Maja Umeh As A Quintessential Senator Representing Anambra South Senatorial Zone

     

Odogwuemekaodogwu.blogspot.com brings you the report of Ike Umeh-Atuana on emerging Senator from Anambra South senatorial zone in the person of Senator to be Maja Umeh. What is your take as you read this?

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has been in the news since the defection to the PDP of about four of its members in the National Assembly. Opinions have continued to vary as to the reasons for the defection, and the possible impact it will have on the party come 2015. One commentator in dismissing the chances of the party quipped - with mouth set in mock offense –that APGA cock has been plucked of its feathers. The cock, he said, is now trussed up for either a cook or a roast in a chicken brick, depending, however, on the culinary delight of the bigger parties.    

No doubt APGA has been dogged by avoidable crises. The defection of the current crop of politicians from its fold betrays the party as riddled with problems. It also shows that the prospects of the party winning elections come 2015 may be dimming. What is not particularly clear is why the undue interest generated by the defection of the lawmakers. Before the defection, and since after, there has been a rash of defections across party lines. None generated as much interest as the defection of the APGA four. There may be two reasons for this. One, and perhaps the more compelling of the two, is that the defection came at a time when it was thought the crises rocking the party were over. Two is that the number of defections was too much for a party that controls just a state. Besides, until that time it was thought APGA was on the threshold of reconciliation. The defections therefore jolted not a few persons; leaving them with ominous feelings of a dying party.

Unknown to many, APGA has survived worse violations. And it is not likely the present circumstance will encumber its glide to success. What the party needs to do is reposition for the contest. The popularity of the party, especially among the grass roots is not in doubt. What it needs to further its gains is for its leadership to decide on the following. Who will be availed the party’s ticket? What does the candidate bring to the party? What are the assurances, if any, has the party of the candidate’s partisan loyalty? The leadership will also have to decide what extent it will allow money to determine the issue of the party’s candidacy? All these questions are important in the light of emerging trend in the party where politicians have used it to gain political relevance. As important as money is in winning elections, its role must be checked if APGA hopes to make impact in the coming elections. Money has as much value as a nuisance worth if not used appropriately – if unduly used to determine the candidates for electoral positions. A thorough check on aspirants on the party ticket will help delist sojourners who swarmed the party in hope to use it to achieve their selfish interests.  

For the three senatorial zones of the state currently under the control of opposition parties to be wrested from the parties, strong and committed party men must take the front seat. Offering such crop of candidates the party’s ticket will avail APGA of the opportunity to attract the votes of majority of ndi Anambra. It will help to fill the yearning gap currently existing in the senate. So far all three senators from the state have posted less than an average performance in the hallowed chambers. Of particular mention is the senator representing the Anambra South Senatorial zone. This is one zone which vast human and material resources require more than average representation. Its peculiar environmental challenge as well as industrial drive has reached the point where it is should be on the front burner of national politics. But this is hardly the case. On account of this, the need for a vibrant and mentally articulate senator to be sent from the APGA stable becomes exigent. This is without prejudice to possible representations from other parties.  

The aspiration of Chief Maja Umeh, a former commissioner for information in Anambra state is well taken in the context under discussion. His aspiration under the All Progressives Grand Alliance without any veil of immodesty requires consideration. The reason for this is simple. Aside from the fact that Maja is a core party man, his role in the party pales every other one from that area in comparison. He played a major role in the re-election of ex- Governor Obi in 2010 where he mounted information turret that insulated the then governor from enemy assault. He has played no less an important role in the making of the new APGA government in the state.  

Although Maja may not be your first choice of a millionaire politician, but what he lacks in fat accounts is duly compensated for in his deep appreciation of the nuances of our political fixtures. Maja has brilliant oratorical skill, perhaps one of the best in his time as commissioner in Anambra state. He has a quick mind, affable, bold and has a reach that unsettles his opponents. His politics dates back in time, starting from the student unionism through the National Party of Nigeria where he was the President, University Students Wing of the NPN. It is not in vain that in less than one year of his appointment as political adviser he was made a commissioner by the Peter Obi government. He is equally grounded in communal as well as church administrations.

Maja undoubtedly has the requisite academic requirement, the mental capacity and the winsome personality to drive the senatorial project of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Anambra South. He has also interpersonal relationship with the masses needed by APGA to drive its campaign in the zone. Part of the problem of the PDP senator in the zone is that he is seen as being aloof besides his reticence in a forum that requires communication. Fortunately for APGA, the party has no acceptance problem with the masses of the state. It is seen more as a movement that aggregates the interest of ndi Igbo. But more than that, the influence of its progenitor (the late Ezeigbo) is yet to be lost on the people. To its credit the leadership of the party has continued to make effective use of this influence.  If the party successfully pushes real party people as candidates this time around, its problems would have been half solved. This is because the growth of any party is essentially a function of deliberate encouragement of members to elective positions.  A ready example is the success story of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the West. The party which has morphed into the All Progressives Congress (APC) encouraged its core members to stand elections at various levels. The plan paid off. Most of the APC governors of today either worked as commissioners in Lagos or in other capacities when Tinubu was the governor. If no other political mileage is gained out of this, the fact that none of them is yet to defect speaks well of the party. APGA can take a cue from this.

Ike Umeh-Atuana

Awka