Anambra’s crumbling political empires

 

The adage that says nothing lasts forever is the only word appropriate to describe the recent development in the history of politics in Anambra State since the country’s independence. No doubt, Anambra State is indeed one, if not the best of the states endowed with rich human and natural resources.

However, the state that parades the likes of the first President of Nigeria, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Owelle of Onitsha and other great dead and living personalities has not fared well in the area of politics. The state, to say the least, has been under siege, especially since the return of democracy in 1999.
Anambra State, before the recent event in the political scene in the state that led to seeming crumbling of the erstwhile fortified political empires mounted and ruled by influential Anambra political heavyweights, had been adjudged the most controversial state in the country.
Shortly after his protracted political upheaval that led to legal battles, Governor Peter Obi, changed the acronym of the state from ‘Home for all’ to ‘Light of the nation.’ His reasons were not far-fetched, as according to him, like the Igbo will always say, the name given to one makes way for him and depicts his attitudes.
Peter Obi believed that the mere mention of Anambra, Home for All, signified and epitomised impunity in the highest places like election rigging, armed robbery and other criminal activities that held sway during the reign of his predecessors.
This Anambra State that looks quiet today was not like this few years back from 1999 to 2005. Interestingly, the state is witnessing the first page in the political future of a state where leading candidates of almost all the major contending political parties are not products of political syndicates that held sway in the state.
Though there could be the belief that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate, Dr. Willie Obiano, was and still is the anointed son of Governor Peter Obi, many still see it as a great departure from what it used to be when the likes of Uba brothers, Emeka Offor and Arthur Eze were dictating the tunes for the political game in Anambra State.
Meanwhile, the recent event in the political scene in the state that saw to the seemingly crumbling political empire of the Uba brothers even when the paramount leader of the empire, Senator Andy Uba, sought for the office of the governor on the platform of PDP and failed, is a very bad signal to the empire that has produced virtually all strong politicians in the state and across the country.
Indeed, the Uba political empire was and is still one of the strongest political blocks that has given many politicians leverage and opened ways for many. Though recent development is not in any way favourable to the empire that held sway in the past, many believe that the greatest challenge the empire is facing is from the Presidency.
While Senator Uba who was the Special Adviser to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Domestic Affairs was busy with his presidential engagements, his younger brother and second in command, Chief Chris Uba was in charge of the political empire situated at their country home, Uga in Aguata local government area of Anambra state.
Uba’s country home immediately was turned into political holy ground, where politicians with diverse political interests went on political pilgrimage and prayed with supplications for one political office or the other. During the reign of the Uba brothers, so many things happened, so many people benefited from their political magnanimity and many were stripped off their political robe and their offices and empires made desolate by the Uba magic.
It is however on record that during the time the Uba political empire was still strong and unshaken; various political office holders from the state starting from the Ward Councilors, appointees of state government and members of the state and National Assemblies were beneficiaries of Uba political empire.
Politicians seeking the governorship seat in the state also were not left out as they trooped in and out of Uba’s home in search of political blessing and the lot eventually fell on Senator Chris Ngige who apparently was on the Uba political holy pilgrimage ground to seek for blessing to go to Senate after a flourishing medical career.
Ngige later got the blessing of his life through double blessings after his prayers were answered in double fold when he was declared the governor of the state in 2003 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the orders of the political leaders of Uba political empire. He was later ousted. All is now history.
Many still believe that apart from the internal cracks within the Uba political dynasty, there were other skirmishes that led to the eventual collapse of the former political wall built on solid rock of political sagacity controlled by the Uba brothers.
From the time Chris Uba disagreed with his political son, Chris Ngige with whom he was well pleased, things fell apart and the centre could no longer hold. Shortly after that, the scandalous story of the Ogwugwu Okija shrine where the political office seekers were led to swear on oath by the political confessor also came up. These indeed helped to further tear the political dynasty apart.
All these things were happening within the short period of time the paramount leader of Uba political dynasty, Andy Uba was still stuck with the presidency, serving his master President Obasanjo. Many believe that the first problem between the two brothers that saw them going their separate ways was caused by the apparent political rascality exhibited by his younger brother, Chris who caused the PDP to lose the seat to APGA by bringing Ngige who had never been a politician and whose loyalty was in doubt.
They fought over this and went different their ways and that further continued to pull down some of the strong pillars of the empire represented by Chris Uba, being the man on ground and being the person who has no respect for gentleman’s approach to political issues.
Many still believe that the removal of Chris Ngige by the court may not be unconnected to his rebellion against the leaders of Uba political empire and from that, the leader of the dynasty, Andy Uba felt, it was time for him to come home and take over his crumbling empire and start rebuilding same.
He came down in 2007 and used his political might again to win his first ever election in the capacity of a governor on the platform of PDP amidst the lingering crisis between him and his younger brother who openly endorsed another candidate against his brother and fought openly to dethrone his brother and make fun of his political ambition.
However, at the end of the whole thing, Andy Uba won and was sworn in only to be swept away again by the blazing legal resoluteness of Governor Peter Obi who returned to court to seek explanation on the right of INEC to conduct a fresh election in the state since his tenure had not elapsed, Andy Uba was shown the way out of the government house. That was the closest he has ever gone to that exalted seat till date.
By the time Andy Uba finished the battle outside his domain, he came back to face his younger brother in another fierce political war that almost set their Uga community, Anambra PDP and Nigeria at large ablaze. They later resolved it in the spirit of brotherhood, but many still believe that by the time they resolved to work together, it was already too late for them to capture the state again.
From that period till now, Uba’s political dynasty had been invaded and almost completely destroyed by those who earlier benefited from the struggle. Among them was Comrade Tony Nwoye whom many believe was picked and made by the Uba dynasty starting from the days of Student unionism.
The same Tony Nwoye stood in another camp and in a fierce political battle dethroned his boss and swept away the carpet under his feet to clinch the ticket of the PDP ahead of November 16 governorship election in the state. This indeed was another blow and political missile launched by enemies on Uba political empire.
Though they are still in various courts contesting the submission of names to the INEC by the PDP National Working Committee, NWC, many still believe that the Uba brothers who earlier lost the suit they filed in a federal high court to retrain PDP NWC from suspending them are also not relenting in their battle for survival.
As it stands now, the only thing that can save Uba political empire from collapsing will be centred on peace returning to PDP in Anambra state which many believe is built around the Uba brothers. They believed that Uba brothers have been in the fore front of the crises and only peace among them could bring peace to PDP in the state and restore PDP to winning ways as it was during their reign about eight years ago.