I have been reliably informed that the Abia state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Ph. D. has concluded plans to dump the opposition PDP on whose platform he became governor to join the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
I would not dwell on the morality of the proposed defection but on its cataclysmic effect in the Abia political firmament: focusing extensively on how it would affect his political godfathers in the state
You may wish to recall that it was Chief Theodore Orji, then governor of the state and his son Engr. Chinedu Orji, now speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly who torpedoed every known law of decency and democratic practices to impose the governor, first as the candidate of the PDP and then as the governor of the state.
As a background, remember that the popular candidate favoured by most PDP faithful in the December 2014 primary held in Umuahia is Dr. Uche Ogah, now minister of state in the solid minerals ministry in Abuja.
In the general election in March 2015, Abians gave their votes to Dr. Alex Otti, former bank CEO and first class economist.
At each of these points however, the Orjis made sure the will of their party men and that of the Abia electorates were stampeded as they broke several rules to impose an unpopular Ikpeazu on a seat he never wanted nor deserved.
You may also stretch things back further and recall that ab initio, Dr. Ikpeazu never sought the governorship. No. He was raising money from friends to enable him purchase the PDP expression of interest form for a seat in the Abia state House of Assembly.
Strangely, Senator Theodore and Rt
Hon. Chinedu suddenly found this man suitable in an odd way to become the next governor of the state. The Orjis spared no expense or tricks or lies or propaganda to ensure that Ikpeazu emerged as the governor of the state.
It was known as a matter of fact that the Orjis never favoured Ikpeazu because he was a good man or because he would serve the interests of the state.
No. It was about self preservation. The Orjis wanted someone they can manipulate, someone they can dictate to and someone who would be too grateful to ask questions when demands are made or things done in his name
The Orjis also know that Dr. Ikpeazu does not have the political structures nor the financial strength to challenge them in a game of wits. So they had him by the balls and were certain that they would maintain their stranglehold on Abia which began in 2007 for another eight years at least.
Do not also forget that the younger Orji, Chinedu is already setting up structures for the governorship election in 2023 so the Orjis are looking beyond 16 years of running Abians like the Sarakis ran Kwara. They want to rule for eternity if possible.
But things may no longer remain the same again following Dr Ikpeazu’s proposed defection to the ruling APC. The governor is said to be interested in determining who succeeds him singlehandedly as his two predecessors did.
It is said that he does not want Senator Theodore Orji’s son, currently speaker of the house of assembly to succeed him. It is also understood that a lot of his kinsmen who want the governorship to remain in Ngwa clan are fiercely opposed to a second Orji in Government House Umuahia over an 8 year period.
Several political leaders in Ngwa land including Enyi Abaribe and governor Ikpeazu’s lackey, Engr. Chima Nwafor are already jostling for the seat.
Governor Ikpeazu is aware that he cannot determine his successor if he remains in PDP where the Orjis call the shots so he is taking his next available option which is jumping into the APC
The governor has already obtained the blessings of several APC leaders in Abuja including Muhamadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s president and vice president respectively
Both leaders have given their blessings and mandated their men to smoothen the path of the governor’s defection to the ruling party.
It is also understood that there are assurances to the governor that the party structures in the state would be handed over to him and the choice of his successor would be exclusively his.
Where Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, former governor and party leader in the state is in this arrangement is unknown. He is said to have attempted to woo Ikpeazu to join the party before now but the Orjis warned him not to dare. Perhaps that could be why the governor has now elected to get the presidency involved this time since he may need federal protection against his godfathers.
Recall also that Uzor Kalu is plotting to make his younger brother who lost out in the recently concluded HoR election to fill in the seat vacated by Hon. Osy Prestige who died at the beginning of the year
Kalu’s brother Mascort Uzor Kalu has already asked that his PVC be reassigned to his native Igbere, Bende LGA so as to fly the Abia North’s flag as a campaign leverage in the 2023 gubernatorial election
So how would Ikpeazu contend with the Kalus in the APC? Do not also forget that the senior Kalu is a cunning political operator who has won the governorship and even installed his successor- Theodore- even while the latter was in prison for alleged financial theft and administrative impropriety.
There is also the ongoing consideration about governor Ikpeazu’s political future after 2023. It is rumoured that he wants to go to the senate and join his predecessors but the move is likely to anger many in Abia South who are already incensed that Senator Enyi Abaribe from Obingwa has personalised the senate seat in the last 14 years. It would be hard to sell another Obingwa man in 2023.
We return now to the Theodore Orji political family and their associates who will be most hit by Okezie Ikpeazu’s proposed defection to the APC.
If you wish to know, the Orjis want a stronghold on the governorship for several reasons. A 2020 publication by the Nation newspaper revealed that over a hundred billion naira was traced to bank accounts belonging to the Orjis.
The paper also reported that the Orjis are being investigated by the EFCC for all shades of financial impropriety. Now to stand a chance, the Orjis would need a governor who can cover for them. Ikpeazu’s defection would defeat this objective.
There also is the question of what Ikpeazu would do when he defects. Would he grant EFCC officials access to financial records and files that could indict the Orjis? Maybe. If that would advance his own political chances towards either clipping the wings of his godfathers or pushing his senatorial bid in 2023.
Where does the average Abian fit in in all of these? A source I spoke to in Umuahia revealed that Ikpeazu’s defection is a strategic move by the buccaneers in Abia politics to maintain their hold on things. He informed me that governor Ikpeazu would only be the ears and eyes of the cabal in the APC but would remain loyal to his godfathers in Ibeku clan.
The consideration of the cabal is that it would be unwise to leave their flanks open without knowing what is going on in the APC so it was agreed that having a man at the top would help their 2023 gameplan
Abia you would recall has been the worst governed state in the South east region since 1999 with a mediocre elected at each election cycle to deepen the rentier system that was initiated by Uzor Kalu and institionalised and sustained by Theodore Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu respectively
Abia workers, especially teachers are owed salary arrears for something in the neighbourhood of 30 months. Health workers, LGa staff, pensioners and staff of Abia POLY, ASCOE Arochukwu have fared even worse, thousands of them living on charity.
Sadly, this destitution is happening in a state where the governor earns an estimated 700 million every month as security vote.
The question on every lip now should be… who will save Abia?
Prof. Nwogu sent in this piece from Calabar, South South Nigeria.