By Peter Okutu

BEFORE the commencement of the last primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ebonyi State, Governor Martin Elechi had planned that a former Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, would succeed him until the tide turned against him.

*Gov Elechi

But his deputy, Dave Umehi, operating on the platform of Divine Mandate Campaign Organization of the PDP, gradually consolidated his governorship ambition as Elechi missed several steps and made far- reaching political mistakes.

An aspect Umahi is currently using to campaign is the fact that his boss failed in some sectors of the state economy, especially in terms of project initiative and execution.

The governor missed his steps executing so many projects which are likely to be abandoned at the expiration of his tenure. The projects are Ebonyi International University, International Trade Centre, Ebonyi International Market, reticulation of water across the state, among others.

Elechi did excellently when he sold the idea that power would shift to Ebonyi South after his administration. This proposition was accepted by stakeholders across the 13 local government areas of the state.

But he missed it when he changed his mind and began to support a northern governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Sir Edward Nkwegu, because his candidate (Chukwu) did not emerge after the PDP primary election.

Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State chapter of the party, under the leadership of Chief Joseph Onwe, is determined not to allow the governor take over the structure of the party ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Elechi, again, missed his steps when he decided to deny his predecessor, former Governor Sam Egwu, the senatorial ticket for Ebonyi North because he allegedly wanted to return his brother in law, Senator Chris Nwankwo, the incumbent at the National Assembly.

Many who condemned Elechi over that action opined that if he could deny a man who contributed 90 percent to his becoming governor, a senatorial ticket, then, he was not worthy of their support.

Again, he missed his steps when he underrated the decision of the PDP National Secretariat and Ebonyi political heavy weights from Ebonyi, in Aso Rock, Abuja.

His greatest undoing was to believe that some stakeholders in the state could save him even if those in Abuja were against him.

Another step he missed was when he allegedly concentrated political and economic powers in a former PDP youth leader against the wishes of some key stakeholders in Ebonyi.

Meanwhile, Umahi’s campaign is gaining popularity and personalities needed to effect a change in the governance of the state.

The governor apparently missed his steps when he began to intrude into the affairs of the state House of Assembly without recourse to the doctrine of separation powers among the three arms of government.

This made him vulnerable to the impeachment notice served him barely a month ago by the Ebonyi House of Assembly.

Again, he missed his steps by bluntly refusing to pay the national minimum wage to workers in the state since 2011; if he had paid and stopped, it would have been a different case now but he never did.

Little wonder the state workers decided to embark on strike. This development has made him to lose the support of the workers who have decided to support the candidacy of the PDP governorship candidate.

These steps missed gave Umahi an edge to clinch the 2015 governorship election in Ebonyi as he has penetrated the 13 local government areas of the state with the message that power shift to Ebonyi South was necessary for political balance, equity, justice and fair play.