THE real-life David vs. Goliath encounter between Dr. Chris Ngige and the allied forces in Anambra State is getting more ferocious, the intrigues are becoming more complex: the allied forces are getting more desperate, recruiting more allies and adopting all foul means-in and out of the books- coupled with a brazen in-your-face arrogance. Ngige in size, resources and followership represents David just as the allied forces represent Goliath when measured in those dimensions. The allied forces consist of a coalition of the willing led by the presidency and commanded by Chris Uba, a political mercenary and electoral contractor, his hangers-on and fellow travellers; the man-of-the-moment, Nelson Achukwu from the hilly and stony town of Ukpor and who is apparently woefully deficient in the knowledge of his profession (law) and the instrument of its practice (English language); the South-East PDP Chairman whose name is Chukwu (God) but who will rather engage in ungodly machinations and support anarchy at his own party’s convention; the PDP as a party, the National Assembly (controlled by the PDP) the police hierarchy led by an Inspector General who is simultaneously fast and slow depending on whom the piper is; some pay-as-you-go members of the judiciary (judges of the night); Enugu State which is providing critical logistic support and all those who are in a position to act and speak but have chosen to adopt the say nothing and do nothing strategy.

I had predicted that the Owerri Peace Accord (which has now produced another discord) would not solve the Anambra malignant debacle because it was not based on justice, there was no concrete consideration for Anambra State and its people, one of the parties felt it had an upper hand and must be appeased, the facilitators had obvious hidden agenda while Chris Uba had severally insisted that his huge financial appetite must be fully satisfied as a precondition for peace and there was no specific mention of that in the rubbished agreement. It was also apparent that the two parties gave different interpretations to the agreements. These defects were part of the reason for the new-year crises package for the suffering people of Anambra State. Other causative factors included the need to correct the mistake of July 2003 by finishing Ngige once and for all, the feeling of invincibility on the part of the conspirators who were treated as heroes after the failed attempt, the need to disorganise Ngige who was apparently consolidating seriously and the false belief that a fail-proof strategy had been discovered.

But the root of the Anambra crises is financial. It is apparent that Uba’s major business undertaking is squeezing as much money as possible from the Government and political office holders in Anambra State. Apart from the failed once-and for-all settlement from the governor (N3bn) and the irrevocable deductions (N10m), monthly tithes were also expected from legislators (national and state), local government chairmen and councillors, commissioners, board members and all manners of appointees who were to be installed by the juvenile godfather. He would have also influenced contract awards for which returns would have flowed regularly. The current scenario has disorganized his four-year budgetary calculations and this was not acceptable. He was (is) also not happy that the fellow he single-handed installed was (is) calling the shots without paying homage and given his ‘rustic arrogance," this was not bearable. With the federal might at his disposal, he decided to strike again using the judiciary and a suspended and disgruntled member of the Anambra House of Assembly as the new arrow head.

In a bizarre twist and a satanic judicial abracadabra, an appeal for the enforcement of fundamental human rights was made and considered with a digital speed between 24/12/03 and 2/1/04 and miraculously led to an order to sack the sitting governor of a state. And apart from Achukwu, his lawyers and Tunji Abayomi, every other learned person has agreed unequivocally that EVERYTHING was wrong with the judgement. This includes the procedure (date and method of service, sitting during non-court days, period within which such motions are heard and interstate orders responded to), legal (jurisdiction as to the subject matter and sphere of Nnaji’s influence, Achukwu’s locus standi as he was suspended from the house, the connection between the contentious order and human rights and the usual relief granted for breach of human rights) constitutional (as par the ways of removing a governor) political and even common sense. The police in Abuja received the judgement before the Governor in Awka and acted with an indecent, suspicious, speed by withdrawing the Governor’s official security. Dr. Ngige ran for cover and for the first few days became a nomadic governor and nearly became a king without a kingdom-the first in Nigeria’s history. The legal fireworks have started but the outcome is fairly certain - Ngige is still in charge; the recent black-market injunction will not effect his tenure. For now, the score is Ngige, 2; Allied Forces, 0.

How does the "round two" of this macabre dance compare with the first? The first one owed its origin from an Abuja High Court judgement which the judge (Wilson Egbo-Egbo) eventually denied, blaming it on his secretary and embarrassingly reversed himself. This one started from an Enugu High Court through an unknown judge (Stanley Nnaji) who is yet to make any statement two weeks after the judgement of shame. The first was anchored by a technically retired AIG, Raphael Ige who surrendered to cardiac arrest in the early hours of 13/1/04 (his cousin suspects foul play). The IGP claimed not to be aware of the first show but he is fully and officially involved in this one, studying or obeying orders as dictated by some visible and invisible hands. In round one, the Vice President, Chairman and Secretary of PDP, all the Governors, all the Speakers and indeed everybody condemned the political rascality openly and unequivocally. This time round, it is conspiracy of silence. Only Orji Kalu and Tinubu - to an extent-made definite statements and the governors are yet to meet 14 days after the event; the PDP National Chairman (the "chairman without a chair") was speaking in tongues-saying it was a legal issue or asking Igbo to solve their problems; the VP has not said a thing while the PDP secretary may well have been on leave. Even the FRCN which popularized the first round appears shy of reporting the matter. Surely the fear of BIG BROTHER is the beginning of wisdom. Chris Uba who was talking tough during the first phase has changed tactics. He now tries to distance himself from the present imbroglio, saying that he was not involved and that there were even threats to his life. As usual, the president is not aware of the development or considers it insignificant as he has not made any statement on the issue.

Well, the Court of Appeal has expectedly ordered the IG to revert to the status quo ante-but he is not in a hurry to do so-; while Achukwu and his lawyers have threatened to proceed to the Supreme Court. Achukwu has also proved beyond all reasonable doubt that he allowed himself to be enlisted in this despicable plot because of his personal grudges against Ngige who was owing him a gift, who seized his salary among other charges (One on One Live, NTA Network, 13/1/04). The legal fireworks and political manoevres will continue while the parties are likely to go back to the trenches and the drawing boards. Unfortunately, I doubt if this will be the end of this macabre dance because Ngige appears to have made up his mind to fight while the allied forces, considering their weight and level of desperation, are not likely to surrender. But there is a possibility of divine intervention.

Who are the losers in this macabre dance? Surely, not the combatants, who are two elephants fighting at the expense of the grass. The real losers are the people of Anambra State whose future is being toyed with and the state itself where nothing has been done since 1999. The Igbo as a people are also losers as well as the whole Nigerians because when one part of the country is in distress, other parts are invariably affected. Another victim of this self inflicted impasse is democracy which has clearly been showcased as the real demonstration of craze. And if the allied forces think they are dealing with Ngige, they are mistaken. They are actually building his political power and future by their unconstitutional acts of desperation. I was in Anambra State on 12th and 13th January 2004 and if what I saw and heard were anything to go by, then Ngige has metamorphosed from an underdog to a local political champion. If the history of Anambra State since 29/5/99 were written on 30/6/03, Ngige might have been allotted a paragraph, if written on 30/12/03, it would be up to one chapter but if written on 13/1/04, it may be up to one section. Unlike before, the people now show open support irrespective of the original sin which all of them committed on 19/4/03 and his earlier satanic alliance with his current tormentors, the civil servants are now loyal to him and having learnt a trick or two, he now has the firm support of The State Assembly. In fact, Ngige is now in charge and he can now beat his chest and proclaim like Joseph did-you plotted evil against me but God turned it into good (Genesis; 50:20).

In 1966, a minor political problem erupted in the West, it was seen as something that concerned the West but we know how it ended and how the whole nation suffered for it. In 1993, an Abuja High Court Judge issued a black-market judgement which was actually passed during the PM hours. We thought it was a harmless affair but we now know better. And now a political crises has been compounded with judicial rascality. And yet, learning nothing from the past, we are again treating it with levity as an Anambra - or at best, Igbo-affair, family affair and all that. Well, for the third time since the elections of 4-19, I remind all those involved in this show of shame that the day of reckoning will surely come either jointly or severally. And for those who will rather keep quiet, let them know that a bad weather like the current harmattan, spares nobody.

In 1990, when SAP was making life unbearable for Nigerians (because it lacked human face), I bought a puppy and named it SAP. Now, an unfortunate combination of people and forces are making life miserable for my people at Anambra. I have also recently (4/1/04) bought a puppy and I have named it appropriately. But I won’t tell you that name on these pages.

Last Line: When you find at the head of administration of this country a man who in his old age acts with the instincts of an infant, the rascality of an infant, who pursues his vendetta to ridiculous meanness; who believes any enemy is worth fighting with any weapons whatsoever, then we face difficulties as a polity-Nnoruka Udechukwu (SAN).

March 2004