Electoral Impact Of Emeka Ojukwu’s Jumping Ship In Anambra
The Oasis Reporters
Saturday, November 18, 2017
When the news hit the airwaves that Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (jnr) has dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the presence of President Muhammadu Buhari, 12 APC sitting Governors and APC national chairman, the verdict of analysts was fast in coming.
Mr Ojukwu had warned APGA to desist from using his father’s picture on their posters and advertisments. “Ndi Anambra have adopted APC as their party and have adopted Tony Nwoye as their next governor”, he was quoted to have said by unverified sources.
Mr. Chukwuemeka Ezeakonobi had this to say about it :
“General Emeka Ojukwu’s father (Sir Louis Ojukwu) was a wealthy man. Emeka Ojukwu rose from his father’s affluence and became a good example to the extent that his fame became greater than his father.
Today Ojukwu’s children are just like what i won’t mention that live on their father’s wealth without making any attempt to carve a niche for themselves and their children. Today, they just live like prodigals using their father’s name as franchise for fake endorsement. Some of them never agreed with Ojukwu in terms of reason and paternity, but today they are Ikemba. What manner of children!. May I never have such children that can’t go above my achievement”.
Kenny Obiora added :
“And so Emeka Ojukwu (Jnr) joining APC is not a factor at all. He is seeking for relevance. He is looking for a way to get noticed and popular like his father. The only political office he ever occupied was when Peter Obi appointed him Administrator of his local government, (Nnewi north).
Emeka Ojukwu Jnr has no finesse, lacks political muscle and has an attitude. He is not like his late father at all except in similitude of beard”!
Would there be any electoral value that he may be bringing to the APC candidate, Tony Nwoye?
Majority of the respondents The Oasis Reporters spoke to do not think so.
Some of them, especially in Anambra North where Governor Willie Obiano and Tony Nwoye hail from, see it as crass opportunism for him to ingratiate himself into President Mohammadu Buhari’s heart, the very man who as military head of state defied the post civil war pardon granted to the ex – Biafran leader by President Shehu Shagari.
The man who overthrew Shagari, coincidentally, Major General Muhammadu Buhari promptly and arbitrarily threw Gen. Emeka Ojukwu into jail, a man who just came back from a long time in exile.
Then his son joins his party and abandons his own father’s party.
For that betrayal alone, Tony Nwoye would lose more votes in Anambra north .
Some equally say that they’d rather vote for Willie Obiano to pay Ojukwu jnr back in his own coins, or choose the more cerebral UPP candidate, Osita Chidoka.
By that move alone, 60% of Tony Nwoye’s expected votes may have vanished in Anambra north.
Same scenerio is playing itself out in Anambra South, the industrial base of Anambra State and especially in Nnewi north, home of the Ojukwu family. Nwoye may get no votes there or perhaps some paltry votes because his Party, the APC under Buhari is regarded as anti self enterprise with Buhari seen as a man who lacks insight into business and enterprise and an industry depressant. They say he is not business friendly.
Worse still, Tony Nwoye is seen as a man who used sleigh of hand to upstage Andy Uba, a man from Nnewi that was expected to clinch the APC ticket. Uba has refused to see or talk to Nwoye ever since.
With 37 candidates in the race, Nwoye is being subtly told that he is not welcome to their votes.
