Peter Mba’s emergence as the PDP governorship candidate for Enugu State in the forth coming gubernatorial election in 2023 though like a thunder bolt did not come to many others as a big surprise.
For one, rumours has been rife as to his purported deals or lack of it with the incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to endorse him as his preferred successor. For another, there was massive thicket of media campaigns against his aspirations for various reasons. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah it would be recalled was a former Commissioner in the Chimaraoke Nnamani’s administration. People who had misgivings about his conduct in office then would readily agree to go to war than have his aspirations realized talk less of endorsing his candidature at the primary election that eventually produced him as the PDP flag bearer. In the midst of the media war against his aspirations, Barrister Mbah kept his cool and took ample lessons from the leadership model of Ugwuanyi who have always remained focus while paying scant attention to irrelevant distractions. Of course, it should be noted that political discussions in our clime have tended to pander to politics of persons rather than to politics of issues. While opponents to the scheduled primary elections and their supporters took to campaign of calumny against one another rather than what each candidate might bring to the table in the long run, months eventually turned into weeks and weeks into days until the last whistle. Then it dawned on all and sundry that “what’s gonna be, gonna be” to underscore the impact of the hit track in one of the songs of Bongos Ikwue in the early 80’s. Peter Mbah emerged victorious with a landslide.
Let’s journey down the memory lane. How did Jim Nwobodo became NPP candidate in 1979 election in Anambra State then?. Jim is from Enugu senatorial zone while the founder and presidential flag bearer of the party is from Onitsha senatorial zone. Onitsha town alone has more lawyers than Enugu, Abakaliki and Nsukka Senatorial zone put together. Awka senatorial zone has more professors than Enugu, Abakaliki and Nsukka Senatorial zone put together. Onitsha senatorial zone has more millionaires than Enugu, Abakaliki and Nsukka Senatorial zone put together yet Zik choose Jim Nwobodo a young man to fly his party’s ticket in his State. Jim was not the most qualified, most educated, most eloquent or even most handsome if that was to be a criteria. Infact, he is from the Wawa axis, yet he was chosen. Because “what’s gonna be gonna be”.
How did Chimaroke Nnamani settle for Sullivan Chime to replace him in office when there was many other credible candidates from Enugu West senatorial zone?. Sullivan was even a late entrant to the post, but he was favoured among others because what’s gonna be gonna be. Udenu is one of the least populated local government in Enugu North senatorial zone. Enugu Ezike alone, a town in Igbo Eze North local government is more than Udenu both in population and land mass yet they did not produce the governor after Sullivan Chime rather it was Udenu. Was Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi the most qualified person in Udenu for the post? I don’t think so but he was chosen among all the contenders. Why? Because what’s gonna be, gonna be.
Think of how Yahaya Bello became governor of Kogi State. Abubaka Audu contested and won party primaries, he went ahead to contest the election, he was alive to see the election hold, he went to vote on that particular election, he went round few polling centers and went home to wait for the results. He was almost out of life when the result was announced. When it was clear to everybody that Abubakar Audu won the election, Abubakar Audu was no more alive. How can that be explained? It was a battle between his chosen deputy governor and the person that came second in the primaries. The party later settled for the runner up in the primaries and that was how Yahaya Bello became governor of Kogi State. No matter how we struggle and complain, what’s gonna be, gonna be.
This is how I see the emergence of Peter Mbah as the PDP flag bearer in Enugu State. If he is destined to be Ugwuanyi’s successor in office post 2023, he will surely be.
What we owe him is to rally round him and give him maximum support. Our support, suggestions, advice, constructive criticism and brotherly love is what will make him the good governor we want him to be.
Some have even questioned why Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi choose Peter Mbah over other aspirants. It is still divine. Even Ugwuanyi himself may not be able to explain convincingly why he choose Peter Mbah over others. Do we even need the explanation this time, I don’t think so.
An Igbo adage says “Hapu ihe edere na moto banye moto” ( leave what is written on the vehicle and enter the vehicle). Let’s leave all the argument and bickering and move our state forward. Together we will come out with victory song. We say congratulations and God’s abundant grace to Peter Mbah. In all these, we have nothing to say than to agree that Enugu State is in the hand of God.
Bibian Anekwe News added: “You take people as far as they will go, not as far as you would like them to go.”
Written by
Leonard Ugwu
Media Team Member of ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU MOVEMENT
Bibian Anekwe News
www.bibiananekwe.com
