Bianca: The Great Political Miscalculation

COMR HARRIS CHUMA 

While nursing the idea to pick up the expression of interest form from the APGA Secretariat ahead of party primaries for National Assembly elections, Iyom Bianca Ojukwu knew the odds were against her. But, excitement was rife judging by her intimidating profile and the unique selling point ‘Ikemba’s Widow’.

Bianca finally expressed her own understanding of what she felt about Anambra politics, and the APGA party’s winning streak. She had a considered opinion that having a better guide into the murky waters of Anambra South politics would have paved way for her clinching the senatorial ticket and boldly confront her nightmares, strong contenders from opposition parties, strong characters like Ifeanyi Ubah, Chris Uba, Senator Andy Uba, et al.

In her own words: “I’m the most qualified aspirant from the Senatorial District, most learned, most experienced, most exposed, legal luminary and accomplished wife of the Party’s eternal leader. With the support of Dr. Nduka and other stakeholders, I will make it to the Senate”. 

In other words, if the APGA gives her automatic tickets to lead the party to the polls, it is obvious that the likes of Ifeanyi Ubah, Chris Uba, Andy Uba with their grassroots allies will go to sleep without a fight. What this explains, if Bianca is correct, is that anyone in the APGA party is free to contest for the Anambra South Senatorial but must drop the ambition before the primaries. But all that was wishful thought, the party had set out to allow a level playing field for all. Those who had similar interests were shipped to the polls to exact the legitimate flag bearer. Bianca was hugely tipped and empowered to make the best results at the party primaries but inexperience on her part sadly registered defeat at the jaws of victory prompting the veteran politician, Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu, to clinch the party’s ticket. 

Bianca’s lost at the APGA primaries was her worst moment in life. I recalled vividly that memorable evening; how she fled from the venue of the dismal outing to her hotel room in Nnobi, where she locked herself up in total frustration.

 Yes, I had called her severally when the news of her defeat at the primaries filtered in. I wished things were skewed to her favour but the party delegates had chosen their preferred candidate in the person of Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu. In the euphoria of the painful depression, the media arm of Bianca’s Campaign organisation known as IBOM was whirling in tears. There was palpable silence, lost of direction; the media team could not reach Bianca, who had chosen to be incommunicado.

A prominent member of IBOM quickly contacted me and in his words “Oga, Ogene, please call our madam, please! She has refused to talk to anybody since we returned from the primaries. She locked up herself in her room. We cannot reach her! We are afraid she might harm herself; she is in a bad state right now. Please, talk to her, please!”. 

 I had always wanted the best for Bianca, prayed and worked behind closed doors even without her consent to ensure she was successful at the party primaries. I had fought behind closed doors with some party men who never liked anything about her, who never wanted her to succeed in the race, who never wished she could be seen a meter close to the polling booths.  Yes, discreetly and publicly too, I had declared my unalloyed support for Bianca. I was emotionally upset and devastated that she could not beat Nicholas to the game.

 In rapid response to the SOS calls from IBOM members, I quickly engaged Bianca’s telephone sets with repeated requests to speak to her but to no avail. Then it became obvious that she must have soaked up her emotions in the outcome of the exercise. Hell no, Bianca must not go down, I concluded. Courageously, I transmitted a text message via phone advising that her media (IBOM) should resume a constructive ‘Media propaganda” stating in clear terms that primaries never held that it was marred with financial inducements and anti democratic activities.  I told her to tell the media team to wake up from their sobriety and get to work. She read me and moments later, the IBOM team went on air to declare the primaries a charade that must not hold, that is unacceptable.

Unequivocally, under the Chief Victor Oye led APGA, the party had maintained internal democracy and transparency in dealing with every party business. Politics is all about interests and how to promote and defend it. Bianca’s inability to scale up the party primaries was largely due to her inexperience and nothing more. In any political party’s internal elections, you do not cast your hope and fate on party leaders to deliver you; you must not bank on stakeholders who definitely have varied interests to push the buttons. You must exhibit your own style in convincing ways, and ultimately engrave your name in the hearts of the delegates, the grassroots, and the party ‘hitmen’.

 Bianca miscalculated; consequently, the beautiful queen clearly shot herself in the foot even before advancing to the party primary’s venue. Bianca’s political generosity is therefore a miscalculated endeavour. Power cannot be served coldly; she had all that was required but blew up the opportunity.

The aftermath of APGA’s unfavorable primary elections for Bianca remains a deep cut in her heart and she has vowed not to adjust and do the dance prevalent at the moment.  Once again, I sincerely wish she would find her way back to the house she loved so much before the unfortunate adventure. My beautiful queen, I’m waiting with hands widespread to embrace and welcome you back to our lovely home, the little house of no regrets, the APGA.

Nataba!

Ekenem!

Comr Harris Chuma 

(Ogene Igbo)