The first governor elected under the APGA platform. Before the new governor could settle down to carry out the APGA manifesto, he was impeached by the PDP-dominated House of Assembly, while Virgy Etiaba was sworn in as Governor. PDP’s legislative impunity, rascality and recklessness were challenged in court and Obi was re-instated in 2007. The party sought the interpretation of Obi’s tenure, as Ngige had occupied the governorship seat from May 29, 2003 to March 16, 2006. The Supreme Court declared that Obi’s tenure commenced from the day he was sworn in. This was the beginning of staggered governorship elections in Nigeria today.
Under Umeh’s leadership, Obi was re-elected as governor of Anambra in 2010, breaking the jinx of single tenure in the state. The late Ojukwu, then party’s National Leader and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), was overwhelmed with joy. In an advertorial in the Sun Newspaper of March 17, 2010, Ojukwu paid glowing tribute to Umeh declaring: “Kudos! The might of a warrior is tested only in battle. I salute your tenacity, your courage and resilience. Congratulations to the hardest working party chairman in the federation.” This is the verdict of the ‘Oracle of Nigerian politics’ to Umeh.
Ohamadike was to repeat this feat in the April 2011 general election where APGA’s electoral fortunes increased to two governors, Obi of Anambra and Rochas Okorocha of Imo; a senator, Mrs. Chris Anyanwu; seven members of the House of Representatives, two speakers of Anambra and Imo Houses of Assembly, several state legislators, local government chairmen and councillors.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed three ambassadors from the party, including the wife of its late leader, Bianca Ojukwu, among other public office holders. Former Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State also joined the party along with several federal and state legislators from the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA). He later defected to the PDP.
Grooming the beautiful bride
APGA became the beautiful bride of Nigerian politics and a toast of progressive politicians who were eager to contest under its platform. They include former Governor Celestine Omehia of Rivers State; former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu; former Minister of Information, the late Prof. Dora Akunyili; as well as Senator Joy Emordi, Prof. Charles Soludo, Alex Otti, Chuma Nzeribe, and Ernest Ndukwe.
In November 2013, the APGA tsunami was unstoppable culminating in the election of Willie Obiano as Anambra governor who took over from Obi on March 17, 2014. Indeed, taking APGA to the next level of electoral flight and victory is the only thing that occupied Umeh’s attention.
Calls to serve
As the 2015 general election approached, Umeh was bombarded with calls to represent his Anambra Central in the Senate, following his superlative performance as APGA national chairman and impressive showing in the 2014 national conference. A grassroots politician always eager to serve his people in any capacity he is called upon, Umeh decided to join the senatorial race which will complement Obiano’s transformation agenda in Anambra.
While the 2015 polls were fair in the North and South West, that could not be said of elections in the South East and South South. According to field reports, the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not reflect the will and mandate of the people. APGA was allotted five House of Representatives seats and 41 House of Assembly positions in Anambra, Abia, Bayelsa and Taraba states. The election in Anambra Central was nullified by the Court of Appeal Enugu Division which also barred Mrs. Uche Ekwunife from contesting the re-run poll, as she was not the validly nominated candidate of PDP.
Eulogies
Umeh did so well in strengthening and repositioning APGA as a key player in the nation’s electoral process to the admiration of friends and opponents.
The APGA caucus in the Anambra House of Assembly led by Chinwe Nwaebili described Umeh as a great leader and icon who symbolises an uncommon resilience and unwavering commitment “to enthrone greatness among your party followers and numerous admirers”.
In a goodwill message dated July 8, 2015, APGA National Chairman, Victor Oye, and National Secretary, Labran Maku, stated: “We recall with nostalgia and great admiration your invaluable contributions to the growth and development of APGA, which culminated in resounding victories for those that contested on the party’s ticket. Of note was the emergence and eventual victory of His Excellency, Chief (Dr.) Willie Maduabuchi Obiano (Akpokuo Dike), as governor of Anambra State in the 2014 governorship elections.”
Bishop on the Niger, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. Owen Nwokolo, in a tribute to Umeh on July 8, 2015, asserted: “It is our profound joy to thank God for what he has used you to accomplish in our generation. Your tenure as APGA National Chairman marked you out as a great achiever. APGA attained great heights and made waves in the grassroots in our state. Your bold posture enabled you to weather various storms. You stand out as an iroko and a symbol of Ndigbo and Ndi-Anambra in many spheres in this country.”
Paragon of patriotism
A paragon of patriotism, Umeh distinguished himself as APGA national chairman, participated in the national conference, honoured by former President Jonathan with Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) and numerous other awards and titles in Nigeria and beyond. They include Ohamadike of Agulu, Agunechemba of Obeledu and Akaji Ofo Igbo of Arochukwu.
Born on July 19, 1962, to Sir and Lady Innocent Umeh of Ifite Village, Aguluzigbo in Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State, Umeh had his primary education at St. Bridget’s Primary School, Aguluizigbo, he proceeded to Bubendorff Memorial Grammar School Adazi-Nnukwu, where he made Division One as the best in his class of 1980, with a record aggregate of 13. He secured eight As and one Credit. The same year, he got admission into the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) where he read Estate Management and graduated in June 1984 with a B.Sc. Honours in Estate Management.
After his National Youth Service in 1985 as a lecturer at the University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, he engaged himself in the practice of his profession.
The Federal Government under Jonathan decorated him with the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in appreciation of his numerous contributions towards national development and particularly in his efforts in helping to deepen democracy and rule of law in Nigeria.
He is the Principal Consultant, V.C. Umeh & Co., a firm of estate surveyors and valuers. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV). He is also a registered estate surveyor and valuer by the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria; an associate member of the Rating and Valuation Association of Great Britain; and a senior certified valuer of the International Real Estate Institute Scottsdale, Arizona, United States of America.
Umeh, a Knight of St. John (KSJ), is married to Lady Prisca Chinenye Umeh, a graduate of English Language (Education) from Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), and blessed with children.
