By Steve Osuji
DUMB DENOUEMENT: He has been doing much political jiujitsu in the last couple of months… much in the manner of the feckless Nigerian politician. He would hide behind one finger and in his much affected mental state he would even strip naked yet believe he is hiding.
That’s the way of the Nigerian politician.
Such is the hocus pocus, the kind of childish hide-and-seek Dave Umahi has been playing in recent months which he now desperately seeks to to bring to this dumb denouement.
POWER MONGERING AS OPPOSED TO REASONED LEADERSHIP: DAVE UMAHI is the governor of Ebonyi State. He is on the second term of a two-term, 8-year tenure. He was a deputy governor for eight years and has been the substantive in the last five years.
Governor Umahi did not only ride on the platform of the Pepples Democratic Party (PDP) to much glory, he has been a dyed-in-the-wool PDP man.
He has been loyal to the party and the party has been good to him… to the point that even his sibling is a national vice president. One couldn’t bigger in a set up.
But Gov. Umahi is currently orchestrating a dance drama for an exit from PDP to the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
His grouse: he sought to stampede his party, PDP, to name a presidential candidate for 2023 poll! Well, that’s the message the public gets.
But political pundits say he craves feverishly for the vice presidential slot!
So he would jump to any major party that would give his the coveted candy… in fact he would jump to anywhere to get it!
STATESMANSHIP VERSUS POWERMONGERING: This is the crux of this piece. Nigerian politicians of this age seem to care very little about history, legacy and statesmanship. Their minds seem entwined and twisted around grabbing power and even more power and it’s appurtenances. Then they pillage the commonwealth with the fury of the original Ali Baba. After that, nothing.
This is why so many Nigerian leaders drop into oblivion after reaching the Olympian heights of leadership…
For instance, a two-term governor who became a senator then got appointed a minister still remains irrelevant in the scheme of things in Nigeria. It’s because he left little legacy, he was only trading in power and influence of high office.
UMAHI AT THE JUNCTURE OF FAME AND INFAMY: Gov. Umahi is at a critical juncture of his political life. He stands at the crossroads of fame and infamy… the turn he takes will define the rest of his life.
Among all southeast leaders, Umahi probably has the most outstanding trajectory up to this moment.
For eight years as number two, from hindsight, it is apparent that he played second fiddle not just with equanimity but with an extra touch of genius. (It is hoped that the stoop-to-conquer mindset is not driving the current move).
He hid under the aging and effete Governor Martin Elechi for eight years, perfecting the sublime art of self-defacement, self-abnegation and self-dumbing down.
THE DAVE UMAHI PHENOMENON: In 2015, Engr. Umahi unfurled, literally. He snatched the mantle of leadership from his bumbling Oga Elechi. Since then, he has been sprinting breathlessly like a star Quarterback.
In current Nigerian smudgy politics, deputy governors don’t succeed governors. That’s the unwritten rule.
Dave Umahi became a seamless exception. He has also become a revelation rising quickly from a vanishing deputy to a star governor.
You need not go to his State to note and even see, his transformational spirit brought to bear on a hitherto backward Ebonyi State.
The sterling inputs of Umahi to modernize a once derided outpost of Igboland is a story for another day for this column. Today, we x-ray Umahi, standing at the political crossroads…
THE ROAD NOT TO BE TAKEN: From the foregoing, it is obvious that Umahi has achieved some modicum of greatness already. He has shown himself to be an astute leader of men and resources. Going forward, would he walk right into pantheon of legends or would he make a left turn toward the dark alleys of infamy?
First, seeking to jump from PDP, a platform that suckled and nurtured him is outright opportunistic. Then moving for the sake of attaining runningmateship is share suicide!
To summarise:
* Let it be stated here again that Igbo wouldn’t stand being number two in 2023 if the date ever materialized.
* If you, an Igbo leader think yourself a slave, the average Igboman is not a slave.
* If you want to play number two please change your mame to DALHATU UMAHILAHI, that way it is clear you are not standing as an Igbo but as a stooge of the north!
* Any Igboman standing as a presidential running mate would be considered an efulefu, an anathema to the land and indeed a bastard!
* Of course, any Igboman contesting for the number two position would definitely be a MINUS for his number one. We shall make sure of that.
* And lastly, any leader running for number two MAY be doing so at his own peril!
LET IT BE SAID THAT FOR NDIGBO IN 2023, IT’S PRESIDENT OR NOTHING!
▪︎OSUJI is a popular columnist.