Abakaliki — As the nation matches steadily to another general election, the political atmosphere in Ebonyi State is fast getting hot. What is beginning to take place in the state, especially within the fold of the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not be surprising to any discerning political analyst who has been following political development in the state since 1999.

Predictably, the political heat in the state is coming from within the ruling party itself. As was noted by this reporter in a previous analysis, Ebonyi is indeed a young state with not too distant or fossilified political history and cleavages. Everything is still fluid and highly dynamic. The state power is still a very strong force to reckon with. A good percentage of the political class, even non-political class directly or indirectly depends on government patronage for survival.

However, with eleven years of democracy, strong political millionaires if not billionaires are gradually emerging, though all still within the PDP, having been in power since 1999. That myth of state power therefore, appears to be under threat. Presently everything in the state is PDP: the local government chairmen, the state Assembly members, national Assembly members and even the judiciary. And so the greatest challenge to PDP in the next general election may most likely come from the PDP itself. If hindsight is anything to go by, by the time the party concludes its primaries, there would have been a lot of disenchantments, which would ultimately lead to breakaways that would swell up other parties. The signal is already glaring and that is where the emergent political heavy weights like the immediate former governor and current Minister of Education Dr. Sam Egwu and some senators will play a very dangerous role should they fall out with the state government.

Although it is generally believed that Ebonyi is free from the usual squabbles between incumbent governors and their predecessors or godfathers, keen observers think otherwise. Elechi and Egwu have undoubtedly displayed high level of maturity, which made people not to include Ebonyi among the PDP states where incumbents and their godfathers are at daggers drawn; notably Enugu, Bayelsa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Nassarawa among others, but there is still a growing uneasiness between the political structures of both of them. Even though Governor Elechi was believed to have emerged as the PDP flag bearer and subsequently the governor through Egwu's structure, the dominant one then, he must have quickly grown his own structure through the instrumentality of state power. It is of course a natural thing. And man being a political animal there is no way Egwu would want to fizzle out of political equation in the state, more so as a minister who still commands large followership and economic means.

Apart from Egwu's angle, other sources of possible flashpoints include members of the national Assembly from the state, or other federal appointees from the state. In this category are the senators and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters, Senator Polycarp Nwite. Ever since his appointment first as an ambassador and presently senior aide to Mr. President, Nwite has distanced himself from political activities in the state. In fact a cold war already raging between Governor Elechi and Senator Nwite made the former to petition the presidency last year concerning the activities of the latter in the state. We shall return to that shortly.

At the moment the state is rattled by a press conference addressed last week by Adol Awam, a former local government chairman in the state and a grassroots politician from Izzi political block just as Nwite. Before that press conference, a former aide to Dr. Sam Egwu, Nwanne Omeinyi had fired the first salvo by issuing a press statement denouncing the adoption of Governor Elechi for second term by some youths from Ohaukwu local government area where both himself and Egwu hail from. When the above two incidents are related to a meeting of all his former aides hosted by Dr. Egwu at his country home, Umuebe on December 31st 2009, then the picture of impending political earthquake becomes clearer. In fact, a special adviser to the Minister of Education Mr. Kelechi Igwe who happens to come from Ikwo local government area, the same council as Governor Elechi, similarly hosted a powerful meeting of political friends at his country home, Ikwo on 1st of February 2010. All these events are said to be disturbing members of Elechi's kitchen cabinet who are constantly meeting to appraise the situation.

Many organizations have emerged in recent time to adopt and "to mount pressure" on Governor Elechi to accept to run for second term. Such groups include PDP stakeholders in the state, a non-governmental and non-profit organization known as Clamour for Continuity Initiative (C-4-C), Ochoudo Youth League and Ebonyi Youths Assembly. All the groups cited Elechi's development projects and attitudinal change programme as reason for the clamour. But Governor Elechi is yet to officially make his position known on the issue of second term.

However, Adol Awam who said he is leading a faction of PDP, in a press conference last week vows to stop Elechi, if a number of knotty issues are not sorted out immediately. Awam announced that his faction had passed a vote of no confidence on the State Chairman of the party, Chief Dave Umahi describing him as an outsider who was foisted on the party by the incumbent governor with an agenda to systematically edge out the original members and surreptitiously bring in former members of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). Awam called on the National Working Committee of the party to immediately dissolve Umahi-led state executive committee of the party and set up a caretaker committee in order to stop imminent mass defection of aggrieved party members to other parties. The former council boss accused Umahi of highhandedness and ineptitude in running of the party, alleging that the state PDP chairman, who he said left ANPP to join PDP in 2006, has banned any contact meetings or social gathering in the state, as well as banned National Assembly members from holding constituency meetings.

"More recently, the same chairman directed a letter dated January 14, 2010, lambasting the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Professor Chigozie Ogbu for hosting a New Year get-together for his people. Umahi claims that this is a directive from the National, but this clear violation of natural and constitutional rights is his brain child," he said.

Awam who said that his group had already written the national leadership of the party about the looming crisis in the state chapter of the party recalled that due to the leadership tussle for the chairmanship of the party in Ebonyi State between Chief Obinna Ogba and Chief Okeagu Ogadah, the National Working Committee of the party decided to set up a caretaker committee which had Umahi as chairman on July 26, 2007 on the understanding that elections would be conducted within six months.

"By the first quarter of 2008, this caretaker committee was rubber-stamped into a permanent executive under an arrangement agreed upon by the former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu, and his successor Chief Martin Elechi. Other important stakeholders of the party in the state never made any input into this arrangement."

Awam stated that they immediately protested the arrangement and in response, the National Working Committee of the party sent Dr. Jim Nwobodo and his committee to Ebonyi State to listen to their grievances and reconcile the factions. He noted that Nwobodo's committee observed and recommended that the way and manner Umahi and his executive emerged was wrong and undemocratic, but that the committee pleaded with the factional group to accept reconciliation in the interest of the party while advising Umahi and the state government to carry everybody along. Awam alleged that two years after the recommendation of the reconciliation committee, neither Umahi nor the state government had taken any step to remedy the situation, noting that the state party chairman has, out of selfish interest, severally declared that there won't be primaries to elect candidates come 2011 and that no human being can stop Governor Elechi's second term bid.

"For instance, section 12:41 'C' of the PDP Constitution states that one of the functions of the state congress shall be to elect governorship candidates of the party. Going by Umahi's mentality, it means that those constitutional provisions are useless and will not apply in Ebonyi State," he said.

"Elechi has not even said that he wants to re-contest. the other day he begged people to go and beg the youths that they should stop disturbing him; and the same youths came to my house and said this our party is not going the way we want and they are dying of hunger. So many of them, if you go to prison yard, 300 inmates are supposed to be there but now over 700 people are there because if they see you are opposing the government they will now say you are a kidnapper and they will carry you to that place," he alleged.

Awam said that if the NWC of the party does not look into their complaints and demand within a reasonable time, "we shall exercise other options available to us, which may include the deployment of our parallel state executive, or take other legal steps that we may deem necessary to rescue our dear party from total disintegration."

Similarly, few days after the endorsement of Chief Martin Elechi for a second term in office by Ngbo, Izhia and Effium Consultative Assembly (NIECA), a former aide to Governor Sam Egwu and a Chieftain of the People's Democratic Party PDP in the state Hon Nwanne Ominyi described the endorsement as unfounded, misleading and baseless. In a release made available to newsmen in Abakaliki, the former Welfare Officer to Governor Egwu said that the alleged meeting held at Ngbo Amaka Filling Station was a predetermined plan by some few individuals to deceive or hood- wink members of the community.

According to him, "the purported adoption of the incumbent Governor of Ebonyi state Chief Martin Elechi by Ngbo, Izhia and Effium Consultative Forum was undemocratic, baseless, unpopular and uncalled for. NIECA is a responsible and reasonable organization that should not be lured or cajoled into such senseless and hasty decision and action".

He pointed out that what was read out as the communiqué was not the mind or the decision of those who attended the meeting adding that majority of the people who were present at the meeting made frantic effort to move against the motion of adoption of Governor Elechi's second term in office but were shouted down by hired political thugs of the convener. He called on Ngbo, Izhia and Effium Consultative Assembly NIECA to urgently address and resist the alleged plan by the present government to relocate the permanent site of Ebonyi state University EBSU Ezzamgbo and the School of Health Technology at Ngbo both in Ohaukwu Local Government Area to another council area.

"It has come to our knowledge moves by the present government to relocate the permanent site of Ebonyi state University EBSU Ezzambgo and the School of Health Technology at Ngbo both sited in Ohaukwu council area to another place. This entire plan is targeted at undermining the achievements and developmental strides of the past administration".

"The question we are asking the present government is; why must the institution to be relocated be the ones sited in the council area of the former Governor? NIECA should rise up and address, resist and fight this clandestine plan by the current administration. What is the rational for our people endorsing the incumbent Governor for a second term in office? Our people are disenchanted with the policies and programmes of this government, it has not uplifted the living standard of our people, and the purported endorsement is baseless".

Hon Ominyi further alleged that the cancellation of both Ukwagba and Umuogudu Osha road projects in Ohaukwu Council Area by the present government over excuse that the contractors handling the project were not performing are unfounded adding that for more than two years running the present government is yet to re-award the contracts and also reduce the hunger witnessed in the state since May 2007.

He called on the people of Ohaukwu Local Government Area to disregard the said endorsement published in some local tabloid urging them to still remain calm and unperturbed as appropriate decision would be taken at the appropriate time by major stakeholders of the council area.

Another source of worry for Elechi and his strategists is Senator Polycarp Nwite, Nigeria's High Commissioner to Republic of Botswana and now Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters to President Umaru Yar'Adua. Last year governor Elechi wrote a petition to President Yar'Adua complaining about Nwite's activities in the state. But right from the time Governor Elechi was rumoured to have been anointed by former Governor, Dr. Sam Egwu as his successor, Nwite was not happy. He complained every where he went that Elechi was too old to govern the state. He was eventually pacified.

In the petition to Yar'Adua Elechi said: "Ever since I successfully contested the governorship primaries on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party of which Nwite and myself are members, he has never hidden his dislike and bitterness for me. I discountenanced all that as the antics of a frustrated man."

Elechi, in his petition, accused Nwite of instigating medical students to embark on violent demonstrations. His words: "In April and May this year, the doctors and nurses of Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital embarked on industrial action, during which time there were no lectures for their students. From reliable sources, information reached me to the effect that Chief Nwite paid some medical students money as an inducement for them to embark on violent demonstration." The governor also said that reports reaching him show that "when Chief Nwite claims to be going to other states, notably Taraba, he comes to Ebonyi to hold meetings, ostensibly to build up a political outfit in favour of Mr. President's second term election. In reality, the purpose of such meetings is to destabilize my administration."

According to the petition, the governor also holds Nwite liable for Okada riders flouting the orders of the state government. He said reports he got indicated that on August 22, Nwite had encouraged okada riders to flout the order of the government banning them from operating at certain hours and on dual carriage ways as a way of ensuring the security of lives and properties. "On Saturday, 22nd August. Okada riders who had complied substantially with this order, suddenly surged into the dualised roads of Abakaliki. This was sequel to the instruction given them by Chief Nwite who described my government as illegal," said Elechi, who, however, added that" the Commissioner of Police who witnessed the episode but had no concrete evidence to back it up, however, confirmed that his men on duty were overpowered."

He quoted copiously from accounts, which, he said, police told him were unofficial, as they could not defend them. Elechi, who said in his petition that he was writing the president because it would amount to disrespect if he dealt with Nwite without informing his boss, expressed his determination to "respond appropriately to any actions which I consider to be inimical to the stability of my administration."

He added: "as for Chief Nwite's unabated campaign of calumny and blackmail against me, I continue to pay deaf ears to them because I have outgrown the irritation arising from such provocations."

But Nwite in an interview with journalists in Abakaliki denied all the allegations against him by Governor Elechi.

However that was last year. Presently, the thinking is that except President Yar'Adua comes back to mount the saddle again, Nwite's strength in determining the course of event in the state in 2011 would begin to wane very soon with Jonathan holding sway.

Meanwhile in what seems like a comprehensive reaction to political darts being thrown at the mainstream PDP and the state government in recent time, the party last week held an enlarged state executive council meeting comprising the state executive committee, members of the national and state assemblies, local government chairmen, members of the state executive council, members and chairmen of state/federal boards and parastatals among other stakeholders. But some people were conspicuously absent at the meeting. They include the former Governor and Minister of Education, Dr. Egwu, the senators representing Ebonyi South and Ebonyi Central districts, Anyim Ude and Julius Ucha respectively and Nwite among others. It is not clear whether any of them took permission.

At the meeting those in attendance passed a vote of confidence on the party chairman, Engr. Umahi and reaffirmed their support to Elechi-led administration. They equally dismissed the purported existence of a faction of PDP in the state led by Adol Awan and to buttress their point they showed court affidavit sworn to by those claimed to be in the parallel executives of Awam, where they denounced their membership of any faction of the PDP. At the end of the meeting, the party men marched to Government House Abakaliki to present their resolution to Governor Elechi.

In his response Elechi said, "You have spoken to say there is only one strong and united party in Ebonyi state. You have assured the world that it has no faction. I thank you for that. When I move about the state I see billboards, but there are no people who belong to the parties described on these billboards. There is only one party in Ebonyi state; PDP. That is the party of our choice, that is the party ruling Nigeria, that is the party in Ebonyi state. Admittedly, some people feel aggrieved, they are those whom I describe as ambitious politicians to govern in hell rather than be governed in heaven. They are the likes of these trouble shooters who said they are parallel executives. If you ask them what is the problem, they say they are not being carried along. I assure you that I have bought stretchers with which to carry them along, and when we carry them, we shall dump them in the Ebonyi River, because they have been swept aside by the tidal wave of our revolution in the PDP."

Elechi said that his administration does not share money but it shares projects to the people, saying that sooner than later they would embark on another round of project inspection and commissioning.

The governor said that he was in touch with the national leadership of the party to know what they thought about the frivolous publications on the pages of newspapers, and they assured him that they do not take notice of that, "why because they known that the PDP in Ebonyi state was intact and no Jupiter can divide us".

"I have also warned the General Manager of the federal radio, the FM station here in Abakaliki that we are not against the use of his radio station for commercial undertaking but that the peace of Ebonyi state supersedes monetary gains and benefits and therefore if he allows his radio station to be used by hirelings to upset the peace in Ebonyi state, I cannot control the consequence and dimensions of what will happen.

"What I appeal to you as lovers of peace and followers of peacemaker is that you eschew violence; they have been missing their ways. They fall and disintegrate without any action from us. That is the way of all trouble shooters. They come to their homes, they miss the road. Nobody will upset this government; nobody will upset the PDP,"

"The chairman has told you what he did to bring home your party cards and copies of the constitution, they are under my custody, there is no hijacking of party cards, no hijacking of constitution, you will use it the way our constitution prescribes. I urge you to carry on with the registration of members who have deserted to other parties which exist only on billboards. On Election Day I can assure you no billboard can vote. Only PDP supporters will vote, the other will be thrown into confusion and by then it will be too late," Elechi said.

However aside from normal political squabbles, analysts are worried about the dimension the Ezillo crisis is taking. Many think that Ezillo crisis which is already being politicized is capable of throwing up a major bloody war that might engulf the entire state if not carefully handled before 2011. In this respect some people are already alluding to a possible state of emergency.

Only last week, in what appeared like a throw back to the dreaded days of political dichotomy between home-based and Abuja-based politicians, Ebonyi State Government raised alarm over what it called a grand and perfected design by some group to invade the state with explosives starting from Ezillo which is already a communal flash point. The state alleged heavy importation of arms and ammunitions for the mission, stating that confirmed security reports indicate that the famous Ezillo Water Scheme, which the state government had committed millions of naira for rehabilitation works, has been earmarked for destruction with imported explosives, alleging that an attempt was made a few days ago.

Addressing a press conference at Government House, Abakaliki, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Comrade Egwu Chima, who was flanked by his counterparts in the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development, Mr. Celestine Nwali and Ministry of Grants and Donor Agencies, Elder Fred Udogu, maintained that "the hirelings are already on the prowl, ready to unleash mayhem in Ezillo any moment from now".

"What is most painful, most unfortunate and awfully regrettable is that these evil plans are the handiwork of our own Ebonyi people most of whom are domiciled in Abuja," he alleged.

Comrade Chima said that some of the Abuja based politicians are known to have indulged in sponsorship of inciting, offensive, injurious, misleading Newspaper publications against the State Government as well as equally sponsoring destabilizing rumours, motivating disobedience to Government directives and catalyzing insecurity and doing everything to ensure that the State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state executive is destabilized.

In the text of the press conference entitled, "The Ezillo Security Imbroglio and the Political Enemies' Unending Verdict," the Information Commissioner stated, "A group of evil-minded political cynics in our small State of Ebonyi have hired mercenaries to further complicate the already bad situation in Ezillo; this is also coming at a time all well-meaning Ebonyians are celebrating their amiable Governor, Chief Martin Nwancho Elechi for his good works".

Surprisingly, in less than 72 hours after that red alert, five persons were reported killed following renewed shooting in Ezillo community Ishielu local government area. Five amoured personnel Carriers (APC) have been deployed to the area as the situation has seriously affected traffic on the Abakaliki-Enugu highway. With the way things are going, the Ezillo crisis may turn out to be the albatross of the state government.

Meanwhile, how the Ezillo crisis and other internal political contradictions are resolved in few months to come would determine how intact the PDP is in the state.