The truth about Anambra 2021 gubernatorial race
SIR: The temper of the contest for Anambra November 6, 2021 gubernatorial poll took new turn and culminated in cloudy impetus on the courts of the land. Unfortunately, the manoeuvre ended up bruising the esteemed demeanour of the judiciary. But for the crucial intervention by relevant judicial authorities, the hallowed institution would have suffered further ridicule from coarse politicians.
Victory in elections in Anambra State has never really been known to come cheap. From the State House of Assembly to the gubernatorial elections, Anambra gets rattled (if not quaky) during electioneering. Anambra 2021 poll presents a crop of persons who, to various degrees, are sworn to tweaking whatever there could be to assume Anambra gubernatorial seat in March 2022. The Anambra electorate, amply armed with a clear sense of the state’s electoral experiences and the pedigrees of the present frontline actors, choose not to be unduly distracted by either the braggadocios of ‘centre-party’ or the evident vast deployment of huge sums arrogantly flaunted as juicy baits for sabotaging the peoples’ popular cause.
A story was told of how late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the eternal leader of APGA, was once invited to give the keynote address at an event at the Nigerian War College, during the regime of General Sani Abacha. As he was handed the microphone at the occasion, he dutifully observed the audience, noting the mixture of consternation, anxiety and excitement in their composition. In a carefully measured tone he said: ‘‘I understand that there have been questions and doubts about the appropriateness of my assigned role in the day’s function.’’ Then taking a stern look around, as if in confirmation of his superior bearing, he bellowed, ‘‘If not Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who here present is better qualified for this sacred assignment?’ And in an undulating voice with mellowed timbre that bore his eternal imprimatur he addressed the topmost military officers present thusly: ‘‘If you were not lucky to have been instructed by me, I instructed your instructors. So why not Ikemba!’’ The message sank: Pedigrees and points of distinction established.
This goes to reinstate the Igbo ageless wise saying that one does not go contesting superiority in height with someone who is obviously over a head and shoulder taller than one. ‘‘Oda abu araro esibe ogologo!’’ Truth be told; while not posting a blanket dismissal of the candidates in the November 6 election, whoever amongst them that comes a distant second behind the favoured candidate in the poll would publicly celebrate such achievement, reminding his other colleagues that there was meant to be only one winner, never to be beaten and his party way ahead of their parties.
Okechukwu Anarado wrote from Adazi-Nnukwu.
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