Following the resounding victory of Prof Eleazar Uche Ikonne ,the Frontline PDP Governorship aspirant, on May 25, 2022, many Abians have hit the streets with jubilation and Thanksgiving to God. However,some key political players are aggrieved because their age long ambition, to either clinch the coveted seat or have their own clinch it, have suddenly evaporated.
Expectedly, nerves are frayed and tempers are high. To an extent,egos are punctured and hubris ,the innate tendency of the natural man, is sure to suffice .
In all,the times and the events heralding the primary elections call for deep reflection, as it manifests the supremacy of God in determining the fate and affairs of man.
Recall that few days ago, during build up to the primaries, the atmosphere was tensely charged and somehow hilarious with political gladiators showing off their best dispositions as they consult and lobby the stakeholders and delegates.
It was fun, no doubt, except for seldom disturbing cases of mudslinging, uncouth propaganda, subtle political grandstanding and spurious allegations and counter allegations. Apparently , trusts were betrayed and the ostriches came out naked .
Nevertheless,aspirants,across the party lines, made impressive efforts to outwit one another using their known strengths vis a vis the weaknesses of their opponents. It was both entertaining and curious moments.
Amidst the campaigns and consultations was, the discreet but frantic, last minute, efforts to curry the support and loyalty of the statutory delegates who were the chief players and the beautiful brides of that moment especially for the primary elections.
It was alleged that some aspirants spent millions of naira to influence the delegates and possibly win them over to themselves. Infact, unconfirmed report has it that some statutory delegates have been payrolled, by some aspirants, as far back as one year or two years ago all in a bid to tacitly cement their loyal.
Two days to the start of the primaries, rumours were equally rife that a particular House of Assembly aspirant, from Abia central, secured hotel accommodations for the would be delegates, especially his core benefactors,somewhere in Owerri Imo state.
It was such an interesting ,albeit intriguing, game until suddenly the electoral act, that disqualified all the statutory delegates, except the elected 3man adhoc delegates , surfaced !
What the hell has happened ? Many asked curiously, including yours sincerely. Who is responsible for such consequential disruption? Political pundits probed .
Sadly, none could afford an answer except for different analysis from some lawyers of different divide. The albatross,however, was the INEC timetable which is sacrosanct and negates possible adjustments!
So who bails the cat? Some prayed for President Buhari to return quickly from Dubai and sign the amended electoral act. Others, said it served the parliamentarians right afterall, they shot themselves in the foot while playing smart against the executives.
As discussions and permutations ensued the time ticked speedily and hours turn to night and soon day, without any reprieve whatsoever. So the primaries will hold with just the 3 man elected delegates !
The first release came from the PDP announcing their readiness for the primaries as earlier scheduled and their resolve to go to the polls with the 3man delegates as stipulated by the electoral Law. APGA followed suit and so did APC. Hopes were dashed and blood pressures, presumably, hit the roof!
By the end of it all, both the statutory delegates and some of the aspirants would be the losers. I was told that a certain ward chairman had planned to buy a car after the primaries, that is now a dream.
If the electoral law was a man I am sure that assassins would have come for him.
But alas! Fate was at work, once again, and God, the creator of Heaven and Earth and its inhabitants, has turned the wisdom of men to foolishness!
Remember, God rules in the affairs of men, and 2023 will not be different. He did it for Dr Okezie Ikpeazu in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
Of course some primaries have come and gone, while few notable ones are ongoing as at the time of writing this piece. So far, some winners have emerged and the losers are well known. With their victory songs, the winners have taken over the streets and homes celebrating, while the losers are already counting their loses and the dashed hopes of a royal future. It is well indeed!
As an emotional person I felt pity for the losers, some of who are my close friends and people I hold in high esteem. All the same, I was also quick to ruminate on the circumstances preceding the primaries and came to the realisation that power ultimately belongs to God and he gives it to whoever he choses.
My summation from the primary elections and all that transpired is therefore ,stemmed from my christain convictions and human persuasions, that power absolutely belongs to God. Thus, the anti climax resolution of Abia state PDP primaries, in particular, is an act of God and not an accident. It clearly evinces, expressly , the supremacy of God and the ephemerality of power and life.
Expectedly,there will be strong urge ,on the disfavored aspirants, to seek various forms of regression and or redression through the law courts. Possible alignments and re-allignments, whether holy or unholy; appropraite or inappropriate; politically correct or merely expedient will hold forth consequently. But my sincere prayer is that no one hurts himself the more by his actions or inadvertent inactions.
Life experiences have thought me that, in the heat of passion or anxiety, the wisest reaction is to take a glass of water, some rest or sleep, thereafter, wake up refreshed with a sound mind to, think aright. Hasty decisions, often, becloud proper sense of reasoning and any decision wrongly taken in the short run could be very devastating in the long run.
Uche Ndi Abia, symbolised by erudite Prof Eleazar Uche Ikonne, has settled favourably in history as one of the Victors, not by their might nor power but, by Gods Providence and unmerited grace.
Interestingly,no man can, confidently, assume the glory of the victory because, Prof Ikonne will emerge as the Governor of Abia state in 2023 not by the instrumentalities of human wisdom but sheer , magnanimous, grace divinely orchestrated.
Anybody who sees it differently is being delusive,uncharitable and truthful by half.
