Andy Uba: The Other Side

OBI TRICE EMEKA

“Our government must learn from the mistakes of others and promise only what we can do. If we do not prepare for governance at this initial stage, we would fail when we get elected” I was startled. Taken back in both admiration and bemusement. He had unassumingly walked into the room while we argued and without any aura of power brigandage as many have, I will now say ignorantly associated with him. He wasn’t aloof. He paid attention and listened carefully, taking details accordingly. He was not what many said he was. I rather saw a man who is skilled in listening, a rare gift in this our volatile clime where bouts of laughter can transform to a wrestling bout in seconds.

Bemused: Years of unreplied propaganda has sought to place Sen. Andy Uba in the negative light. Because he is unassuming and not interested in media gymnastics of politics, his foes were unchallenged, and created a myth about this quiet gentleman from Uga, casting him in the shadows of a man that’s aloof, uncaring, dispassionate, stoic and not interested in the affairs of anyone. Many fell for it. Including myself.

As the discussions continued, someone within the small group insisted that Sen. Andy Uba must make it known to the voters that he would build roads across the state,  arguing that roads is the easier route to win hearts of the people. He interjected sharply, clearly stating that building roads is a basic function of every government and ought not to be made a campaign slogan. At this point, my admiration turned to anger. Angry that this gentleman has been misrepresented and misunderstood for years. If I wasn’t this close to him, to listen from afar, the inner workings of his mind I would never have known how altruistic and well intentioned the ideas that propel Sen. Andy Uba in politics are.

The jungle nature of politics in our clime here has created thousands of character buccaneers who will go to any length to assassinate the characters of anyone they disavow of or are paid to hate. Unfortunately, they got to Sen. Andy Uba and built layers of falsehood and persona around him. Many do not know this: at the National Assembly, Sen. Uba, a believer in economic prosperity, had more bills than any other Senator from the South East. In terms of bills at the National Assembly he sits at the top with the very best.

As the meeting neared completion, he spoke once more, this time to my admiration as I had forgiven myself for being deceived by gullible tales over the years and also forgave those who mischievously created these tales. Sen. Andy Uba’s understanding of development in Anambra state is simple: Give the local government the freedom to grow and development will begin from the base of the pyramid rather than the top where various governments have made concerted efforts for years with little progress. As he spoke glowing of his vision to free the local government from marauders who had stifled development where it mattered and further entrenched poverty, I murmured a quiet prayer to my Chi, that he be benevolent to the dreams of Sen. Andy Uba as he is the most prepared and most articulate candidate in this race to rescue Anambra from APGA and restore the state to an unending prosperity.