By Chimdi Maduka

Hmmm I was surprised reading a news story where Awgu LGA Chairman, Hon. Okwudili Pedro was asking why is it that Senator Ike Ekweremadu is the only governorship aspirant complaining and at the same time crying over the just concluded transparent and smooth PDP three-man delegate Congress in Enugu State.

My feeling emanated from the fact that everyone in Enugu including Awgu LGA Chairman, political observers and PDP faithful should have known why Ekweremadu is the only aspirant complaining.

It is just like asking why is that Ekweremadu is the only major political from Enugu West Senatorial zone that bought PDP governorship form against the conventional rotation of governorship seat in the state that favours Enugu East Senatorial zone in 2023. So why won’t Ekweremadu cry when he has been stripped naked politically, even more than the physical beating he received in Germany years ago.

Ekweremadu complains because he lacks political sagacity to understand the arithmetic of politics. If not, why should he embark on a political voyage he knew will be dead on arrival. Is he a political neophyte or a desperado?

Ekweremadu is complaining because the PDP moving train in Enugu has left him and his retinue of brainwashed social media bandits behind, even before the primary election.

Without mincing words or being pretentious, the Enugu PDP members including Ekweremadu’s one time loyalists have through their choice of delegates during the party’s Congress shown Ekweremadu where they stand as loyal party members.

So it is not surprising that Ekweremadu is complaining. He complains because he does not know what to tell his featherweight followers and social media marionets that are already calling him Incoming, His Excellency and other borrowed names.

Ekweremadu is complaining, because he failed to understand that there is a clear difference between PDP of today and that of 2015. Ekweremadu complains because the slogan Ike Is Coming has suddenly turned to Ike Is Going Home even before the governorship primary in the state. Ike is now the Biblical Aaron. Why won’t Ekweremadu complain when all his machinations to discredit the outcome of the transparent delegate Congress in the state have failed him?

Ekweremadu is complaining, because he underrated Governor Ugwuanyi’s capacity and the unalloyed support and tremendous goodwill he is enjoying as the leader of the PDP in the state and Southeast region at his own peril.

Ekweremadu is complaining, because he is the architect of his problem. So, weep not for Ekweremadu because he is a little bird that overfeed himself and decided to engage his god in a wrestling bout. Why pitying him?

Why won’t Ekweremadu cry or complain when he has even been rejected, mocked and abandoned by his own people, the delegates from his Enugu West Senatorial zone, who were in Government House recently to pledge loyalty to Governor Ugwuanyi ahead of the 2023 party primaries.

The statutory and ad hoc delegates from Enugu West Senatorial District, who rose with one voice, assured Governor Ugwuanyi that they are solidly behind him, and will vote according to his direction in the selection of PDP candidates for the 2023 general elections in the state.

The delegates, who gave the assurance when they paid a solidarity visit to Gov. Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu recently, applauded the governor for entrenching peace and good governance in Enugu State.

They also commended Gov. Ugwuanyi for the peaceful conduct of the ward congress of the PDP across the 260 electoral wards of Enugu State, on April 30, 2022, stressing that the outcome of the exercise was an eloquent testimony that the governor is “a leader of peace”.

The delegates from the five local government areas of Enugu West Senatorial District comprising Aninri, Awgu, Ezeagu, Oji River and Udi, told the governor that they have never taken, and will not take, his peaceful disposition and uncommon leadership qualities for granted.

They expressed delight that Enugu State is a reference point for peace in Nigeria, pointing out the cherished feat was made possible because of the governor’s commitment to peace, security and wellbeing of residents of the state.

Speaking on behalf of the delegates, the Chairman of Ezeagu LGA and State Deputy Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Chukwudi Ozoeluba, said: “We assure you (Ugwuanyi) that we the delegates are for you and wherever you say we should go, we will go with you. Other decisions you will take, we will stand with you. In any condition we are with you”.

Flanked by the other four council chairmen from Enugu West Senatorial District, Hon. Ozoeluba added: “We equally to thank you for the peace you have given Enugu State. We have never seen a peaceful three-man delegate election in Enugu State like this one of April 30, 2022.

“This shows that you are a father and a leader of peace. And that peace you have given Enugu State has made our state one of the best states in Nigeria. Thank you for making it possible”.

In his remarks, the pioneer State Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Charles Egumgbe, also described Gov. Ugwuanyi as “a man of peace and tranquility”, deserving of the unalloyed support and solidarity of the people of Enugu West Senatorial District and beyond, as the Governor of Enugu State and leader of the PDP in the state.

According to him, “The issue of leadership is not changeable and PDP has established that precedence as a party. I commend you (Ugwuanyi) for the peaceful ward congress of our great party last weekend. It was tranquil in my ward and I know it was tranquil everywhere.

 “We are a family and we have a leader in the person of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. As a political party, let us continue to follow our leader, he is leading us alright”.

Now that Ekweremadu has been rejected politically by his own people of Enugu West Senatorial zone ahead of the primaries, will Ekweremadu still go ahead to contest the governorship primary? Common sense, though not common demands that it is time for Ekweremadu to seek for atonement having failed and lied against the Enugu founding fathers, PDP leaders and members in the state on rotation of governorship seat, just because of his selfish and inordinate ambition.

Ekweremadu can now see that monkey is smart is because trees near each other. Now that monkey has found himself in the desert, is he not helpless?

It is obvious that whatever is happening to Ekweremadu politically ahead of 2023 general elections was brought unto him by himself. He has nobody to blame for his political woes except himself and his band of social media noisemakers and bootlickers, who saw a window of opportunity to get their own share of the people’s collective patrimony Ekweremadu has cornered for almost two decades. 

Ekweremadu will soon move from being a political complaint to a political weeping child and retired politician. It is just a matter of time. Ekweremadu would have saved himself all these stress and humiliations if he listened to the voice of reason and had toed the path of honour.

As it is now, it is late for Ekweremadu to redeem and rescue himself politically. He has been decimated and humiliated already. He is on the verge of going into political hibernation and possibly extinction if he is not careful.

Maduka, a lawyer writes from Mgbowo, Awgu LGA, Enugu State