OF IGNOBLE PENSION BILL, 2023 SHADOWBOXING AND GOV UGWUANYI’S STANCE .................by Obori Adaka

                                                                                        

When we read the mantra “Enugu State is in the hands of God”, the expectation is that the Almighty is in control of both the actions and thinking of the leadership and the followership. They are all covered leaving no room for gapping mistakes of such an insensitive proportion.  To me, it is much better to stay human and not inject the spiritual omnipotence and omnipresence realm of Chukwu-Okike- Abiama into every political marketing mantra because it is difficult to sustain. 

 

A lesson in retrospect as we shed lights on the ignoble pension bill scaling first reading at the Enugu State House of Assembly. We will examine the political permutation of 2023 shadowboxing which probably triggered such faux pas, and how Gov. Ugwuanyi could wiggle this out of his legacy and restore Enugu State back in the hands of Enugu people.

 

The glaring departure from the popular political mantra comes to light in the pension bill making rounds at the Enugu State House of Assembly dimming the lights of political development of the past years.  Granted it is not an executive bill however, it is still coming up despite the punishing global pandemic of over 12 months, the heightened insecurity in the land and the obnoxious act of Northerners starvation gimmick against Southerners creating economic cum political uncertainty in the Nigeria’s contraption. 

 

Most strangely, one can only imagine how a group of lawmakers, not lawbreakers, hatch the obvious heist of the dwindling treasury of Enugu State. The bill calls for about 27 million per annum pension, house maintenance of 54 million, medical allowance of 12 million and three brand new vehicles every four years.  Apart from Nwobodo and Nwodo, this largesse is going to former Executive Governors who had controlled security votes for 8 years and all the paraphernalia of office since 1999.  These are not poor men by any measure.  They are wealthy and deserve no pension or gratuity when the state is struggling to pay the paltry minimum wage of 30K.

 

Moreover, this is not fair to the poor people of Enugu State especially those who have not gotten their own pension and gratuity for years even after attending meetings and listening to promises that were never kept.  This is prebendalism at its worst, in that if the ignoble bill is passed and signed into law Enugu State will be coughing out a whopping 2 billion Naira each year to sustain the lavish lifestyles of our former governors and their deputies who ruled over Enugu State.  It is not fair and unacceptable.

 

Perhaps, this bill confirms the known fact that some of the elected officials in Enugu State and Nigeria have tepid interest and little respect for the suffering of the poor people.  Afterall, their mandate is not of the people but of a few political elites responsible for their selection. They forgot that power resides with the people who can swing into action anytime.  As such the people of Enugu State should rise up and stop the rapacious fleecing of the people’s treasury. This bill must not stand and further consideration at the house should be halted for it violates the sensibilities of Enugu people.

 

However, more importantly we need to examine how we got here and whether the political drama of 2023 could have pushed some to the edge of yielding to such anomaly of a bill.  Granted the wave of 2023 shadowboxing arrived in Enugu State sooner this season than others. The first salvo is that of zoning which has thrived since 1999 and has gone full circle with all the senatorial zones producing executive governors.  The debate is whether to continue zoning or throw it open to all cultural zones. 

 

Muddling the partisan waters are supporters of Sen. Prof Ike Ekweremadu who insist that ‘Ike is coming’. They are very committed and dedicated to selling their candidate without specifying where Ike is actually going. A tepid poll conducted @OboriAdaka for presidential candidates of South East shortlisted Ekweremadu, Obi and Ugwuanyi. We are not sure if Ike is coming to Aso Rock or Lion Building but either one is eminently qualified. 

 

On the other side are supporters of zoning mostly from Enugu East with no particular candidates but who resent the mantra, ‘Ike is coming’.  Rather their argument hinges on the fact that the zoning started from Enugu East and should continue while others are of the opinion it should be thrown open to all the zones.

 

While these political jobbers, internet tigers and social media warriors were busy dumping on one another they failed to realize that since 1999 the people of Enugu State had never freely and democratically elected their leaders through party primaries as required.  It has always been through consensus as in imposition cum selection and agreements of the elites.  The gullible people routinely go through the usual cycle of voting as well as endorse those imposed on them.

 

Therefore, could this ignoble pension bill be part of the shadowboxing of 2023 permutation? Could it be that the Enugu State House of Assembly is cooking a sumptuous meal, the type one can’t refuse for the past leaders of Enugu State to veer them towards their political ambition in 2023?  Could this delicious but ridiculous diner be also directed at the soon to join the team of Ex., and the current occupant of Lion Building who wields enormous influence in not only who replaces him but who stays in the next house?  We may not know all the answers.

 

However, we know that with the blurry nature of shadowboxing in the political hype of 2023, it is possible that punches thrown in the dark ended up at the wrong target oozing out unexpected tirades of reactions as this bad bill has done.  Those political operators behind this bill should realize that 2023 will not be the same with the past years.  Approaching 2023 with the elitist political mindset and strategy that has worked in Enugu State since 1999 may be the wrong political card to play this time. 

 

The deepening chasm dividing the Igbo political leadership and the Igbo people has widened to unimaginable proportion.  The Igbo people do not have confidence in their political leadership. Majority of Ndiigbo seem to want out of Nigeria and their aggressive self-determination leaders have heightened their consciousness to question the status quo.  If these self-determination groups re-strategize and opt for political control of Igbo territory as in Catalonia, Scotland and Quebec, the political dynamic of Igbo states will dramatically change as leaders who are not afraid to say the word Biafra will be elected.

 

Perhaps there is inherent risk in sticking to one so called winning political strategy. Such mistakes have brought down nations and sank many companies.  Also, it stifles innovation for you can’t take your eyes off the balls of political changes and realities.  You have to be constantly analyzing and bringing into focus current political events and developments as you review your strength, weakness, opportunities and threats to help you shape up the right strategy. There is nothing as constant as change and once in a while you can even tweak a winning but stale strategy to win better.  But abandoning the people to patronize the rich and powerful may not be sellable in 2023 hence the loud opposition to the pension bill.

 

On the other hand, the people of Enugu State should use this ignoble bill to understand that you have been taken for a ride in the past 20 years.  The political class abhor true democracy and veer off to the ugly cliff of prebendalism which is written all over the bill so blatantly presented without care or concern.  This should serve as a wakeup call for the people to remember that power actually belongs to the people and the people not, a few elites should make the final call in all political decisions in Enugu State. Such people’s power is needed to mount pressure on the political class to end this unwanted pension bill.

 

Alternatively, Gov. Ugwuanyi stands in good stead to use this opportunity to side with the poor masses of Enugu State, those who have not received their pension and gratuity for years.  He should listen to the loud voices of opposition to the ignoble bill and politely direct his party men in the house that the bill should become still born at second reading.  While we do not advocate interference in separation of power however if it is all possible for the Governor to use the back channels to encourage the house to ditch this bad bill and save Enugu the looming political embarrassment.  But if this bill makes it to his desk he should veto immediately.

 

Doing so will enable the Governor as the newly minted leader of PDP in the South East zone to focus on bigger political quests.  The fortunes of PDP can improve with a more focused leadership.  The chasm dividing the people of South East with their political leadership could be bridged.  The Governor can constitute a PDP strategic team to fashion the effective avenues to lobby and ultimately secure the zoning of the Presidency to the South East in 2023.  All these and more can be done but not before the ignoble pension bill that is ill-advised and damaging to political legacy is put to eternal extinction.  Make the people proud again by ending the pension bill nightmare.  Thanks for reading

Obori Adaka, a political analyst at Obori Adaka Caucus, writes from Enugu. 

Follow us @OboriAdaka, write us at OboriAdaka@gmail.com