2014 Governorship Election in Anambra. Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah is a Nonstarter – By Churchill Okonkwo

Posted by admin Anambra, Articles, Churchill Okonkwo, Columnists, NNP Columnists, State News Sunday, January 15th, 2012

By Churchill Okonkwo, NNP – Jan. 15, 2012 – As an interested and keen observer of political development in Anambra State, I’ve been watching the political (mis)adventure and political dress-rehearsal by Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah in readiness for 2014 governorship election.

Without begrudging his “successes” and without prejudice to qualities people are valorizing in the man, it will be deeply foolish to believe that his incredible rise to becoming a major player in the downstream sector of the industry is genuine. His rise is definitely not free of corrupt practices and nepotism. In fact, it is being rumored that like Mike Adenuga, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah is being fronted by some of the past corrupt military dictators and their apologists.

A look at his recent philanthropic gestures is also raising a look of questions on the genesis of his link with the corrupt political elites in Nigeria and what his interest in Anambra State is. In a fund raising ceremony for IBB’s school in Minna, Ubah donated 18 seater bus, educational materials as well as several branded laptops to the school. The $20,000 Dollars he recently gave to Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN) generated some rumble that threatened unity among the actors. His donation of 100 tape recorders, 50 camcorders and 50 to NUJ Anambra State after an earlier donated N5 Million to the council could be interpreted as a buy-out of the media in Anambra State. Having been a close ally of Governor Peter Obi, Dr. Ubah has quickly learnt how the media can be gagged and made praise singers.

It is therefore not surprisingly that while the media have been all over the places, talking about Ubah’s “philanthropic” gestures, they ignored the fact that his Capital Oil and Gas was recently listed as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the oil subsidy removal in Nigeria and currently enjoys a near monopoly in the distribution of kerosene in Nigeria. It is sad that Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah with all his philanthropic camouflage and political masquerading is the owner of the trumpet of misery and deceit through Capitol Oil.

In a facebook exchange someone said “there is only one Governorship Candidate in Anambra State in the person of Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah.’ In a response a governorship candidate in Anambra asked: “Does Ubah understand the pains of the suffering masses? Is he not part of the corrupt political elites that are defrauding Nigeria? Can Ndi Anambra State allow another hypocrite that lie with sincerity to lead us?”

I don’t think we can. To this end, we must ensure that the 2014 governorship election in Anambra State is contested purely on ideology and issues parenting to the credibility, honesty, and understanding of what governance is. Not on who has the stolen largesse to throw around. It is high time we start questioning the sources of wealth of individuals in our society just like in the good old days. Ifeanyi Ubah and his likes that are defrauding the country and the poor masses from oil subsidy removal are like the pre-modern doctors who bled patients in a misguided effort to cure them. Ifeanyi Ubah and his likes should be informed that the good people of Anambra State cannot be taken for a ride in 2014. They represent the political otondos of our time: plundering the national wealth with reckless abandon.

The good people of my state, our friends and lovers of democracy in Nigeria are by this piece notified that another battle for the soul of Anambra State is brewing. The dragons have not given up. The truth is that we all know the dragon is not going to rest until the mission of “conquering” Anambra state is accomplished. There is a saying: that if you can’t take the heat, don’t tickle the dragon.

I know that by this piece, I will most likely tickle the dragon. The objective however is to force an overdue conversation on the type of leadership Ndiigbo needs. I have the responsibility to speak out. Anambra state has dwelt too long in the dark valley and need someone to bring Anambralians to the ‘sunlit mountaintop.’ I’ve dedicated myself to championing the cause of good governance in Anambara state, to lead the ‘hot crowd’ of Ndi Anambara in a rapid climb out of the valley.

Not all Anambralians will be subdued to the level of keeping mute and thus contributing to yet another madness and maladministration in the state. It will however, only take the collective determination of the good people of the state to weather the storm. I ask all Anambralians to join me in keeping up the beat of sanity, accountability, purposeful leadership and vision for the state.

As the “oil mogul” repositions himself, the small and big masquerades (including bishops) are dancing in the arena, singing praises and laying the foundation for the appearance of the unstoppable one.

Ifeanyi Ubah is oiling his clutches. When the moon is shining the cripple become hungry for a walk. If he succeeds, he will disobey the law of gravity, disprove the law of demand and supply and will keep the country in perpetual darkness (by sabotaging the power sector revitalization) so that he and his friends will continue to benefit from diesel importation for generators .We will then be left speechless like a fish on a dry land.

The wind is going mad and the air is filled with smoke and it is becoming increasingly difficult to see through to 2014 in Anambara state unless you are using a political microscope. I’ve volunteered to be the political microscope of Ndi Anambara – speaking truth to the bloody power and the politically corrupt.

[email protected]wp_posts