EBONYI SOUTH: SEN. UMAHI AND THE PARABLE OF THE GREEDY DOG

By Ibiam Oko (Esq)

ONCE upon a time lived a dog, a greedy one indeed the story says. The dog was said to be crossing a local bridge with a big bone in his mouth and upon looking down in the river he saw a magnificent bone, perhaps tripple in size than the one he was carrying by another supposed dog inside the river, he barked, and perhaps to him, he must go for the two.

According to the parable, the dog jumped into the river in search of the supposedly bigger bone and in the process threw away the one he had in his mouth into the river only to realise that what he saw in the river while on top of the bridge was a mere shadow of himself then he came out empty handed.

The above scenario aptly foretells the entire circumstances that is most likely to befall the family of the immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State and the present minister of Works Senator Dave Nweze Umahi if he goes further in his ordinate bid to replace his senatorial seat which he recently vacated upon his appointment as a minister with his younger brother, Mr. Austin Umahi.

For the records, let us briefly draw the cursor to the centre of the screen such that the character in question, Sen. Dave Umahi shall be appropriately placed in the screen for viewers.

Umahi, the current Minister of Works was the People’s Democratic party (PDP) chairman in Ebonyi state till 2011 when he was picked as the Deputy Governorship candidate to the then Governor Martin Elechi, a position he held till 2015 when he took over in what could best be described as a ” palace coup” and held sway as a Governor till 2023.

As a build up to the 2023 general election, Umahi indicated interest to run for the Senate of Ebonyi South Senatorial Seat, he contested and was declared winner by INEC and as if the seat of the National Assembly was not enough for him, he lobbied himself into his appointment as a minister, a position he currently occupies.

As the Governor of Ebonyi State, Sen. Umahi nominated his younger brother, Austin Umahi as the South South East Zonal Chairman of the PDP while his elder brother, Chief Laz Umahi was forced on his people as a traditional ruler.

Reports also have it that one of the major factors that frustrated the South East security Network known as EBUBEAGU was the alleged insistence by Sen. Umahi that one of his retired brothers Gen. Obi Umahi would co-ordinate the EBUBEAGU Security outfit in the South East. It was alleged that perhaps this led to the tactical withdrawal of other South East Governors.

During the 2023 election in Ebonyi state, Sen. Umahi exported another of his brothers, Maxwell Umahi from Ohaozara LGA to contest for the seat of Abakaliki North constituency in the state House of Assembly, forced his nomination under the APC as a candidate against the real indigene of that constituency who contested under the PDP, Umahi met his Waterloo as his brother was defeated and the PDP candidate won.

The shock of the outcome of that election may not have left him because it might not come into his imagination that while as a seating Governor he wouldn’t succeed as it has always been the case.

Currently, the trend of which the Honourable Minister is known for is rearing it’s ugly head again as he has thrumped up his younger brother Austin Umahi to run for the senatorial seat of Ebonyi South which was declared vacant recently by the National Assembly and subsequent Bye- election slated for February, 2024 by INEC.

However, insider family sources revealed that there is divided opinion over Austin Umahi’s ambition. The source noted that some members of the family are of the view that a member of the family should not seek any public position in the meantime as such could be counter productive to their corporate family image . On the other hand, some members of the family are in full support of the project noting that ” it is our opportunity and we must grab it” the source said.

Meanwhile tension is already building up within the political space in Ebonyi state as political watchers are of the opinion that Sen. Umahi would be distracted from his present position as a minister to come down to Ebonyi to rally support for his younger brother leaving the plethora of sevices and demands of his present position to support the Present Agenda of Mr. President in road infrastructure across the nation.

Others are also looking at the disposition of the incumbent Governor of the state, Hon. Francis Nwifuru over the ambition of his predecessor’s younger brother though the Governor had demonstrated some level of diplomacy and yet maintained a kind of independence in the management of his relationship with the immediate past Governor. The Governor is yet to make his position clear.

But Umahi’s greatest challenge in his political life will be to install his younger brother as the Senator representing Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone. This is because the political architecture of Ebonyi State will not be favourable for him to play the ” Wike Commando style” where the public outcry and thunderous resistance of Ebonyi People will be difficult for him or the Governor to install his Austin Umahi as a senator.

ln other to avert the proverbial greedy dog syndrome, analysts are of the view that Sen. Umahi should jealously guard the bone in his mouth and never to look at the water while crossing the bridge so that he doesn’t see a magnificent shadow of the bone in his mouth and think it is real.

Oko writes from Abakaliki.