Cornucopia: Soludo’s APGA will win Anambra House, but…

By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, PhD

Politics as we all know is certainly a critical game – critical in the sense that all contesting sides put in uncompromising efforts to make sure that they emerge victorious. Of course, it is a game for the strong hearted. This, simply might lucidly explain the reason behind the “perceived master stroke” strategy by 20 Governors, who earmarked N50billion to avert defeat in Saturday’s poll made a headline of New National Star.

Beyond that, some other newspapers and online media platforms carried the same news with some caution. Shockingly, however, I was caught unawares with that rider, “Anambra projects N2.5bn just to win election for members of House of Assembly”  A simple mathematical calculation will show that when this whooping sum of money is divided across 30 constituencies of Anambra state, one will quickly and clearly discover why so many people become superfluously rich overnight in the name of politics or politicking .

How can Anambra under Prof. Charles Soludo spend this kind of money to win a House of Assembly seat?  Yet his government did not consider it wise to support any journalist for capacity training secured abroad to help Anambra journalists grow.  That was no doubt unbelievable! Disgusting, to say the least! In fact, I have in the recent time began to question, and as it were, interrogate with depth of profundity such political mantras that emphasise the heaven and earth most political leaders promise us before they ascend political office. “I will use little to achieve more indeed!” Prudent my foot! May be, I have lost the meaning of the word prudence.    

This report emanated from a press statement by The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), after thorough investigations. The group emphatically noted that “no lessons was learnt from the shoddy INEC outing on February 25th polls, alleging that billions of naira belonging to states were squandered in coordinating voter suppression, buying of votes and election results fixing” My interest in the 20 Governors mentioned was particularly that of Anambra State.

Why should Anambra spend such huge amount of money for just House of Assembly elections, when its governorship election is still 3 years ahead? Is it no longer Anambra thing? Intersociety went on to analyse each state, and for Anambra, the organisation said that the State- sponsored political thuggery and violence shall thrive on Saturday. I could not, in all sincerity, understand why the desperation if the House election is for Anambra State people and it’s residents. These monies according to Intersociety, would be spent on House of Assembly candidates of APGA, Transition Committee Members and Transition committee Chairmen of Local Government Areas, traditional rulers, religious leaders and market leaders, as well as some INEC officials in Anambra state to buy votes, suppress and intimidate voters.  I was busy looking for journalists but unfortunately, I didn’t see any, I however saw security personnel in the list, even outside their press statement, I saw other organisations, yet no journalist’s group is the list.  This is still sending the message that journalists are the Fourth Estate and shouldn’t be compromised in anything against the citizens or the society at large. But, arguing with me some journalists wondered why Soludo’s administration is adamant on issues concerning journalists in Anambra, but I avoided the discourse. I had no answers. And discussing it further shall make it parochial, when issues I have at hand were overwhelming. 

How can Intersociety be too sure on billions spent by Soludo administration on vote buying?Intersociety accused each of the lawmakers in Anambra State House of Assembly of collecting N20 Million from the government coffers, totaling N600Million for logistic support for the election. And each of the 21 local government Transition Committee Chairman received N30 Million, totaling to N630 Million only for election mobilization, and boldly, asked ICPC and EFCC to put the states, including INEC under watch list. Days after these allegations, CPS to Governor Soludo couldn’t find his voice – he did not react. Why? He is running up and down with reactions, even to some quarters he ordinarily should not react to. Why not this? It’s clear and direct.  To cap it all, the accuser, signed the document off.

Emeka Umeagbalasi is the Board Chairman, Intersociety. Chinwe Umeche and Chidinma Udegbunam, Head of Democracy and Good Governance and Head Campaign and Publicity also signed. This is strange! Curiously in search of reactions of CPS Aburime, I shuddered when I read APGA evangelist, Chinedu Obigwe still calling Presidential candidate of Labour Party and his former Governor, His Excellency, Peter Obi names as if he is a commoner, without Governor Soludo or former Governor Obiano calling him to order. How can Peter Obi be described in the most disrespectful uncouth and indecorous manner as ‘confused’ by someone seen and known as APGA government, Obiano, and Soludo apologist? Is there no limit to politicking?Obigwe sees this Saturday election as a battle.  Why? It’s a contest between brothers and sisters and one person must win. I have asked him, why the war tone, but time shall tell. For example, Justice Umeadi in a news report allegedly said Soludo frustrated his ambition, but Obigwe came and lambasted him on why he shouldn’t ever say such but rather apologize to APGA members for wasting their ticket. My worry was, the man who contested election allegedly spoke and Soludo didn’t react officially or from any of the known quarters but Obigwe. It’s alright!

There are allegations and counter allegations trailing the donation of between N500k and N1million to communities for vigilance groups to ensure hitch free elections this Saturday.

There are also accusations and counter accusations levelled against Right Hon. Uche Okafor led House of Assembly as rubber stamp assembly for passing a budget and multimillion loan for the State in a jiffy without proper scrutiny. They accused Soludo of working for PDP, instead of APGA – the reason the presidential candidate of APGA performed abysmally. Senatorial and House of Assembly candidates of APGA too got swallowed because of allegedly lack of support from Prof. Soludo. They accused him of abandoning the party. But, has he?

Against all odds, presenting itself to forestall victory for the All Progressives Grand Alliance on Saturday 18th March, 2023 General Elections in the state, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s party shall have victory. The victory shall be sweet because the investment made is massive and unprecedented. I never knew Soludo could release such magnitude of cash for his party – never.  Deputy Chief of Staff to Soludo, Chinedu Nwoye, aka Glamour is in charge of dishing out orders, while his partners in charge of Soludo’s political fronts are busy meeting with head teachers, principals, religious leaders and market leaders, to mention but few. Though, surprisingly,  they didn’t meet with the organized Labour. But they were everywhere prancing and boasting where necessary of assured victory.  I admire them because Chinedu Obidigwe did practically same for Obiano with results. I wonder why Madam Obiano lost?  I have painstakingly visited some communities to listen and gauge their pulse on the matter on ground and it was nothing but victory for APGA unless there are still dishonest and dishonorable people in the APGA fold and appointments of Prof Soludo. I know some people who after public announcement of donations, will never pay a dime, even some did it to NUJ before my assumption of duties, promising NUJ money without redeeming them. Soon, we shall name and put them to shame unabashedly.  These dishonest, dishonorable and disreputable people abound in our society, I personally witnessed a new dimension to this during last Anambra political debate organised a month ago by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ in partnership with Radio, Arts and Theater Arts Workers Union of Nigeria, RATTAWU in collaboration with the Society for Justice, Equity and Peace (SEJUP) as well as Bring it on Africa debate at Prof. Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Center Awka. We couldn’t forge ahead without requesting our participants to pay a token sequel to the failure of Bring it on Africa and her international organisation partners to sponsor the event as promised. They didn’t bring kobo. There were rules of engagement, the candidate of Social Democratic Party, SDP, Ekwunife sauntered in claiming he was not aware and we never invited him but he wants to participate. Having proven that he was not initially invited, the terms of his appearance was agreed on the ground with him categorically stating what he could offer because of non-invitation abinitio.  It was agreed and Chinazom Okey-Umeh of RATTAWU accepted grudgingly to surety him to pay afterwards, after claiming network wasn’t going. One month after vowing that if he didn’t pay, God shall punish him and his generation, Chinazom is still confused on how to pay from her pocket because the SDP man campaigning to be member of House of Reps for Awka North and South Federal constituency is dishonest. I was told he said others haven’t paid referring to the PDP candidate in that election for Awka North and South Federal constituency, Chief Emeka Igwe and Prof Lilian Orogbu, who eventually won the election to represent Awka North and South Federal Constituency. I could remember that day how Emeka Igwe blamed failure of network as I heard from our contact person and Prof. Orogbu already paid, though we haven’t seen the transaction as she didn’t pay directly to the account provided. 

 As for Saturday’s election, it’s not going to be business as usual for the Prof Yakubu led INEC, this Saturday. If not for anything, the presidential Election Day light robbery was still fresh in the minds of the youths who are desirous of taking back their nation. Anything short of free, fair, credible and transparent election may be disastrous for the electoral officer by whatever name he or she is called. Those who love their lives should not dare the unknown mob. I lend my voice to appeal to our people to come out on Saturday 18th March, 2023 general elections to vote in their choices without minding the below average performance by the electoral body, INEC. Anyone who loves his or her life should not be part of any rigging plan that could lead to loss of lives and property. Every form of self-help before, during and after the elections should be avoided as such would compromise the integrity of the electoral process.  Soludo has unleashed his men into the villages to conquer. He has also embarked on flag of flagship projects to woo voters.  He and his men have been accused too of voter intimidations and spending of a fortune to ensure APGA wins 30 seats of the State House of Assembly. Will he succeed? If he succeeds, bigger respect and more political swag for him and his men because they all disappointed him during the presidential election – a truth that was clearly shown in the narrow victory of his federal constituency and eventual loss of his senatorial zone.   APGA had a huge lost in the National Assembly elections. Soludo’s administration has just announced the training of 20,000 youths in incubation, business innovation in partnership with Microsoft and Wootlab Foundation as driven by what the state government called Solution Innovative District (SID) targeting the education and health sectors for youths and women. This heralds what they also referred to as Anambra Digital Tribe programme. Again, he flagged off the construction of Ekwulobia flyover with a bridge and other roads. Also flagged off at Ekwulobia are a modern bus terminal, a fuel station, a security building,  a fire station among others. 

Even, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Pastor Christian Aburime already alluded to that when he said that with Soludo’s achievements, APGA candidates deserve massive support to win the elections, overwhelmingly too. He is equally saying that Anambra State being APGA state does not need distraction from other political parties.  He is confident of victory. He denied the threatening of traditional rulers and Presidents General of communities by Soludo or blacklist their community from development if APGA candidates fail to win the state House of Assembly elections, even when the event video has been trending. He dismissed it as propaganda, fake news and misinformation. The Governor has equally given some appointments to add to about 1000 appointees he recruited, now according to Mike Okeke, member Soludo Support Group (SSG) University of Nigeria Nsukka campus chapter as escalated by Aburime.

 Soludo’s appointments of 5000 teachers is great, but there is a generational curse following some people in Soludo’s cabinet over the appointments as about 200 of the newly employed teachers have been thrown out through the backdoor, simply because their zonal Education officers or whatever they are called didn’t do returns for the month.  And I ask, how did that become an offence for the new teachers? They signed their necessary physical forms and performed their responsibilities without let and principal submitted returns to the zone but zone didn’t submit to the headquarters allegedly.

These new employees became ghosts overnight and were relieved of their appointments and we say we have government.  This is not only wicked, clannish, and, despicable but a shameful case of bigotry.  That singular action only ended demarketing Soludo’s good intentions to these families he lifted out of unemployment. They have their Identity cards and civil service numbers; had taken their salaries, did their work and have students and other teachers to confirm these, including the principals who did their returns, yet you sacked them. Stopped their salaries and replaced them immediately, referring to their appointment letters that they could be sacked anytime without reason. It’s inhuman! Why was other teachers in same monthly returns paid? But new teachers were not paid.  Or do we do returns differently? I was a teacher for 5 years in a government school and we never had returns different form old teachers aside first salary and immediately we were posted to schools of primary assignment, we became same teachers in same school! Who can tell me what’s happening?

 But, shockingly, I met a cross section of these teachers from Awka South, Anaocha and Ihiala at the Teachers House Awka where I went by accident to take a bottle of cheap drink, and someone told them about me.  They told me stories but refused their photos to be taken, they refused to be named, and refused that I write a word about them. That they only wanted a solution to the injustice as they have met everyone without solution. Their case was genuine, but frustration is setting in. I forgot to call CPS Aburime! They pleaded with me to appeal to Soludo. I called Soludo immediately but he didn’t pick. What can I do? Primary school teachers too, I was told was having similar issues. Information from Post Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC) said they were ghost workers.  I agree, there may be ghost workers but these people I saw and others they called were no ghosts.  Please something should be done before it is given another meaning. Someone said, they were being removed to employ people from one section of the State. Who knows if the wife of our Governor, Mrs. Nonye Soludo has heard about this?  Someone should as fast as possible, let her know. There was a line suggestive of that from Mike Okeke’s public statement, but I won’t advance it further until I get some clarifications. ….” About 5000 youths are currently undergoing skills acquisition under the scheme of “one youth, two skills” project, 80% of them are members of various support groups. Soludo in less than one year in office with over 400 political appointees (50 % of the political appointees are members of various support groups), reports Mike Okeke. This can only mean that some teachers may be removed from their appointments because of who they supported during the election that brought Soludo to power.  What is that? That probably informs why over 1000 journalists with over 400 recognised under the NUJ in Anambra were never appointed into any position, even into statutory boards. Journalists are not in Soludo’s government but we have qualified union members with certification. However, there are two or so appointed indirectly by those he appointed, out of this about 1000 political office holders. Does it mean that no journalist practicing in Anambra State supported his ambition to be Governor? It’s compounding. It’s unfortunate.  It’s unbelievable.  For me, I have always known that the society does not love journalists, even when journalists die for the society daily. Society only worships journalists whenever on their side, but afraid is always the word. Suspicion! Aburime in the last 3 weeks have been refuting reports from all cylinders. The one that got me was the one I watched a video of Soludo vowing to oppress lawmakers in opposition and support those in APGA 100%. He said the video was doctored to score cheap political points.  The other day it was attack on Prof Orogbu’s innocent campaign taunt.  It’s countless. That’s the joy of a thankless journalism.  Obiano’s media aides James Eze and Emeka Ozumba likely will do differently today if such opportunity calls again.  Journalism is journalism, not PR, not advertising and nothing else but journalism. That, which nobody wants the public to know but journalists are struggling to make it headline!

****Cornucopia is a weekly column of Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, PhD.Odogwu is a known Journalist, Editor, Media Consultant, Unionist and famous Blogger, as well as Social Media Entrepreneur, Publisher and Conversationalist  @ www.odogwublog.com among others.Phone Number: 08060750240
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