By Kingsley Omaghomi
What to many may seem like an ‘impossicant’ — an ungrammatical marriage of two words that connote impossibility— will eventually happen before our eyes. That’s a message the defection of Anambra-born Senator Stella Oduah from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress has subtly passed on to doubting thomases.
Despite suffering untoward victimisation for her active role in the former President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, the spurious allegations and campaign of calumny targeted at smearing her personality, an undeterred Stella emerged victorious at the 2015 polls where she contested Anambra North Senatorial seat.
She was one of the only seven women elected into the 8th Assembly. Others were Rose Okoji Oko, Uche Ekwunife, Fatimat Raji Rasaki, Oluremi Tinubu, Abiodun Olujimi and Binta Garba. This speaks to substance. Ms Oduah’s stint as a former Aviation minister and years of stewardship at Africa’s biggest oil corporation, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) makes her one that can ruffle feathers with male counterparts.
Amidst the many controversies that were aimed at sinking Stella’s political career, she was returned to the Senate in 2019 after a landslide victory against her closest rival from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). She pulled this off as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, an opposition party. This makes the insinuation that she defected to the APC for cover baseless and watery.
A statement credited to the APC Director of Publicity, Salisu Dambatta quoted Oduah as saying she defected to change the “political narrative” in the Igbo-speaking States. “She said during the occasion that she joined the APC family as part of the process of the changing political narrative in the South-East”, the spokesman noted.
Believe Oduah’s intentions or not, this single move of hers has widened the chances of Ndigbo occupying the number one seat in the country come 2023.
Earlier this year, in the heat of agitations for Igbo Presidency, former federal minister of Works, Adeseye Ogunlewe, said the inability of the people of south-east Nigeria to come together under a leadership would hamper their chances of producing a president in 2023.
Going by Ogunlewe’s dissection of the agitations, the way to stand a chance in the 2023 presidential contest is to be actively involved in party politics. “If you are not investing in the structure of the party, forget it because he who pays the piper dictates the tune. They are now having conventions in the two political parties. If you are interested in the presidency of Nigeria, this is your time,” he said.
He did not end his apocalyptic message there. The former Senator continued; “You must invest in that structure, you must be able to determine who is going to be part of that structure because they are the ones to do the zoning, they are the ones to do the convention to pick a presidential candidate, so if you are not part of them, you are out. So if any easterner is interested, let him start now to invest in the structure of the party.”
Ogunlewe is not alone on this as the President General of Pan-Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo (Worldwide), Prof. George Obiozor, also shares these concerns.
“Ndigbo are now more united and optimistic of clinching the presidency in 2023, hence lovers of democracy must take it upon themselves to provide the necessary support to the region.
“Politics is a matter of choices, for the Igbos, having different opinions should not be a concern, for your information no section of the polity has just one opinion, Igbos have different opinions and the opinions converge on the presidency for southeast in 2023,” the don stated .
He also said that all the registered political parties in the country must ensure that their presidential candidates come from the southeast to realise the agenda. In essence, the words of the fourth Republic Senator and erudite Scholar point to the fact that a step towards securing an Igbo Presidency is by legitimately hijacking the opportunity through active participation in politics.
Stella Oduah has taken the bull by the horn and she must be commended for it. As she joins the list of Igbo political juggernauts like Imo state Governor Hope Uzodinma, Ebonyi state Governor, David Umahi, Senator Ken Nnamani (South East Representative of APC, National caretaker committee), Senator Chris Ngige (Minister for Labour and Productivity), Emeka Nwajiuba (Minister for state education) Uche Ogah (Minister of state, Mines and Steels), Joeffrey Onyema (Minister for Foreign affairs) and Ogbonnaya Onu (Minister for science and technology) who are APC faithful and more will still find their way to the ruling party.
This in turn widens the chances of an Igbo Person occupying the most exalted seat in the country.
Oduah may sure not be contesting the Presidency come 2023 but she has brightened the chance for those from the southeast that may wish to. This is what politics is. It is about seeing the future. It is about good calculations. Imagine more igbo reps and Senate members in other parties having the courage to defect to the APC that will translate to smart national politics.
More cheers and accolades to the Princess, an amazon and protector of her people.
Kingsley Omaghomi is a Public Affairs Analyst writing from Lagos.
