What is happening to Enugu Labour Party was predicted. Two weeks ago, Jack Solo Support Group released a statement published via https://www.thenews-chronicle.com/labour-party-in-enugu-an-unholy-struggle-for-credibility/
The press statement warned that the party in Enugu represents a desperate struggle for non-existent acceptability.
Three days ago, (on Wednesday, November 30), one of their factional senatorial candidates for Enugu North senatorial zone — Barr. Okey Ezea more commonly called by the mnemonic Ideke, was caught on camera commiting some incoherent gaffes during a Voice FM 96.7 Nsukka programme, “Voice Connect.” He showed signs of dementia calling Labour Party and APC interchangeably in the same sentence. He was using the names of the two parties synonymously in manner that made himself confess that he is becoming another ‘Tinubu,” the geriatric presidential candidate of APC, as he fumbled before the world. Such solecism was nauseating.
However, there is more to it than meets the eye. Those who keep tab on the politics of Enugu North can relate that prior to that shameful outing on radio, he had committed several egregious political blunders in his inordinate quest to get power through the back door.
He, it was, in October, addressing a group of people in Enugu North abused His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the executive governor of Enugu state. Ideke’s foot soldiers gleefully shared the video on social media. Instead of soliciting for votes or focusing on how to win the case challenging his candidacy in the court, he spend up to 30 minutes in a 40 minutes address, misleading the electorates. He was inciting them against Gov. Ugwuanyi, defaming the people’s governor.
After his demeaning remarks, many analysts expected a rebuttal from Ugwuanyi’s camp. But true to his name as the Prince of Peace, the governor took it to his stride and allowed him be. As always, he confounded Ideke and his co-travelers with golden silence.
Ugwuanyi can easily be regarded as the most meek and unabrasive Governor in history. If Goodluck Jonathan was the most vilified president as many believed, then Gov. Ugwuanyi is his governor equivalent. Yet he never attacked back, because he knows that politics of vendetta is self-destructive.
If there’s anything that distinguishes Gov. Ugwuanyi as a leader, it is the high elasticity of his tolerance threshold. He tolerates everyone.
So when Ideke was vomiting his diatribe, he was feeling like a champion, knowing that in the government house Enugu is a Lion that guards his people instead of preying on them. Had he found himself in Abia or Ebonyi, he would have regretted attacking a sitting governor.
Back to his exhibition of signs of advanced dementia in the gaff at the radio station. He has, for over twenty years, been a serial contestant under multiple parties — PDC, ANPP, APC, APGA, and now Labour Party. He is as confused as the countless parties he has run under.
I once had an uncle who married six wives and had fourteen Children. Whenever he wanted to call any of his children, to send him on errand, he would call like five different names of his other children before landing on the exact one he intended. That was Ideke by action three days ago.
When I wrote that Labour Party in Enugu may undergo autolysis, many didn’t believe me. Now it’s happening. High Court has nullified the election of all their candidates. The candidates rejected the ruling and went to appeal court. 2023 polls is less then 90 days. Their case has not been adjudicated upon. Tell me… when will they ratify their case, sort themselves out before returning to Enugu to start canvassing for votes?
It will be safer to say that, God has fought the battle for Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. He’s almost on his way to the Senate unopposed. Ndi Nsukka has made their choice known long before Ideke’s hypnotized masquerade appeared in the fringes of the village square.
Can we just congratulate Ugwuanyi in advance?
— Nduka Nnadi wrote from Odenigbo Nsukka.
