Posted by Dayo Benson, Deputy Editor on
For supporters of Mr. Peter Obi, APGA candidate in the April 19, 2003 governorship election in Anambra State , last Friday's verdict of the Election Petition Tribunal which handed victory to Obi, and voided the election of Governor Chris Ngige , was not a surprise.
For supporters of Mr. Peter Obi, APGA candidate in the April 19, 2003 governorship election in Anambra State , last Friday's verdict of the Election Petition Tribunal which handed victory to Obi, and voided the election of Governor Chris Ngige , was not a surprise. For Ngige who has fought and won many survival battles, both physical and political, his supporters will see this latest travail as another wild wild that time will blow away. But not leaving anything to chances, Ngige's pro-active legal team had quickly filed an appeal at the appellate court. Their action was not unexpected. With the forces Ngige has been contending with, dithering for 24 hours may deal a fatal blow may terminate his tenure as Anambra State governor.
No doubt, the tribunal's verdict is a major setback for Governor Ngige. Unlike what happened in Adamawa State when Governor Bonnie Haruna's election was nullified by the tribunal in that state, at the prompting of Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the entire PDP machinery in Adamawa was deployed to ensure that the party retained the state. In the case of Ngige, he is a lonely man , a political orphan with no party to rally round him at this crucial moment. Ngige is the only governor in the country without a party, having been expelled from the PDP on whose platform he became governor. This make him vulnerable, probably the main reason why his legal team rushed to the Court of Appeal.
Even though the tribunal's verdict is APGA's victory, it may well be an opportunity for those who have been seeking Ngige's ouster to cash in on the situation and move against him. President Obasanjo for instance has not hidden his desire to see the governor out of office at all cost.
Same for the PDP national chairman who said shortly after assuming office that Ngige would soon meet his nemesis. Is the tribunal judgment the nemesis Senator Hamadu Ali was referring to.
Already, there are insinuations that the verdict returned by the tribunal may have been influenced by those who are bent on seeing the governor out of Awka Government House. Those who hold this view argued that the judgment would have favoured Ngige if he were in the good books of the powers-that-be.
All these factors count in favour of Peter Obi and APGA. But there is nothing Obi and his party can do with the victory for now other than to allow the appeal to run its full course. For a once promising party which was bogged down by an internal crisis that almost tore it apart, the round one victory at the election tribunal is an opportunity to strengthen it and put the house in order. If the tribunal's verdict is upheld at the court upstairs, the party can reinvent itself in the South East as the party to reckon with come 2007. Following a general disenchantment with the PDP prior to the 2003 poll, APGA came on after more parties were registered and warmed its way into the people's consciousness, winning wide acceptability as a needed alternative to the overbearing behemoth called PDP. APGA which went into the 2003 poll on the crest wave of that popularity before its rank was broken and all its goodwill bungled.
Despite APGA's popularity, Ngige who eventually emerged governor of Anambra State has the people behind him. But for the people who stood by him during his periods of tribulations, he would have long ceased to be governor. But with his election nullified, does he still have the people behind him? Do the people still believe in him and will they stick out their neck for him once more? Can they still go the distance with him to ensure he remains the governor? These are questions time will provide answers to.
Whatever will come at the end of the day, Ngige still has the incumbent factor on his side. Even if Peter Obi will eventually become governor, he has to wait for some time more. With the nation's sluggish justice delivery system, the appeal may not be heard so soon. Depending on the number of cases to be dispensed with, the case may not be determined until December or early next year which is for full politicking, preparatory to 2007 polls. Besides, the electoral act provides for a transition period of three month for a governor whose election is nullified to hand over. With all this time on the side of Ngige, will he not be fulfilled at the end of the day if he leaves office about a year to the end of his tenure.
For Peter Obi, who has waited this patiently for the slow wheel of justice to run its full course, nothing can be more rewarding than to become governor at the end of the struggle. Can Obi realise his long nurtured ambition of ruling Anambra State albeit for a short period? The Court of Appeal will decide. Nigerians are waiting.