From Magnus Eze, Enugu, and Emmanuel Uzor, Awka
Not a few believed that Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, a successful businessman, should not have dabbled into politics, given the rating of his conglomerate, Capital Group, particularly the oil and gas subsidiary, Capital Oil, at the period he declared for politics in 2013.
Justifying why he was abandoning the ambience of the boardroom for the murky waters of politics, Ubah said politics rules the economy, noting that just one policy by political leaders can ruin several years of hard work by a businessman. He opined that there was need for Ndigbo to seek to have voices in the corridors of power, and that was what he set out to do by entering politics.
“For me, I have nothing more to prove in the business world, I have seen it all, and this is the time to go into politics, so that I can touch more lives using government policies,” he enthused.
Ubah actually made his mark immediately he stepped into the soap box such that he did not only become a recurring decimal in Anambra politics, but also loomed large at the national level. He bestrode the political space of the state like a colossus, his presence became so dominant that Anambra politics can never be the same without him.
Truth is that he belonged to the league of politicians that defined their generation. However, the light dimed on the July 27, 2024 as the news of the death of the vibrant and effervescent senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District filtered in from London.
Ubah’s exit has no doubt has cast shadows over the resurging All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, a party fanned to flame by the late politician who was until his death, was tipped to cause an upset to Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s second term bid.
One of the last things Ubah did in Nigeria before travelling out for medical care was perfecting his 2025 governorship aspiration, having reportedly secured the tacit nod of the highest echelon of the party as the man to be used for the battle.
He held meetings including with ward leaders of the APC before his trip. Having invested so much to provide security for his home town, Nnewi, the industrial hub, Ubah had looked forward to replicating the feat in the whole state if he became governor.
“This thing is not rocket science, and we can do it in a larger scale in the entire Anambra State. My wish is that Anambra will become a great place where people can come to learn how to better their own state. We can do it, and if Anambra people wish for a secure and booming Anambra State, they can count on me to make it happen, if they don’t, we will leave them the way they want it to be,” he declared.
As next year’s governorship election approaches, Ubah’s absence is one of the things that will shape the contest. In fact, the coming governorship election in Anambra State will be the first time in about 11 years that Ifeanyi Ubah will not be on the ballot.
Sadly, his death has not only created opportunity several new political actors but will also show the strength and weakness of the APC in winning elections in the state.
In the face of the growing opposition to Soludo’s smooth return to power, certain determinants have over the years made Anambra governorship election a very interesting one and late Senator Uba was one of them.
One among the various factors that make Anambra governorship election distinct from others is the independent mindedness of the electorate to vote according to their choices irrespective of political standings, reason Ifeanyi Uba had won elections in a relatively known political party.
Contesting election with Ifeanyi Uba had become a nightmare to politicians in Anambra State. His deep pocket and willingness dole out money and other gifts to woo his supporters, was a public knowledge. He was one politician nobody wanted to go into contest with because of his disposition to do whatever that was doable to deplete his opponent’s camp.
He had single-handedly deflated the political dynasty of the Ubas of Uga in Aguata Local Government Area of the state by defeating the Ubah brothers in quick succession. He literarily retired Senator Andy Ubah and his younger brother, Chris Ubah to dominate the Anambra South Senatorial District.
In doing this, Senator Uba ran for political offices in virtually all the major political parties and had only secured success in the last two outings on the platform of a relatively known party, Young Progressive Party (YPP).
From the 2014 when he debuted in the governorship election of Anambra State on the platform of Labour Party (LP) till his last contest for the Anambra South Senatorial District on the platform YPP, Ubah never recorded electoral success in any of the big political parties, the two times he had contested for the number one position in the state.
Ubah’s political trajectory took him to All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in search of political success in 2017. During the period, he had declared: “I wish to state unequivocally that I have taken a position to fight for the sustenance and continued relevance of my state and the Igbo tribe. I am a very strong and proud Igbo man who is passionate about the protection of the Igbo name and the pride attached to it. I have dedicated myself to ensure that ‘Afa Igbo ama efu (The name of Igbo people is sustained).”
He gave his reasons for ditching the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to include what he described as the “unfair and callous treatment” meted out on him by the party hierarchy whom he accused did not hearken to his several pleas despite his financial investment in the party.
“The political backstabbing has left a sour taste in my mouth and I have come to the conclusion that my service to the PDP is the price I have to pay if I am to succeed in my quest to serve my people. At this juncture, I have left the battle for the Lord,” Ubah said.
It did not take time for Senator Ubah to also abandon APGA. He, then, joined the YPP in 2019 where he ran for senate and won. He returned to the red chambers in 2023 on the same platform before leaving the party for APC.
Ubah’s political victories on the platform of YPP, a political party considered unknown twice in quick succession became subject for political analysis with pundits making predictions of Ubah’s fate in the 2025 governorship election if death did not end his dreams.
Before the abrupt end of Ifeanyi Ubah’s political sojourn, albeit tragically, many had predicted a tough outing between the APC and the dominant APGA in the state.
It will be good to state that despite Ubah’s resurging dominance in the political landscape of Anambra State especially in the Southern part where he was the senator, he never won election on the platform of any major political party, having been candidates of Labour Party and APGA, at various elections.
His audacious move that lifted APC from obscurity in the state and positioned it as one of the political parties to beat in next year’s governorship has been described by analysts as a masterstroke. They believed that with Ubah’s defection, the party was on the verge of recording its first major electoral victory in the state since its formation in 2014.
While many believe that his death has paved way for Soludo’s smooth return to the government house, others allude to the fact that APC has some remaining chieftains who can step into the shoes of the late Ubah and give Soludo and APGA a run for their money.
Among those who have shown interest in the party’s ticket are business moguls, Chiefs Paul Chukwuma, Johnbosco Onunkwo among others. Despite the interest of the duo, the party is still in search of credible and popular aspirants in the mould of Ubah.