GUARDIAN
• How Okadigbo Calmed Rift Among Party Chieftains
Prior to the arrival of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s campaign train to Anambra State, there were a lot of behind the scene push and pulls. At a point, the question on the lips of many party chieftains was ‘to be or not to be.’
The last major news stories about the Anambra State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) revolved around the party’s participation in the November 9, 2021 gubernatorial poll in the state.
Although APC featured on the gubernatorial ballot, the pre-election ‘two fighting’ between Senator Andy Uba and Dr. George Moghalu on the one hand and Senator Chris Ngige and Uba, on the other, ensured that the party was not competitive in the election. That was before the Supreme Court declared its participation a nullity.
Yet, like Americans would say that ‘whatever starts by division would continue to divide’, the recriminations that attended the governorship primary, which threw up Senator Andy Uba, reared its head again during the APC Special Convention and Presidential primary in Abuja. While Uba presented himself as state leader of the party, Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, loomed large as Southeast leader.
In the unfolding clash of interests, Uzodimma wanted delegates from Southeast to line up behind the presidential aspiration of Senate President, Dr. Ahmed Lawan. But, Uba preferred to align with 19 Northern Governors, who rejected the attempt to impose Lawan without their input.
The seeming confusion threw up Paul Chukwuma, who tried to be an alternate leader for Anambra APC to douse the infighting among Uba, Ngige and Moghalu. As the build up to the general election gained momentum, the Minister for Labour and Employment, Ngige, disclosed his decision to excuse himself from the campaigns. Ngige explained that as his, brother, friends and political associates are contesting the presidential poll, it would be hard for him for support any one among them.
Ngige maintained that Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Senator Rabiu Musa Knwankwaso of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Bola Tinubu of APC are all close to him, stressing that each of them had worked closely with him in the past, as such he wont campaign for any of them.
Although many APC insiders in Anambra State saw Ngige’s declaration as a clever way to avoid further leadership squabbles with Uba, the lacuna increased Paul Chukwuma’s efforts to serve as the alternative force to the disparate camps of Uba and Ngige.
Perhaps, it was in recognition of the delicate state of affairs in Anambra State chapter that the APC leaders settled for the Chairman NNPCL Board, Senator Margery Okadigbo, as the state Director of APC Presidential Campaign Committee.
However, instead of calming the scheming and murmurs, Okadigbo’s appointment threw up a different kind of internal hostilities. Both Uba and Chukwuma tried to adduce reasons why the wife of the former President of Senate cannot do the job or organise a successful presidential campaign rally in the state.
Okadigbo was accused of being aloof to the workings of APC in Anambra State, even as pressure was mounted on Tinubu and Governor Simon Lalong to rescind the appointment and go for a man…
