Politics of Ebonyi 2015 guber race

A peep into what could be the nature of Ebonyi governorship race in 2015 reveals that it might throw up much of ethnic sentiments among the various groupings in the area. Even as the 2015 general elections seem far away, the three political blocs in the state have commenced alignments and realignments for the governorship position. This is even when the state governor, Chief Martin Elechi has said the slot should go to the southern bloc.

People of the Southern and Northern blocs, Izzi and Ezza clans are already arguing as to whether the position should just be left to the South as proposed by the governor without contest contrary to what held sway when the south contested for the position with the others.

For Elechi, the bane of Nigerian politics has remained disparity in power sharing. He had therefore suggested that to avert that in his home state the governorship slot should move to the southern bloc of the state.

He explained that the Northern and Central blocs of the state had held the governorship position, insisting that it was fair that it shifted to the south to avoid heating up the polity and throwing up distractions. He however noted that some other blocs in the state might dispute the arrangement, but volunteered a way out that dialogue and persuasion could be engaged to convince any disputing elements on the reasons for the rotation of power to the southern bloc. He recalled that a purported charter of equity by founding fathers of the state nearly threw up hitches in the state as the said charter was not written. Elechi maintained that the current arrangement would entail canvassing support of the stake holders in the state to support the move to cause the south clinch the post.

Since the creation of the state in 1996, the Northern bloc had held the governorship for eight years. The Central Senatorial district has been holding the position since 2007. Prior to the creation of the state there is said to have been an unwritten accord that if the capital of the state would be located in the Afikpo axis, in the southern bloc, Abakaliki bloc would take the governorship seat and vice versa. But that could not eventually be as many developments culminated to the Abakaliki having both the capital of the state and the governorship.

How much that option by the governor would work especially as it concerns rotation of the governorship to the south depends on a number of indices.

Among the factors, according to analysts, is how much Elechi is resolute to that opinion he has advertised. Even as the governor is known to be a man that stands by his words a number of political observers express fears that he may not do much to effect the transmutation of power to the south. This is even as they do not doubt the sincerity of his opinion on the issue.  Such observers point to what became the fate of erstwhile Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Barrister Augustine Nwankweagu and his colleagues in the 2011 elections. The governor had at various occasions, given indications that most of the members of the house would return. That tended to be all he could do as most of the house members including the Speaker who was accused of being too loyal to the governor lost their seats. Remarkably, the 24-member house led by Nwakweagu during the constitution review voted against autonomy of the House of Assembly just to satisfy the governor apparently without his asking for that. Incidentally, only six of the 24 members of the house gained re-election to the house.

There is also the argument that Michael Ikechukwu Nwankwo who succeeded the Speaker was impeached despite his perceived loyalty and trust on the governor to save him. Even when the storm had roundly gathered against Nwankwo he was said to have maintained his faith in the governor whom he said loves him like his son.

When the governor returned to the state after the impeachment there were high hopes that he was going to affect reversal of the exercise. That however, did not happen. Rather the impeached Speaker was suspended and a probe committee set up to investigate his activities for the six months he reigned. Today, Nwankwo is taking his position at the back bench in the house.