With the just concluded parties’ primaries in Enugu and the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (gubernatorial) and Senator Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu West Senatorial), it became clear that failed interests would not let the issue be. No sooner had the primaries been concluded and the candidates emerged did the ugliness of hatred and scheming show itself. Unsurprisingly, it was directed at Senator Ekweremadu.
Onyima Support Group (OSG) for Gburugburu 2019, a Pro-PDP Support Group in Enugu led by Humphrey Onyima, in a press release yesterday blasts Women Arise group over a malicious article published in the social media accusing Ekweremadu of going to great lengths to ensure that the primary went his way” and that, at some point during the primary, he “produced a letter” purportedly from the chairman of the PDP, directing that “all serving senators be guaranteed automatic return tickets” for the 2019 elections.
Besides this, the group alleged that, unknown to the governor; the legislator had been hard at work getting his cronies into strategic positions in the state.
At this point, OSG could not help but wince at the intricately woven lies against the lawmaker just to make sure that, somehow, if they never succeeded in embarrassing him before the global media and getting him to step down before now, they could plant some evil seed between him and the governor, to set them on the forbidden path of rancor.
From the get-go, it was clear that Ekweremadu was the overwhelming favourite of the PDP delegates of Enugu West (only those who were at Awgu the headquarters of Enugu West Senatorial District could have known that and, unfortunately, the so called Women Arise were not). Why should he have thrown away such goodwill by producing a letter purportedly written by the national chairman of the PDP? Why? It begs reason to imagine anyone would do such. Not even the daftest human; talk more of a seasoned lawyer and lawmaker.
Also, it is clear that the Women Arise and their sponsors have got some corn to grind with Ekweremadu but dragging Governor Ugwuanyi into it is the lowest of all ‘lows’. While it is alright to play the puppet master in politics (afterall, it is proof of power, isn’t it?), it is quite cowardly to drag the governor into a battle of political stalwarts in the state chapter of the party. It could be the last-gasp effort of one of those who lost at the primary or the last act of a drowning man who has been consigned to the political abyss. Either way, it smacks of political naiveté.
Gov. Ugwuanyi is a man utterly interested in winning with peace and it is this peaceful and humble disposition that has helped him achieved a lot in the development of Enugu State and ensured he emerged the flag-bearer of the PDP in next year’s guber, unopposed. Read that again: unopposed. Ugwuanyi has placed Enugu State on the path of peace, progress and development; let no group, in any guise, distract the state that is in the Hands of God.
Continuing their blatant lies and spurious claims, the Women Arise went ahead to accuse the lawmaker of scheming to by-pass women, by ensuring that none of them emerges the party’s flag-bearer. As much as this is utter balder-dash and arrant nonsense, it needs addressing, for it is easy to taint one’s name in a politically-tense period.
First, we must understand that politics is not a game of favours, where you give someone a position because of their gender; rather than the fact that they deserve it. No. In politics, you deserve your votes; you do not curry them out of pity or the need to brandish your sex as the ‘weaker’ one.
Hillary Clinton campaigned and got the votes she deserved. Sarah Palin campaigned and got the votes she deserved. Why should the Women Arise Group purportedly accuse the governor or Ekweremadu for the non-emergence of a woman as the party’s flag-bearer for any of the elections in 2019? Why?
Our politics needs to move forward, but not this way. The way forward is politics by merit and not ‘pity politics’. Rt. Hon. Cecilia Ezeilo deserved to be the Deputy Governor and she got it, but a disgruntled Women Arise Group clamoring for women representation in governance are calling for her removal, what a shame. Our collective advice for the Women Arise group is to go to ‘the other room’ and get their act together, you can’t approbate and reprobate at the same time. You can’t empower women by pulling down a fellow woman in the authority.
On a final note, Ekweremadu had no hand in all of this; neither did Ugwuanyi. Short and simple.
Onyima is the Convener of the Onyima Support Group (OSG) for Gburugburu 2019.
