Re: Impending Anambra South Senatorial Bye-election
By Chris McCool Nwosu
HOW JUSTIFIED ARE SPONSORED ATTEMPTS TO BLACKMAIL AZUBOGU BASED ON HIS POST 2023 SENATORIAL ELECTION HIBERNATION?
On Monday, December 2, 2024, Nnodum Christian Amobi from Nnewi South made a post on one of his two Facebook Handles listing out respected individuals who have either formally declared their interest to contest the vacant Anambra South Senatorial seat on the platform of our great party, APGA; or believed to be interested.
Rightly, he ended the post with these words:
“As a Party, is our Duty to Nominate a Right Candidate to fly our Party Flag. We will Present our Very Best.”
(And I agree with him absolutely, because only THE BEST will ensure a WIN for APGA)
As expected under such posts, supporters of some of the Aspirants who have formally declared interest to participate in a fresh primary inundated the comment section with campaign copies of the Aspirants’ they are supporting.
Quite interestingly, _(as is always the case under every post where the impending bye-election is the subject matter)_ an old hand on this space, Augustine Chibuzor Onukwube from Mgbakwu in Awka North LGA who is not in any way associated to Azubogu Media Office _(which has not even formally ignited operations)_ deposited the terse but apparently honest comment below:
“Mr. Project is more qualified and fit for the seat.”
And boom, Ifeme Chukwuma Macdonald of Onodugo media team got irritated by what has been the trend almost everywhere the bye-election is in discuss) and responded to Onukwube’s comment thus:
“ne (sic) us wey be ndi Anambra South go talk who be best for us? After the last election, did you see the so-called Mr project again?”
I’m therefore personally compelled to address that mischievous retort by Ifeme thus:
1). That you haven’t seen Azubogu after the election does not mean that he wasn’t communicating with the National Leader of the Party and her leadership at certain levels.
2). Meanwhile, in line with APGA’s ‘Onye Aghana Nwanne Ya’ mantra, have you bothered to find out the reason(s) for Azubogu’s absence from both the political and SOCIAL scenes?
3). Sometimes, it is necessary to always look beyond the surface. In case, or if you pretend that you don’t know, the aftermath of the internal dislocations _(let me use that word since the intention isn’t to open old wounds)_ that the 2023 APGA Anambra South senatorial ticket was subjected to _(which reduced it to rubbles before the election)_ after two grueling primaries that also took their toll on the finances of Aspirants who were not enjoying ‘official support’ / endorsement is largely responsible for the needed hibernation
4). Because Azubogu was the worst hit after winning a clearly free, fair and transparent primary AGAINST ALL ODDS. Had he been spared the mentally and financially excruciating processes of going to court to defend a hard fought ticket won FAIR and SQUARE; and the initial catastrophe of an evidently compromised judge stripping him of the said ticket and barring him from parading himself as Candidate of APGA until he won at the Court of Appeal barely two weeks to the election, _(a development that his internal detractors in our party working to make sure he did not win the Senate election didn’t see coming)_ he wouldn’t have been pushed into the difficulties that availed you the impetus to utter the unfortunate and irresponsible response you did to Onukwube’s very apt comment above.
5). After all, Azubogu isn’t and never claimed to be a money bag. And because he committed his all (as a Legislator) to working to impact the lives of the greatest number of constituents within and outside his jurisdiction, _(the result of which stands him out clearly in the comity of legislators that exceeded expectations performance wise)_ those deliberately waged internal sabotage of his ticket, coupled with the external matter filed in court against same ticket by the YPP to accentuate her propaganda and campaign of calumny against the 2023 APGA ticket bearer _(which the Court did not resolve until three days to the election)_ had terrible toll on his finances. To the extent that he had neither time to campaign nor funds left to effectively finance the election by the time he was let off the hook by the courts.
What is more?
6). Because no one prayed for the demise of Distinguished Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah, _(again may his soul rest in peace)_ which gave rise to the impending bye-election, Azubogu had to take some time to concentrate on rebuilding his finances so as to be able to discharge liabilities that accrued from the aforementioned situation. And hopefully come back effectively before the build-up 2027.
7). But here we are; suddenly faced with an opportunity of bye-election for the very seat that he contested under heavy distraction but still went all the way through the post election processes, up to Appellate Tribunal. 🤷 Is that too much to comprehend?
8). Flowing from the above, considering the avoidable difficulties that Azubogu was internally and externally subjected to, were morality to be part of our politics, is anyone supposed to drag this opportunity with him; even if he doesn’t have all the resources needed to finance the bye-election?
9). Who does not know that if Azubogu with his enviable performance antecedent is affirmed Candidate of APGA in the Bye-election today _(as is largely the expectation among non transaction electorates of Anambra South)_ many will automatically buy into delivering him based on what they know he stands to attract; because his works are speaking for him already, even when he is perceived to be financially weary at the moment?
10). I laugh when some lower elective political office holders go about the corridors of power spewing all sorts in their girded resolve to demarket Azubogu because they feel that their political rise will be threatened if he is supported to becomes a Senator _(after all they had done to damage his reputation behind)_ because it is God that grants power. And he gives power to whom he wishes. What they may not have cognized is that in spite of all the water 🌊 that have passed under the bridge, #MrProject remains a beautiful bride before a preponderance of the ORDINARY ELECTORATE _(who are unambiguously in the majority)_ and may not be as politically HELPLESS as they assume, with all the odds looking up in his favour in the impending bye-election.
11). On the above note, let me end by asking once again: “What use will it be to APGA if puts up a Candidate that is very unlikely to win the impending bye-election in the face of dynamics and odds surrounding the poll?”
This is the million-dollar question our leaders must mull before taking a decision on who will go for the party. Our greatest mistake will be to assume that APGA will win the bye-election regardless of whoever it fields as Candidate.🤷
I remain that APGA Voice in the wilderness,
~ Chris McCool Nwosu
(Good Governance Advocate; Political Activist and Public Affairs Analyst)
Ozubulu, Ekwusigo LGA.
Wednesday, 4th December 2024.
