TRADITIONAL rulers and elders of Ukehe community in Enugu North Senatorial District converged in Enugu to show solidarity to the Governor, Sullivan Chime, a man acclaimed by even the opposition as the greatest achieving governor of Enugu State.

They expressed their gratitude for his benevolent acts of paving way for the re-admission of their son, Dr. Okwesileze Nwodo back to the Peoples Democratic Party and making him the National Chairman of the Party without asking for anything in return.

They also went further to thank the Governor for the comprehensive development of the State and finally appreciated the state of security in the state. They noted that Enugu State had never had it so good in terms of security and prayed for his government.

The royal fathers, however, had some knocks for the National Chairman of the PDP, their own son, Dr. Nwodo on his role in destabilising the hitherto calm political landscape of Enugu State. They disowned the Nwodos for their act of ingratitude and warned that those feeding from the feud must desist from fanning it.

What really is this act of ingratitude they talked about if one will ask? For those who do not live in Enugu State, it may not mean much but for me who has lived all my adult and political lives in Enugu State, I know what it means. I know what it is to revive a family politically.

Under the governorship of Chimaroke Nnamani, the former governor of our State, the Nwodos were totally demystified and politically irrelevant. Dr. Nwodo ran from the PDP to the All Nigerian Peoples Party and from there to Action Congress of Nigeria. He lost his presence and every political glory and clout he gathered over the years.

While he was headed that way, his brother Chief Nnia Nwodo settled for the All Progressives Grand Alliance. When they were confronted on their political promiscuity, they said that they do not feel safe in the PDP anymore and told long stories about the gun attack at their family home in Ukehe allegedly sponsored by the then governor, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani.

It is amazing that the same Senator Nnamani is their ally today all in a bid to put a stop to the ambitions of the Governor and President Goodluck Jonathan.

On Governor  Chime’s assumption of office, the Nwodos came calling and pledging to be of immense assistance to him. Nnia Nwodo quickly grabbed the Chairmanship of the Enugu centenary celebration. This gave him some relevance which before then was unavailable.

Upon vacation of the office of the National Chairman of the PDP by Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, Governor Chime decided firstly, that an Enugu State indigene will become the next National Chairman and secondly that Dr. Okwesileze Nwodo will be the one.

This seemed a very difficult one.

The project to make Okwesileze National Chairman of the PDP was a near impossibility. Dr. Nwodo was not a member of the party as at then and Nze Chukwu Ozichukwu, a PDP helmsman was already bracing the tape in the race for the office of the National Chairman.

Nze Ozichukwu had been an Assistant National Chairman, South East of the Party and he had the support of party faithfuls from the South East and that of his state governor.

Against all odds, Governor Chime brought him back to the party, made sure he got waiver to enable him contest for the office and finally made sure he became the National Chairman of the Party.

Upon assumption of office, the first thing Dr. Okwesileze did was to question the authenticity of the State executive that re-admitted him back to the party and gave him waiver. He eventually dissolved the executive without giving a hoot to the popular opinion.

The August visitors from Ukehe Community knew the story. In fact, one of the speakers insisted that if the Nwodos were sensible, the solidarity visit to the Governor would have been one they will sponsor to at the least show appreciation but now, the reverse is the case. He urged the Governor not to relent in his good works. Before they left, they promised to call the Nwodos to order as they had become an embarrassment to their community.
Having been around in Enugu State politics for a long time, I do not believe that beyond airing their views on the Nwodos, anything good can be achieved because the stakes for the Nwodos are very high.

Much higher than the August visitors can imagine. Beyond the money coming from Atiku and the Gusau camps, their benefactor and ally, General Babangida is also on the queue.

It is, however, an open secret that they are rooting for Babangida for some assured reasons. Also in the IBB camp is Prince Arthur Eze who is coordinating the group working closely with them.

There is need for a concerted effort to stop the Nwodos from concluding the dangerous game they have started.

Sam EJIKE, a public commentator, writes from Enugu.