Ugwuanyi’s Supreme Court Victory
The Supreme Court judgement that ended more than three years of pre-election litigation, involving Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Senator Ayogu Eze, finally came on 6th July, 2018. The apex court verdict has terminated the job of rumour mill in the state, which had used the governorship legal tussle to create unnecessary media frenzy and hoodwink gullible minds. There had never been any doubt on who was the authentic PDP Governorship candidate in Enugu State in the 2015 election. Senator Ayogu Eze merely used the judicial exercise to remain politically relevant, even when it was obvious that he was on a wild goose chase.
As much as Gov. Ugwuanyi did not allow the Ayogu Eze’s charade to distract him from governance while it lasted, it is a great relief not only to the government of Enugu State, but the entire people of the eastern capital state. Gov. Ugwuanyi should see this judgment as a wake-up call to redouble his efforts towards the development of the state. Enugu State deserves the best of good governance at this point in time. We cannot be left behind in a fast changing world. Political crisis is the least of things the coal city state needs now. All of us cannot be governors at a time. It must be one person at a time. Those who cannot get it today may be lucky tomorrow.
Senator Ayogu Eze should prepare to contest 2019 governorship election in the state, if he believes he has the popular- ity, financial war chest and formidable political structure to unravel the sitting governor. He should spare the peaceful state unnecessary distraction and tension. He should desist from allegedly sponsoring unnecessary media propaganda against the governor. 2019 election is almost at the corner, he should look for an alternative platform to pursue his governorship ambition, if he still has what it takes to make any visible impact in the political chess board of the state. But I doubt if he will. I don’t think he is still a force to reckon with in his senatorial zone—incidentally, where the governor comes from, let alone making inroads in the entire three senatorial districts that make up the state.
The Supreme Court, which represents the conscience of Nigerian judiciary, should also be commended for upholding the mandate given to Governor Ugwuanyi by the good people of Enugu State. Those who want to recreate ChibuikeAmeachi’s scenario in Enugu State have been ridiculed by this sound judgement. Nigerian constitution and Electoral Act have all been amended to reflect the current political realities, as well as the aspirations of the people. No one will be declared a candidate of a political party for an election, by any known constitutional court without participating in the party primaries. Similarly, no aspirant will be pronounced winner of any election without going through the whole electoral process. This is where Senator Ayogu Eze was busted by the Supreme Court. All his grandstanding collapsed in the face of the law. He cannot reprobate and approbate at the same time. He cannot build something on nothing.
The import of this ruling is that someone will no longer gate-crash into Lion Building as Enugu governor. The rumour mill has closed shop. Mischief makers have been demoralised. Un-interrupted peace and tranquillity being enjoyed in the state will continue. Developmental strides of the governor will not be truncated. There will not be heightened political tension in the state in the build up to next year’s general elections. The APC can no longer takeover Enugu State via the backdoor. 2019 governorship contest in the state is for the PDP to be taken. Governor Ugwuanyi has also been emboldened to kick-start his 2019 re-election campaign in earnest. The political calculations have been left unaltered. Those on vendetta mission to Government House have been grounded and incapacitated. The Gburugburu Movement is gathering serious momentum ahead of 2019 elections.
I will also commend the governor for maintaining unparalleled calmness and focus in the midst of huge distraction posed by this just concluded legal tussle, while it lasted. Only few people who are ardent followers of political developments in the state knew that the governor was still battling political rivals in court, few months to the next governorship election while running the state seamlessly and unperturbed. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he possesses mental fortitude, emotional intelligence and psychological strength to remain stable in the middle of the storm and so much distraction. He did not allow the protracted election litigations to interfere with his developmental programmrs in the state.
The most astonishing of all is that he played down the pre-election litigation as inconsequential, without allowing it to become subject of political discourse in the state. The Supreme Court judgment just confirmed that narrative—that there was no cause for alarm in the first place. Governor Ugwuanyi is indeed a walking strategy, especially on how to walk through political landmines without getting hurt or traumatised. I think he deserves an honorary PhD on political crisis management. Politicians in the state can attest to his diplomatic prowess and leadership skill in harmonizing all the diverse political interests in the state, to the point of compromise and consensus, which has sustained peace in the coal city, unlike what was obtainable in the past, especially any year preceding general elections. All politicians of good conscience in the state should rally around the governor in developing the state. I implore all to place the collective destiny of Enugu State above their individual political interests.
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