The dirty politics in Enugu State, particularly, the defection of some notable members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been a source of serious concern to many Enugu indigenes and political watchers.
This is because none of the defectors can give a convincing reason to the people of the state why the sudden change, especially when there was no just cause for some of the decisions taken by some of the political actors. Although some of them openly complained that PDP was dead which warranted their exodus. However, none of them could up till today convincingly tell the people why they should vote for APC as a party in the state.
Most of those who are today chanting the APC slogan in Enugu became whatever they are today in politics on the PDP platform. And that was when they were younger, productive and more useful to Enugu than now that some of them are old and are more or fewer liabilities to the state.
Some observers say that the defectors are just self-seekers, who were motivated to dump the PDP for selfish lucre, thinking that by identifying with the APC, they would still be feeding on the crumbs from the corridors of power at the centre. They also believe that joining the broom party would give them the licence to rig election for their cronies in the state or determine who would occupy the Enugu Government House in 2019.
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Some pundits also alleged that the intention of some of the defectors could be to become the National Chairman of the APC since very few Igbo people are members of the party.
“I am miffed at the posturing of some of the politicians, even some who were members of the Enugu State House of Assembly under PDP are now hallucinating that moving to APC would allow them to become senators and members of House of Representatives. Some big names in the state, older politicians, are dreaming of becoming the national chair of the APC when the slot is zoned to the South East. So, you see, selfishness is the name of the game,” Emmanuel Eze, a political affairs commentator, said.
Another analyst, who simply gave his name as Udekwe said: “I will not say anything now but let us wait and see how it goes; you know the people of Enugu have a voting pattern, those people will be disgraced beyond their expectations. Some of them should check their records while in the office; some were used to intimidate others, for their own selfish interest. What happened between the immediate past Governor, Sullivan Chime, and his loyal deputy is still fresh in the memory of the people and the role played by some members of the state House of Assembly, who now parade themselves as saints in APC.”
“I think, the likes of Chime are political neophytes, who just occupied exalted position by chance. The former governor, I can say, lacks robust experience in politics, otherwise he should not be saying some of the things that are being credited to him. Can you imagine someone who became governor on the platform of the PDP, now casting aspersion at the same party? I learnt that in one of his interviews, he described PDP as a dead party. He did not stop at that, he was also said to have cleaned up the PDP banner in the state PDP office in his house and replaced same with APC. This is politics of the stomach,” said an observer of Enugu politics, who is not happy with the goings-on in the state.
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It is also being said in Enugu that many of those who decamped the PDP and joined the APC, must have done so out of the fear of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They calculate that joining the APC would shield them from arrest and possible jail.
However, some of them are after themselves. Some people who benefited from the party are now turning their back against the party because they’re thinking that it is dead. The questions are: What effort did such persons make to address the challenges in their party that made them what they are political? Is it morally right to abandon a party because it is going through some difficulties? It is disheartening to hear politicians say the kind of things they now say about the “finger that fed them.”
It is one’s right to join any party of one’s choice, and it is one’s right to exit the association, but there is no wisdom in bad-mouthing a party that has made one relevant and perhaps, is still paying the individual’s bills under all that they acquired while in office.
For those of them angling to occupy the Enugu Lion Building from the back door, many indigenes of the state are of the view that the defectors have missed the track to get there. Today, Enugu State is moving in the right direction, considering the working formula of the present government under the leadership of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Moreover, the state has never experienced the level of partnership existing between the governor and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and other political bigwigs in the state, difference in political parties notwithstanding. So, for those who decamped from the PDP, hoping to re-launch into relevance through the rigging, it may not be an easy task.
Regis Anukwuoji, Enugu
