As soon as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerged as the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential election, some prominent members of Anambra State chapter of the APC immediately took the back seat. Even when the Governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma who hitherto did not support Asiwaju decided to work for him, none of our Anambra APC Ogas or Madams could muster the courage to identify with Asiwaju publicly. This was also nearly the case throughout the Southeast.
The situation became worse when Asiwaju chose Senator Kashim Shettima, a fellow Muslim, to be his running mate. Even the Anambra APC members who were employees of the APC led government started avoiding public gatherings for fear of being asked what they thought about Tinubu’s ticket. It suddenly became a taboo in Anambra state to say the name “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.
The fact that the Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi hails from Anambra state, became the last nail on the coffin. Nobody dared speak about a Yoruba Muslim candidate of an “Hausa party” who chose a “Fulani Muslim” as his running mate. This was how it was seen. Discussing your love for Asiwaju among your kit and kin could get you ostracized, while campaigning for Tinubu at Onitsha head bridge or other popular places was akin to suicide. Little wonder a serving minister and APC member from Anambra state was bold enough to disown his own party and candidate by announcing on national television that he will vote his conscience.
The tension was palpable. Most Anambarians were making jest of Asiwaju and his ambition. No one gave him a chance. The name “Tinubu” became a taboo in Anambra state. Some major Anambra APC leaders were quietly and secretly sending monetary support to the Asiwaju campaign but ran away from Anambra state when it mattered most. Even APC candidates could not campaign for Tinubu in Anambra state. Not one of them could campaign for Tinubu. Totally and practically nothing positive was happening for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Anambra state until a vibrant young man from Umunachi Anambra state came on board.
A Political Scientist by training, Uzuegbuna Okagbue served the former Governor of Anambra State Chief Willie Obiano as Chief of Protocol and Deputy Chief of Staff, for eight years. A serious minded go-getter who is seldom distracted from a set goal, he is the brave soldier who dared to say the name of Tinubu in Anambra state when nobody could.
WHAT DID HE DO?
1. He drew and activated the template that watered the ground for people to be able to even discuss the Tinubu/Shettima project in Anambra state without being lynched.
2. He facilitated a special tour of Anambra State by Seyi Tinubu (as a forerunner for his father) where they both addressed the Association of Town Unions (ASATU) men and women, the National Youth Council, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) on the need to vote for the APC and Tinubu.
3. He took Seyi Tinubu to Igwe Peter Nwokike Anugwu of Mbaukwu, a first class royal father in Anambra state who confered on Seyi the title of “Nwanne di na mba of Igbo land”.
4. Uzuegbuna Okagbue is responsible for the only Igbo language radio and television jingle for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Radio jingle for Tinubu sponsored by Uzuegbuna Okagbue played from January ending till the last day of campaign which is February 23rd. He was so bold in identifying with the Asiwaju project that he put his face, and name on the jingle which aired daily on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” till the last day of campaign.
5. As early as two weeks to the Presidential election, Uzuegbuna Okagbue was in Anambra state, hosting meetings and events towards the promotion of the Tinubu candidacy. Without a doubt, most people who genuinely and seriously supported Tinubu in Anambra did so because of Uzuegbuna Okagbue. To crown it all, on the last day of campaign, he addressed the Yoruba Community in Anambra state at Awka, on the need to vote for Asiwaju and the APC.
WHO DID BETTER?
The simple answer is NOBODY. Even the mood of the APC presidential rally in Awka was to a very large extent calm and positively diluted because Uzuegbuna Okagbue and Seyi Tinubu already saw and spoke with the major leaders and public opinion molders during Seyi’s tour. Sadly, immediately after Asiwaju departed Anambra state, it was all men for themselves. Candidates of the APC who were contesting for the National assembly elections were ashamed to campaign for Tinubu. They were telling voters to vote for Peter Obi in the Presidential Election and Vote for them for Senate or House of Representatives.
No APC candidate had the guts to campaign for Tinubu in their constituencies for fear of being disowned. This is why the entire Anambra state scored a paltry 5,000 votes. It is possible that these few votes came because of Uzuegbuna Okagbue and his far reaching efforts at marketing Tinubu within and beyond Anambra. Truth be told, as far as Anambra state is concerned, Uzuegbuna Okagbue is Tinubu. He invested money, his hard earned goodwill, time, and energy in the project. He minced no words when he identified with Asiwaju. He was proudly Asiwaju, even hosting the masquerade carnival where songs were composed and sang with Tinubu’s name. He was ready to fight for what he believed in. He was the only one who dared to openly market the Jagaban Borgu in Anambra state. The records are available for all to see.
UZUEGBUNA OKAGBUE IS THE TYPE WE NEED TO RESURRECT ANAMBRA APC.
Ikechukwu Ekwe
APC Stakeholder,
Anambra State.
04/03/23.
