By Chris Chime
As I continue to ruminate on the turn of events that led to the emergence of Dr Peter Mba as the gubernatorial standard-bearer of the PDP in Enugu State, I become more and more convinced that we did not deviate from the path of consolidation we had so passionately preached on social media and toed the path of ruination.
On one hand, Hon Chijioke Edeoga, Okaome, ruled the airwaves with a passion that reverberated and shook the foundations of the Coal City State. We believed so much and stood solidly in him and the cause of justice he represented that no recriminations and mudslings were enough to persuade us to toe a different path.
He paraded such intimidating pedigrees which convinced even the naysayers that finally we had a disciple that would continue to stoke the embers of Gburu’s legacy.
He also brought with him a vivacious touch of youth and a dash of fresh air that attracted the young ones into believing he was the bridge between the old generation of politicians and the younger breed that deployed technology to sell their vision of hope.
Dr Mbah on the contrary was sold to us as a villain who not only paraded a forged academic certificate but also had a long array of criminal records trailing his business conducts.
That was before I had the opportunity of meeting him one on one and listening to him reel out a long list of lifetime achievements that made one dizzy and at the same time envious.
I realized that there was no way one would have excelled in the highly technological field of downstream oil marketing where he pointed out his company has succeeded in clinching 23 percent share of the Nigerian market, with a certificate he did not earn.
His confidence was infectious and he left one without doubt that this was one man who knew what he wants to accomplish. His visions of the next dimensions of Enugu State he aims to establish if given the opportunity are, though utopian, but given the vivacity of the details he presented on how they could be achieved, plausible.
The Dr Peter Mbah I had the privilege of interacting with was visibly in contrast with the villain I was earlier caused to paint a picture of in the social media space.
He was able to sufficiently clear the air on all aspects of his arduous but meritorious journey from a humble beginning to the highest pedestal of fame and legitimate wealth. He succeeded in convincing every doubting Thomases that he is one man who has paid his dues and in his core fields of endeavour earned a deserved place in any book of merit and achievements.
Above all, he succeeded in making one perceive what transpired at the gubernatorial primaries of the PDP in Enugu State, with a different eye.
According to him, he refused to see it as a contest between rivals. In his words, it was more of a family meeting of PDP in the state where roles were apportioned to stakeholders and duties assigned on how to move the state forward.
What was done was to assign to him the function of holding the state front and in due time, according to him, other stakeholders will equally have roles to play, while representing the interest of the state and the party at the national as well as international levels.
That being the case, the burden was now on every member of the PDP family and all activists within the party ranks in Enugu State to take up the gauntlet and broadcast the decision of the family to the corners of the kingdom.
You may not agree with such decisions, but you would be a renegade to denigrate it publicly, considering the fact that it was deemed to be the best outcome at that point, critical to the survival of the family.
In summary, one could say we were faced with two key figures, out of a motley of others, eminently qualified to take Enugu State to the next level. The family met and decided to assign one with the task of guarding the home front while the other will have the task of taking up other roles on behalf of the family elsewhere.
Since that represents the decision of the family, as loyal sons, the responsibility is on us to move ahead and let love and tolerance rule our thoughts and actions in the months leading to the actual contest with the opposition party.
It is at this stage we are expected to draw the sword with a view to winning the ultimate contest.
Chime wrote from Enugu
