APGA Senatorial Ticket: Osodieme, Onwuteaka, To Face Okosisi Aguleri, The D-Day Beckons

COMR HARRIS CHUMA-ODILI, PhD, FCMsp 

This time, I write with special focus on the political developments in Anambra North Senatorial District, in relation to the undercurrent power play between two prominent political figures in Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra. It is indeed going to be a political smackdown, with unsavoury consequences wherein the former Firstlady Mrs. Ebele Vicky Obiano a.k.a Osodieme, and the former Security Adviser to the ex-governor Willie Obiano, Hon Sam Onwuteaka a.k.a Excess Power, will slog it out. Both are presently entangled in a ring of fury, set to roll-up sleeves in stiff competition for the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA Senatorial ticket.

Let’s rewind a bit, some couple of years back, precisely 2020, the ex Security Adviser to ex Governor Willie Obiano was all over Anambra State working assiduously to ensure the security architecture of the state was not compromised by the enforcers of Covid-19 rules and regulations. It was an era, many states of the federation shut down borders in a bid to contain the devastating effects of the deadly disease tagged Covid-19. In Anambra State, Hon Onwuteaka was the ring leader on the streets manning all entry and exit points of the state. He was constantly on air (social media handles), informing the citizens about the state of affairs. Hon Onwuteaka superintended an aggressive awareness campaign against the ravaging effects of Covid-19, and the security challenges associated with it. Hon Onwuteaka contributed greatly in the fight to stem the devastating effects of Covid-19 and its attendant security challenges on Anambra State.  

Onwuteaka is a man, whose sole interest is fixated on sureways to alleviate the pains of the suffering masses. I’m not in any ways surprised by his Senatorial ambition. I knew he would rise up someday to challenge the status quo. “Excess Power”, as he is fondly called, is desirous to provoke a change in the system, he is obviously on a mission to rejig the system for the good of the people. Underestimate him to your peril. I think the wimpy smiles on his face have over-laboured political pundits, who now struggles to define his style of politics. 

Fast forward to Ebele Obiano, the former First Lady, she had a Charity Foundation with which she handled several philanthropic activities while her husband lasted as the executive Governor of Anambra State. Ebele Obiano’s style of politics conspicuously manifested in fullness, in the way and manner she ran the charity organization. Unarguably, she scored above average in the venture. But, the undeniable facts naturally starring at the “Mother Theresa” is that she failed to change the ugly story of her hometown, Ogbunike. 

It is sad that after eight years of total neglect of the town, where she was born and bred, Ebele Obiano is back to solicit solidarity and support to her Senatorial ambition. If she had known that she would come back to Ogbunike cap in hand begging for support, Ebele would have turned the town into a mini- Dubai of some sort, but no she kept empowering individuals, forgetting to build institutions. Ebele wielded enormous influence in the last administration. She was virtually in charge of so many things that could translate Ogbunike into a better and well developed town, but she ignored all calls to think home. 

You see, the thing about power is that it doesn’t eternally rest on an individual; it is transient. Now, Ebele will have to sweat it out, she will go to the field of play to fight to get back to power. Those selfish individuals she built, unfortunately will not stand the heat in the kitchen, and definitely will silently avoid the political gbas gbos. It is not going to be a tea party. Osodieme, as she is popularly known, will for the first time since she joined active politics, stand for elective position, starting with a very decisive APGA party primary. 

Taking a cursory look at the duo of Osodieme and Excess Power, one would quickly conclude where the people of Ogbunike would like to pitch tent if allowed to make a consensus candidate. Both Ebele Obiano and Sam Onwuteka are of APGA extraction, same political Ward in Ogbunike, they will be at the APGA primary election same day to contest the ticket with Okosisi Aguleri, the former Chief of Staff to ex-governor Obiano. All things being equal, the APGA primary does not provide for automatic tickets, and electoral fraud is now a capital sin in APGA. All interested parties are waiting for the D-day. I wish them all the best of luck!

Ekenem!