By Monday Ignatius l Sunday, October 31, 2021
EBONYI, Nigeria – In the last eleven months, Ebonyi State has been in the limelight and at the centre of public attention for two major reasons – the defection of Governor David Umahi from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling party at the centre, All Progressives Congress (APC), and the evident transformational and developmental strides of the governor.
The bold movement of Umahi from the opposition PDP to APC was, no doubt, a momentous event that was believed to have been driven solely by principle as against opportunism. Obviously, his defection set the stage for other prominent Nigerians to follow suit.
Since he left PDP in November 2020, two other serving governors, ex-governors, serving and erstwhile federal lawmakers have seen the need to join the governing APC, making the party to wax stronger under the Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee.
On account of the exemplary leadership of Umahi, he has remained in the position of Chairman, Southeast Governors’ Forum since 2017.
His unwavering stand against the activities of IPOB and outright condemnation of their sit-at-home order has portrayed him as a firm and courageous leader, a detribalised Nigerian, a patriot and nationalist, who has an unmitigated faith in the oneness, indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a sovereign nation.
The kind of development Umahi has brought to Ebonyi State is quite unprecedented as can be seen in the model of flyovers built with a view to making Ebonyi an investment destination, international airport aimed at boosting the state’s economy, University of Medical Sciences which has structures that can compete with what obtains in the first generation universities.
He has embarked on massive and sustainable infrastructural development, providing network of roads across the state that can stand the test of time. Aside from Lagos and Abuja, Ebonyi State has the highest network of roads as at today in Nigeria.
Last year, Ebonyi under the watch of Umahi emerged first in the Southeast Zone and one of the best states in terms of economic performance in the country. And just recently, Ebonyi was announced as one of the top five states in the 2021 Fiscal Performance Ranking, a manifestation of Umahi’s sound fiscal management and prudence in the handling of public funds.
In the light of Umahi’s outstanding performance and remarkable feats, there is a fundamental challenge as to who has the capacity, not only to continue with his developmental pace, but also to maintain what he has put in place. It is on this basis that the need arises for a critical analysis of those angling to take over from him, to scrutinise their pedigree, their past and their present.
Some of the Ebonyians that are reportedly eyeing the governorship seat in the two main political parties in Nigeria, APC and PDP, are x-rayed below:
Barrister Augustine Nwankwegu
Nwankwegu is from Izzi Local Government Area (LGA) in the northern senatorial district of Ebonyi State. He is a former Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly. He represented the Izzi West State constituency in the Ebonyi Assembly. A legal practitioner by profession, Nwankwegu was appointed Ebonyi State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in 2015 by Governor David Umahi. The legal pundit was sacked in November 2017 over alleged indiscipline and dereliction of duty.
The ex-Ebonyi Attorney General appears to be looking forward to contesting in the governorship election in 2023 on the platform of APC. He joined APC in August 2018 ten months after he was relieved of his appointment as the state’s Commissioner for Justice. He was one of those who left the PDP for APC apparently to work against Umahi’s re-election bid in 2019. Now that the governor is in APC and has become the leader of the party, will it be easy for Nwankwegu to secure the party’s ticket? Does he have the financial buoyancy to run as a serious contender for a governorship race?
Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru
Born on February 25, 1975, Nwifuru, a building technologist was elected into the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to represent Izzi West State Constituency in 2011. He first emerged the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly in 2015 and was reconsidered for the position by his colleagues in 2019. Prior to becoming the speaker, he was the Deputy Chief Whip and Chairman House Committee on Lands, Survey, Urban Development and Environment.
Nwifuru being promoted as one of those eyeing the governorship seat come 2023, defected from PDP to APC with Gov. Umahi last year alongside over two-third of the 24 lawmakers of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.
Is he having what it takes to govern Ebonyi State? Some believe that with the way he has successfully headed the legislative arm of Ebonyi State since 2015, he may really not find it difficult to pilot the affairs of the state. Also, the issue of funding which is key to prosecuting a governorship project may not be a problem for him as the incumbent speaker of the state assembly.
The speaker’s supporters have continued to maintain that he has done his best to positively affect the lives of his constituents. But his critics strongly disagreed, insisting that there is nothing significant on ground in Izzi West State Constituency to show for the over ten years he has spent in Ebonyi Assembly, out of which he has been speaker for over six years.
Sir Edward Okereke Nkwegu
Born on August 28, 1960, Sir Edward Nkwegu, widely known as EDON, holds a BSc and Msc Degrees from Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). Nkwegu hails from Izzi, one of the local council areas in the northern senatorial district of the state.
He was the Labour Party (LP) candidate for the 2015 governorship election in Ebonyi State supported fully by the then Governor Elechi against his deputy, the incumbent Governor David Umahi. In that election Nkwegu of LP polled 124, 817 to place second to Umahi of PDP who had a total of 289, 867 votes to emerge winner.
Some observers feel that Nkwegu who is now an APC stalwart may have a better chance of winning the guber election this time around if he succeeds in securing the party’s ticket.
Analysts believe that as one with a successful business background like the incumbent governor, he would have the requisite design and knowledge to develop the state the way Umahi did and consolidate on his numerous laudable achievements.
The architect turned politician was, for over six years, the Chairman of Abakaliki Capital Territory Development Board, (ACTDB), where he was said to have played a major role in the re-designing of Abakaliki Urban Capital. He is the Chairman of Ebonyi State Selection Committee for the Special Public Works programme, an empowerment initiative of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration that benefited 13, 000 citizens of the state. His people of Izzi clan, which has three populous LGAs in the state, generally believe he has a humane and benevolent spirit. He is seen to have always offered a helping hand to his people.
Nkwegu is said to have risen from a humble background as the son of a peasant farmer to become a renowned entrepreneur and business mogul. The philanthropist, who is the Chairman, Board of Directors of Barcelona Hotels, Abuja and Enugu, Edon Nig. Ltd, Edon Aluminium and Manufacturing Company Nig. Ltd and several other companies, is believed to have the financial muscle to effectively featherbed his governorship project.
Senator Joseph Obinna Ogba
Distinguished Senator Joseph Ogba is currently in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly representing the people of Ebonyi Central Senatorial District. He was first elected into the Senate in 2015 and secured a re-election in 2019. Born on August 15, 1961 in Nkalagu, Ishielu LGA in the central senatorial district of Ebonyi State, the second term senator started his Career as a Football Referee, in 1995. He was thereafter appointed as Chairman of Nigeria Football Referee Council, Anambra State Chapter, a position he held until 1997.
Ogba, a one-time local government helmsman and pioneer member of the PDP, was the Chairman of Ebonyi Angels Football Club, between 1999 and 2002. He later served as Ebonyi State Commissioner for Youths and Sports from 2002 to 2003 under the administration of ex-Governor Sam Egwu who is now his colleague in the Senate. The accomplished and quintessential sports administrator is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports.
The Ebonyi Central senator seems to be one of the top contenders among those aspiring to pick the ticket of the PDP for the 2023 guber poll in Ebonyi. A former Chairman of Ebonyi PDP, who had resigned to contest for the governorship seat in 2007, Ogba, was regarded as one of the strongmen in the Egwu-led government between 1999 and 2007.
He attended Federal Polytechnic, Oko where he obtained a Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication. However, a group known as Stakeholders of Ebonyi Central Senatorial District had in 2019, reportedly petitioned the then Inspector General of Police, IGP, over an alleged impersonation and certificate forgery against Ogba.
It was alleged that the Senator sometime in 1989 and 1990 engaged mercenaries to sit and obtain results of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on his behalf
Keen watchers of Ebonyi politics believe that the certificate issue would obviously be used against Ogba in his bid to govern the state come 2023. But his allies, noting that he has done well as a senator are confident that he would succeed in getting the PDP guber ticket and win the Ebonyi 2023 governorship poll. They are of the firm conviction that PDP remains the party to beat in Ebonyi despite Umahi’s defection to APC.
Chief Engr. Elias Nwelem Mbam
Born on September 2, 1958, Engr. Elias Mbam is the Chairman Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), a position he has held since 2010 till Date. Mbam, from Izzi area council in Ebonyi North Senatorial District, attended Hartford State Technical College in the United States between 1977 and 1979 for an Associate Degree before proceeding to University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1984.
The RMAFC Chairman is seen as one of the governorship hopefuls in Ebonyi State for the 2023 governorship election. He was Chairman of Ebonyi State Board for Housing between 1996 and 1998. Mbam was commissioner of Works, Housing and Transportation from 1999 to 2005. He served as the Minister of State for Finance between 2006 and 2007 under the administration of former President Olusegun Obansanjo and chaired the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
Yet to openly declare his intention for the 2023 Ebonyi guber race, Mbam, said to be among those looking forward to clinching the ticket of APC for the contest, is widely believed to have the financial war chest to pursue his governorship bid as a serious contender.
However, there is the impression that Mbam has not done anything meaningful for his people in spite of the different high public offices and juicy positions he has held all these years. It is alleged that he didn’t do much for Ebonyi people as one of the most privileged Ebonyians. Some of his people fear that if he assumes the position of governor, his focus may not be on continuing with the tempo of development which Gov. Umahi has initiated.
But Mbam’s admirers disagree, as they do not see any reason for fear, while expressing confidence that the RMAFC boss will do well to transform Ebonyi State, based on his records of achievements as a technocrat if he becomes the governor.
Professor Bernard Odoh
Prof. Bernard Odoh is an educationist turned politician, born on August 5, 1975, in Umuezeokaoha community in Ezza North local government area in the central senatorial zone of Ebonyi State. He was appointed as Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government (SSG) in July 2015 by Governor Umahi – a position he occupied until April 2018 when he resigned his appointment due to misunderstanding between him and the governor.
The young consummate educationalist attended Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and graduated with a BSc degree in Geological Sciences in 1999. He afterward earned a Master of Science degree in 2005 and Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Geophysics in 2008 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State.
After his resignation in 2018, Odoh decamped to APC and contested for the party’s 2019 governorship ticket but lost to Senator Ogbuoji at the Primaries. He had a good showing in that primary election despite the fact that he was just joining the party, which connoted his deep penetration of the grassroots as an astute politician. Analysts believe he may spring surprises in the contest for the 2023 Ebonyi APC guber ticket.
His major setback, however, might be his frosty relationship with the incumbent Governor Umahi who now controls the structure of the APC in Ebonyi after his defection to the party. With Umahi as the leader of the party in Ebonyi, some are of the view that it would be a difficult task for Prof. Odoh to pick the party’s ticket.
Odoh’s enthusiasts are not bothered about the cold relationship of their favorite with the governor. They imagine that if Umahi himself could emerge as PDP governorship candidate in 2015 without the support of the then Governor Elechi, the professor could as well achieve similar feat, no matter the effort that may be made to frustrate him. He has remained steadfast in his determination to contest on the platform of APC, maintaining that he has no problem with the governor but his policies and style of governance.
Hon. Anayo Edwin Nwonu (Anatex)
Hon. Edwin Nwonu, popularly known as Anatex, like Prof. Odoh, also hails from Ezza in the central senatorial wing of Ebonyi State. Born on October 10, 1976, Nwonu presently represents Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the House of Representatives. Before he was elected into the House of Representatives in 2015 he was the MD of Anatex Multi-lines Limited. A member of the PDP, he had also worked with the Bayelsa State Government as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Non-indigene Affairs.
The 45-year-old politician has formally declared his intention to run for the governorship position in the State. A devoted member of the PDP, Anatex was reported to have made his declaration for the top job in the state during the celebration of the 2021 New Yam Festival of the members of Ezza clan living in Lagos state.
Anatex appears to have the support of his people for the exalted seat of governor. The Ezzas are the most populous in Ebonyi but they have never governed the state. And the people are therefore itching to see one of their sons become governor in 2023.
The Ezza-born politician’s outing in the National Assembly is believed to have been impressive as he is seen to have made some meaningful impact in the representation of his people. With well structured campaign strategies, pundits believe that Anatex may have a field day in the guber primary poll of the PDP and proceed to the general election to emerge triumphant.
Senator Julius Ucha
Sen. Julius Ucha, a legal practitioner by profession, born on October 19, 1958 is a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC). He is the first Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly after the state was created in 1996 and democracy entrenched in 1999. He served as Senator representing Ebonyi Central Senatorial District for eight years between 2003 and 2011.
Ucha, who earned his LL.B degree from Anambra State University of Science & Technology, currently represents South-East Zone at the National Assembly Service Commission. While he was in the Senate he served in several committees which included the committees on Works, Senate Services, Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Independent National Electoral Commission and Commerce.
In 2011, Ucha contested for the governorship seat of Ebonyi State as the candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) where he made a remarkable impact in the course of the electioneering campaign yet lost to the then incumbent governor, Elechi. He scored 125, 248 votes while Elechi had 287,217.
Again in 2015, Senator Ucha was in the guber contest as the standard bearer of the APC which was then a new party formed from the merger of ANPP, ACN, a faction of APGA and nPDP. It was a very poor outing for Ucha as he only managed to garner 27,583 votes even when political spectators had thought he was going to do better with APC as a product of merger arrangement. Umahi scored 289,867 votes to emerge winner while Nkwegu had 124,817 to place second.
In 2019, Ucha decided to vie for Senate after two failed attempts at clinching the governorship seat. He still did not make it at the polls as the APC flag bearer for Ebonyi Central. The sitting senator, Ogba of PDP, through Umahi’s support, defeated him (Ucha) with 62,452 votes, against his 46,676 votes.
Ucha has always had running battle with Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology for the control of APC before Gov. Umahi defected to the party in November 2020 and automatically became the leader. Since Umahi joined APC, the erstwhile parliamentarian has ceaselessly sang his praises at every opportunity that comes his way, making many think that he may just be trying to position himself in the good book of the governor for the purpose of his 2023 guber aspiration.
Will Ucha make it this time around if he eventually throws his hat in the ring? Time will tell.
Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga
Born in 1961, Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga is a fourth-term member of House of Representatives representing the people of Abakaliki/Izzi Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State. Ogbaga began his career as a teacher under the Local Government Service Commission, Abakaliki from 1985 to 1987. He worked as a health instructor and sports coordinator from 1995 to 1998.
His journey in politics started in 1998 when he won the Chairmanship seat of Abakaliki LGA in the council elections that took place across the country on December 5 of that year. While he was local government chairman, he also served as the helmsman of Ebonyi State Chapter of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON).
Elected into the Green Chamber in 2007 on the platform of PDP, Hon. Ogbaga was the Chairman, House Committee on Commerce from 2015 to 2019. He is currently the Chairman of House Committee on Delegated Legislations.
No doubt, with the long period Hon. Ogbaga has spent in the Green Chamber consistently as a member of the PDP, he has become a force to reckon with in the party in Ebonyi State. Even though his opponents do not see how his years in the House have considerably impacted his constituents, his fans are hopeful that he will make it to the governorship seat of Ebonyi State in 2023. They believe that he is well rooted in PDP and his chances of getting the party’s ticket are bright.
Chief Godwin Ogbaga
Chief Ogbaga, a seasoned administrator, was Minister of State for Power and Steel, during the short regime of Retired Major General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the man that ushered in the current democratic dispensation in 1999. Born on October 23, 1956, he obtained a BSc in Agricultural Economics in 1979 from University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).
He also got an LLB (Hons.) in 1995 at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. He attended the Nigeria Law School, Lagos and was called to the bar in 1996, qualifying him for legal practice as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
It is on record that as Minister of State for Power – just for a period of nine months – he attracted several electricity projects to different parts of Ebonyi State and many towns in other states across the country. In the area of human development, he is said to have facilitated the employment of many youths from the Southeast into the former National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) that metamorphosed into Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) which was later unbundled into several companies at the stages of distribution, generation and transmission.
He was Permanent Secretary/Executive Secretary Ebonyi State scholarship Board (December, 2008 – June 2011); Clerk Ebonyi State House of Assembly Abakaliki (November, 2005 – December, 2008); Acting Secretary to the State Government, Ebonyi State; Executive Secretary Judicial Service Commission, Ebonyi State (1996).
Said to be visibly involved in the agitation for the creation of Ebonyi State, Chief Ogbaga, a holder of manifold traditional titles including the Ezeudo 1 of Ebonyi State, Omereoha 1 of Izzi Land and Ochiriozua 1 of Mbeke, has contributed immensely to societal growth and development. In all of the public offices he held, he is seen to have used his position to affect the lives of millions of Nigerians.
The respected elder statesman has been described by many as a compassionate leader who has shown great love and care for the downtrodden. His wife, Hon. Elizabeth Ogbaga is a former member of the House of Representative.
Chief Ogbaga, a member of the Izzi clan is an APC chieftain and it is expected that he would be contesting for governorship on the party’s platform. By virtue of his outstanding achievements in the public service, many see him as a good material for the governorship seat come 2023.
