Comedy of political ambuscade

The senatorial by-election in some states that was postponed because of the #EndSARS protests will now hold on December 5. Unfortunately, it seems there is much more to end in Nigeria than SARS. One of such is political ambuscade, an odious political trickery whereby pranksters obtain jankara court judgments to truncate the will of the people, as is playing out in Imo North.

The Federal High Court in Owerri had ruled that Sir Frank Ibezim, flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) be replaced by Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, since, according to the judge, Ibezim did not participate in the party primaries that produced him. This is strange, considering that the party, which owns the mandate, supervised the primaries at the end of which it submitted Ibezim’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate.

The judgment under reference, which aimed to put a spanner in Ibezim’s soaring candidature, was slated for October 27 by which time there wouldn’t have been any opportunity for reversal, since election was initially to hold barely four days later. However, thanks to the same providence that has been driving the Ibezim project, an orchestrated affront on democracy was aborted via postponement of the election by INEC.

Ibezim has been the envy of other contestants, both from his party and the opposition for the obvious reason that he dwarfs them all. He emerged tops from a consensus arrangement to select the APC candidate, an exercise the contestants conducted for and among themselves. Sadly, the other contestants reneged and opted for the primaries. Again, he won, despite induced disqualification based on academic certificates, a very laughable ruse because his school records are there in the public sphere for anybody to verify.

The latest assault is indeed bizarre because Ibezim was not a party to the suit but made a victim of what he knew nothing about. In Nigeria, strange things happen in politics, one of which ridicules our judiciary. Being a layman, one must be careful in order not to act contemptuous of the court but it is worth pointing out that the learned judge was either misled or made a genuine costly mistake by his baffling ruling.

How? Ibezim was neither a plaintiff nor a party in the suit that the judge ruled on. The plaintiff was one Lady Uche Ubah. How and why the judge referred to Ibezim as the plaintiff is inexplicable. Was it in error or…? Also, the issues the judgment resolved were not canvassed in the originating summons and no pleadings were even taken to address them; rightly so because they didn’t exist. However, there was a second suit instituted by Araraume, which had Sir Frank Ibezim as a defendant and a party; the judge never consolidated both suits but heard them separately. Even in that second suit, no pleadings had been entered on the substantive issues. So, the judge cannot even rule on that without allowing the proceedings to be fully completed. Surprisingly, Araraume has quickly withdrawn his case, since he had been favoured by the very flawed judgment that gave him reliefs that he never pleaded for, bringing full circle the unfolding comedy of political ambuscade.

Nevertheless, it is obvious Araraume’s joy came too early because, based on both ethical and legal grounds, the invidious plot failed, leaving him clutching at mere straws and false hope. That is why Ibezim is not even disturbed in any way by trifling distractions put in place by destiny hunters out to pocket Imo North for personal gain and braggadocio. As a matter of fact, the Ibezim camp has rightly continued with its campaigns as if nothing happened.

The Bible talks about affliction not arising a second time. Now Imo North should go into the archives and check the records of those that had represented us in the past and judge for themselves if such people are worth returning to the chamber. Methinks anybody who had misrepresented the zone for whopping eight years, who attended plenary for less than 40 per cent, a member of influential committees who moved no motions except sponsoring only two dismissed bills, has no business in the Senate on behalf of Imo North, which is bereft of worthy evidence of earlier stewardship.

I was told that our big brother is a big pocket businessman. We need to advise him to stop feeding political jobbers milking his generosity but to concentrate on building his business and creating valuable jobs for our teeming youths, instead of venturing into areas that require different skills.

People prancing about, flaunting a supposed list from INEC with Araraume’s name in place of Ibezim’s, are even ignorant that, being a pre-election matter, this suit can go as far as the Supreme Court, and due to an appeal and stay of execution, Ibezim remains his party’s authentic candidate. Of course, the disputed mandate belongs to neither Ibezim nor Araraume but the party, which decides who to give it. Sadly, the problem with most of us is that sentiments becloud critical reasoning at times.

Certainly, Araraume has a right to fight to the very end. It seems this may even be his last political battle, having been serially unlucky. He needs to do a rethink though, as it would not be salutary to his image, if Ibezim becomes his next nemesis, as were Chiefs Achike Udenwa, Ikedi Ohakim, Charles Ugwu and the Peoples Democratic Party. Nonetheless, Ibezim should be wary of a dangerous, hungry lion hunting for prey in his familiar lair, the political jungle, but must deploy fitting arsenal to tame him.

Seriuosly, what did Araraume forget in the Red Chamber for which he wants to go back after over a decade? Having already spent eight unproductive years there, misrepresenting us, he should allow someone else to try; that person is Frank Ibezim. We need to get one thing very clear though. I’ve always insisted that this is a brotherly contest, regardless of the outcome. Whoever God wishes wins, irrespective of whatever anyone thinks. We must subsume our wishes to God’s will without unduly trying to play God by manipulating the system.

The stillborn pranks against Ibezim are not only in the APC, including the ‘return’ of Dan Nwafor. The opposition parties are also making ineffectual kicks against a mandate divinely inspired. However, Imo North would be making a grave mistake sending a non-APC member to the Senate, as only an APC senator could connect the zone to the national grid of leadership, and consequent derivative benefits. The APC is in charge at the centre, the state, the National Assembly, and even the state assembly and council areas. We need to ask ourselves realistically what an opposition senator would be able to achieve under the circumstance.

It is self-evident that providence has thrust up Ibezim on a rescue mission in Imo North. He has the ears of Governor Hope Uzodinma and enjoys a very chummy relationship with the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba. It would be extreme foolishness if Imo North sacrifices the apparent advantages inherent in this beneficial partnership on the altar of party politics, pettiness or hatred.

All the bland talk about Ibezim is a testimony to his prowess. That old warhorses with a lot of scars from many a political battle are jittery and resorting to underhand tactics because of him, give credence to his surefootedness. What the opponents fail to realise is that though Ibezim may be overly humble and shuns the limelight, he is silently effective.

Notwithstanding the twisted legal tangle, Okigwe need to be extremely careful with the choice they make in the coming days, as such could make or blight their future. Ibezim is God-sent to rebuild the shattered walls of the zone. No wonder then he is already seen as the Nehemiah of Okigwe Zone. He hasn’t even got to the NASS, yet he is already planting his footprints everywhere, such as the rice farms, rural electrification scheme and the ongoing National Open University of Nigeria campus under construction with huge employment opportunities. But someone, who squandered our eight years in the senate, now wants to return there by subterfuge. Mbanu!

Short of egotism and self-gloating, there’s nothing even the opposition candidates can offer Imo North. We cannot afford the profligacy of those wasted years by shooting the ball over the bar instead of slotting inside the empty net, and then regretting later. This pervading darkness must pass over us; that is my prayer, Amen!