ANAMBRA CENTRAL SENATORIAL; A CHOICE BETWEEN PERFORMANCE AND IDENTITY POLITICS .

By: Nzubechi Okoye

Sad that the duo the Mr. Victor Umeh and one Dozie Nwankwo will be contesting the 2023 Senatorial seat of Anambra Central to test the popularity of their political parties other than contesting based on performance and tack records.

In Representative politics all over the world, people contest elections based on what they have done in time past and present, but the case has not largely been so in our clime, as we have many who still stifle life out of ordinary people with stale rhetorics of political party identity, instead of individual track records.

In places where things work, the likes of Victor Umeh and Dozie Nwankwo won’t be on the ego trip and jaundiced contest for the sake of party identity, instead track records and antecedents.

Recently, I was doing a personal assessment of Anambra Senators at the 9th Assembly. I spent time browsing through their tracks records, impacts and development facilitated. In all, only Senator Uche Ekwunife was able to give clear account of her stewardship to which her constituents made glowing testimonies and eulogies to.

The argument in Anambra Central going into 2023 General election hasn’t been about the performance of Senator Ekwunife, for even those outside Anambra Central are singing her praise. I have equally followed her activities recently, she doesn’t seem like one who boast so much of her litany of achievements, rather, I saw a woman and human with the hunger and zeal to achieve more for the ordinary people.

For the other two, you can’t say the same, instead they adorn political identity, division and conspiracy theory as only means of getting to political office.

Since the painful defeat of Umeh in the APGA primaries, the frailing Aguluzigbo Chief has gone berserk and on wild goose chase. First he couldn’t convince the delegates of APGA on the reasons to hand him the party ticket; his only campaign strategy was being the voice of ndi Igbo, the reason was obvious, APGA party was perhaps sold as Igbo party, hence, the court foisted former Senator relied on the deceit to claim the voice of ndi Igbo rather than his antecedents at attracting dividends of Democracy to the ordinary People. After his loss, he trashed the Igbo conspiracy theory and jumped onto another caricature with an unpopular Party and now frolicking with a Peter Obi, hoping to ride on his social media frenzy and claims of Igbo Presidency to the Senate chambers. For Umeh, it’s has always been identity politics and not track records or achievements. A failure in traditional regalia.

The Dozie Nwankwo of a man is someone I cannot really explain enough. There are times I see him as deaf and dump; other times, he projects self as someone unaware of his environment, while his countenance would suggest him as a mere opportunist and beneficiary of identity politics.

It was through the internet that I learnt he is a two term lawmaker; not even his constituents, the people of Dunukofia/Njikoka/Anaocha can boldly claim to know their Representative member. Sad!

Dozie Nwankwo has been a failure when measured with the yardstick of Representation, he cannot account for any tangible Project for which the people can touch, feel and benefit from. All thanks to Iyom Ekwunife who has continued to shoulder responsibility for the single reason that the Federal Constituency falls into her Senatorial District and she has to show leadership and concern for the people.

Now you wonder what such a character like Dozie would be doing at the ballot to push himself to the Senate Chambers reserved for proven performers who can drive home development through their robust engagements, timely Debates and Bills.

The choice before the people of Anambra Central in 2023 will be that of Performance, antecedents, and track records or politics of Identity. I know they will always choose the former ahead of the latter.

——
Nzubechi Okoye a Public affairs analyst writes from Ire Village Ogidi.

Anambra is LP
Ekwunife will loose

Ok