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Troublesome Truth Too

By M.O. Ene

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On 2.2.22, Pacesetter published “Enugu 2023: A Troublesome Truth.” This is not Part 2, though the main character is the same: Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, the first Fourth Republic governor of Enugu State. Politics is an art. Politicians of partisan hues are often so passionate about political hanky-panky they make many mad. Philosophers understand methods in the madness, so we study political science.

I analysed Nnamani’s statement of Wednesday, January 26, 2022: “The governor (of Enugu State) … will determine who succeeds him ….” Half-time, it came to pass. It looks like sticking solidly at full time “without compromising the electoral processes.”

My contention was that Enugu State had no focused and organized opposition party. Pundits may dice it and slice it all they want; the truth is that the opponents of PDP gubernatorial candidate, Peter N. Mbah, have no moral basis and no strong political pedestal. Don’t read me wrong, Enugu has a slate of four qualified candidates I could call proudly, “My Governor.” All four are rooted in the state’s political powerhouse: Ebeano.

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On morality, these candidates mandated incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to anoint a candidate from Enugu East. He complied. Pundits may posit that APC candidate was not visible during the rallying jamboree, but then state APC chairman openly implored Ugwuanyi to point at any Nkanu man, and all would follow. Peter Mbah is Nkanu.

On Presidency 2023, no one should diminish the Obi phenom. The revolution is real. The Obidient movement is less about Labour Party; it is more about the man of the moment: Peter Obi. Labour Party is an opportune vehicle for a common cause: a new Nigeria, a safer society.

Last week, Nnamani delivered what looked like Trumpian Twitter tackles. Anyone who reads beyond misleading headlines and who is not badly biased against the ex-governor will understand that he was speaking another troublesome truth. In an exchange, Nnamani offered that we are all obidient (obedient?). A blog headline splashed that he had endorsed Obi.

When Nnamani defended his party, PDP, against Labour, he was against Obi! Politics is a team sport. Supporting Labour would mean cutting off his own political oxygen tube. No one campaigns for another party in an election cycle he has vested interests in both executive and parliamentary competitions.

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Nnamani wrapped the week with a signed statement in which he condemned the castigation of Bola Tinubu on account of his age and ill-health. We were raised to respect elders so we may live long and grow grey hairs. It is in the Bible: The fifth commandment promises the reward (Exodus 20:12). Yet, a headline splashed that Nnamani was against Obi. How does defending an older man degrade a younger man?

Speaking troublesome truths is now trendy for Nnamani. Father Mbaka was a toxic thorn in his flesh for two decades, yet he is the only prominent politician who has defended Mbaka’s freedom of speech. ‘E shock you?’ Now that he has condemned the debasing of Tinubu, an opponent of his party’s Atiku, he is against Obi? This is the sort of thinking that makes a Hausa man to shout, “Haba”!

Apropos, when Atiku nominated Obi as his VP in 2019, Southeast PDP governors and senators went to open war. Nnamani supported Obi, despite the body language of a benevolent governor to whom he had pledged absolute political allegiance.

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I resubmit relevant expressions from seven months ago: “I have read rude reactions, decent disagreements, emotional knocks, and kind kudos. Opinions are dozens-a-dime; facts are sacred. Truth is often bitter; the truth that Senator Nnamani told is not an exception. It may require a good measure of honey to swallow but, deep down and now that the screams have subsided, the truth remains.”

The revolution is real. Regardless of 2023 voting outcomes, change cometh. Obi is a symbol of that change. Those who huff and puff should ‘kapende’— take it easy. Politics is about ideas, not as a battle between baseball bats. A perceived adversary is a potential ally. Aim to repackage traducers. When they go underwater, don’t just stay above water, swim to the shore. Obi did not get this far by badmouthing brethren; he kept it short and simple: consume less, produce more.

The occupancy of Aso Villa does not keep me awake at night. My interest is in building Nigeria’s constituent nations: Aladimma, Arewa, Brace (South), Middle Belt, Kanem Bornu, and Oduduwa; all feeding Abuja, FCT with devolved powers and constituted grassroots governments that provide the basic needs of our peoples. That is the bottom line. Everything else is embellishment.

©MOE: Monday Memo, 8.15.22

@aladimma