Chimaroke Nnamani: Progenitor of Ebeano politics at 64

BY PAUL MUMEH

Hate or love him, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani; former governor of Enugu state does not pretend to be who he is not. He takes his stand based on personal convictions and holds on tenaciously to it no matter whose ox is gored. It does not bother him even if he stands alone.

Nnamani sauntered into the murky waters of Nigerian politics albeit strangely, arguably against all known political traditions. He entered the game without a financier or godfather. He had practised his trade [medicine] successfully as a medical doctor in the United States of America where he made his fortune that enabled him to venture into politics in 1997/98.

Nnamani was elected governor in 1999 and his second term in 2003. He did two terms of eight years. As a governor, he brought new dimensions into politics and governance: the abolition albeit retirement of the former political godfathers or the old brigade that held sway. He craved fresh ideas for the new Enugu state. Recall that before his emergence, Enugu politics stood on a tripod; former governors Senator Jim Nwobodo was in control of Enugu East, Chief C.C. Onoh was in charge of Enugu West and the three Nwodos, Dr . Joe Nwodo, Nnia Nwodo and Okwy Nwodo commanded Enugu North politics.

To drive home his political reform, Nnamani recruited budding politicians; and younger elements as political leaders in Enugu. He empowered them to take charge. He established the Ebeano political family as the unofficial but potent umbrella body of politics in Enugu state. While the new men on the block [Chi Boys] went about flaunting their elevation and new status, the former godfathers were aggrieved and indeed went offensive against him.

They made his governance in Enugu state turbulent, which compelled him to reinforce his fighting spirit and assert authority to survive the battle for the soul of the state.

No one was in doubt who was in charge under Nnamani. He brought intellectualism into governance. His nationwide Ebeano lecture series where he dissected complex national and international issues of leadership and various aspects of the economy attested to this.

On infrastructure, Nnamani introduced the idea of housing estates and expanded the frontiers of housing in Enugu state. He opened the road networks, especially in the rural areas including the famous Ebeano tunnel in the state capital. He made the health sector a centre of excellence and gave the education sector premium attention.

It remains to his credit that the Enugu State University of Science and Technology [ESUT] moved to its permanent campus in Agbani after his administration built and equipped the institution with the needed facilities. He also completed the university teaching hospital among others.

On completion of his sojourn as a governor for eight years, Nnamani was elected into the senate in 2007. He was vice chairman of the senate committee on foreign affairs. On one particular occasion, he was mandated to present a committee report when the chairman, Professor Jubril Aminu, delegated him to do so in the chambers. To the amazement of Senator David Mark-led 6th Senate, Nnamani presented the voluminous committee report extempore; without looking at the text. That incident remains a reference point to date in the national assembly.

He thereafter left the scene albeit into political exile due to irreconcilable differences in Enugu politics at that time. His erstwhile political sons; Governor Sullivan Chime, Senators Ike Ekweremadu, Ayogu Eze and a host of others had taken to a new political alignment in sharp contrast to his. The option left for him was to quit the scene.

Ironically, those he midwifed to lead the politics of Enugu upon which he ran into the war of attrition with former political helmsmen were the first to do a “Ben Johnson”, when he had issues with some authorities over his administration at the time.

However, by a twist of events, Nnamani returned to reckoning in 2019, when the immediate past governor of Enugu state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, liberalised the political space which opened the window for him to return to the senate.

In the 2019 senate, Nnamani was chairman of the committee on cooperation and integration in Africa and new partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD). Under him, the committee took the issue of education for the girl child, women empowerment and liberation as well as the campaign for the abolition of harmful cultural practices against women as its cardinal programme. He was an advocate for women’s rights insisting that “women’s rights are integral parts of human rights”.

Nnamani is not a stranger to political conflicts or controversies. Ahead of the 2023 general elections, he again had issues with his political party; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) especially after the presidential primaries that went against the tide and obviously against the party’s constitution on rotation or zoning of key public offices. It was anticipated that the PDP would give its Presidential slot to the south in line with the north-south rotation principle.

Chapter one, sub-section [3] [a], [b] & [c] of the PDP constitution prescribes that the party shall pursue its aims and objectives by;

• Ensuring that the programmes of the party, as enshrined in its manifesto, confirm the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
• Promoting mutual respect for, and understanding of, the religious and cultural diversity of Nigeria;
• Adhering to the policy of the rotation and zoning of the party and public elective offices in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness among others.

All these, the hierarchy of the party led by Iyorchia Ayu abdicated. The political manoeuvring gave the PDP presidential ticket to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the 2023 polls. Besides, the party and its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar flagrantly failed to reconcile differences with some aggrieved stakeholders and members before the election. The result was obvious as the abysmal performance of the PDP at the polls was akin to a disaster foretold.

Frank, blunt and typical of him, Nnamani did not pretend about his disapproval of the outcome of the PDP primary as he told the party leadership of the consequences of their actions. He, therefore, declared openly his preference for the opposition’s All Progressives Congress {APC] presidential candidate, Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

The Iyorchia Ayu-led PDP instead of reaching out to aggrieved members to reconcile with them embarked on further annihilation. The party consequently suspended and later expelled Nnamani and others from the party for alleged anti-party activities. But he went to court relying on all relevant laws to wit; that party lacked the power to punish him especially when he was not given a fair hearing.

Nnamani, through his lawyer Olusegun Jolaowo SAN, told the National Working Committee (NWC) that it has no power to suspend or expel him from the party. He said the Iyorchia Ayu-led NWC did not follow due process and strict compliance with the party’s constitution and therefore lacked the powers to suspend or expel him being a member of the national assembly at that time.

He quoted copiously from the constitution of the party to back his argument and concluded that the action of the NWC was a nullity. According to him, “Article 57(7) notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no executive committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee [NEC] shall entertain any question of discipline as may concern a member of the NEC, deputy governors or members of the National Assembly, provided that nothing in this constitution shall preclude or invalidate any complain submitted through the NWC to NEC concerning any person whatsoever.

“Article 59(3) notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution relating to discipline, no executive committee at any level except the NEC shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a Member of the NEC, President, Vice President, Governor, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Ambassadors, Special Advisers, or members of any of the Legislative Houses.

“It is evident based on articles 57(7)and 59(3) of the PDP constitution that no organ of the party including the NWC has the competence to entertain any question of discipline- against him except the NEC of the party”.

To validate his points, the court having heard from both parties to the dispute found Nnamani’s case credible upon which his suspension and expulsion were quashed.

James Omotoso, the presiding judge, held that Nnamani was not given a fair hearing noting that the expulsion did not follow due process. Citing article 57 [7] of the PDP’s constitution, the judge ruled that the power to discipline and expel an alleged erring party member lies with the NEC of the party, and not the NWC which made the decision.

Nnamani is 64. He was born on May 30, 1960, in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. He can beat his chest that irrespective of political alignments and realignments in Enugu state since 1999, his Ebeano political family to date produces successive state governors, senators, members of the house of representatives, ministers, state houses of assembly members, local government chairmen and councillors.

A scholar of international repute in his own right, Nnamani now a professor of gynaecology and obstetrics at ESUT is a specialist in fetus medicine [medicine of the unborn babies]. His philosophy in politics and leadership is to see a one Nigeria where everyone irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliation is free to live and ply his or her trade in any part of the country without fear of intimidation or molestation. He craves for a nation of equal rights and opportunities for all.

Nnamani is a political strategist and juggernaut whose contributions to the political evolution of Nigeria remain remarkable.

At 64 and counting, his antecedents and accomplishments are noteworthy. His horizon in the nation’s political sphere has positioned him for more exploits in the coming years.

Mumeh wrote from Abuja.