Opinion | By Alex Asiegbu, Esq | 17. 05. 2022
Barrister Sullivan Iheanacho was the most unlikely candidate in 2007 to replace his boss, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani who was rounding off his tenure as Governor of Enugu State. The near-reclusive Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice may have performed creditably in office but he did not appear to have the political stature required for the top job.
He was not visible in the long queue of aspirants jostling for the governorship ticket of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). If at all he was interested in replacing his boss, he went about it in the most unobtrusive manner.
The more recognizable state governorship aspirants under the PDP included die-hard Ebeano disciples like Deputy Governor Okechukwu Itanyi, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, presidential adviser Prof. Osita Ogbu and Secretary to the State Government Dan Shere. Each had formed powerful political blocs which were pushing the aspiration of their leaders. Even Nnamani’s Nkanu kinsman Sam Ejiofor who was overseeing political and local governments matters, used the Council Chairmen as springboard to the seat.
In the ongoing contest for Enugu State governorship, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Ude shares many similarities with Chime of 2007. He is calm and detached from deep-seated partisan politics, and he is a key player in the backroom of the present Ugwuanyi administration. Since he burst into the contest earlier in the year, Ude has presented a persona that is less divisive than most other contestants.
The ongoing contest for governorship of Enugu is one like no other in the past. It is very intense and it has the potential more than in previous times, to threaten the unity of the formidable ruling PDP in the state.
In 2007 each of the candidates was backed by a powerful bloc and Nnamani was afraid that picking any of the frontline candidates might create bad blood that may threaten the unity of, or consume outright, the Ebeano family. He decided to go for a neutral, less divisive successor in Sullivan Chime.
The contestants of today are no different; while some of the frontline aspirants appear to lack the independence of mind and personality, others are driven either by sentiments of their cultural affiliations or those of influential godfathers. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who is yet to indicate his preference to succeed him, could well refuse to be trapped by those sentiments and go for a unifying candidate.
Chime might not be the politician’s delight but he possessed both intellectual power and the focus to run a large bureaucracy. He had proved himself in the eight years he served on the state executive council during which time he was behind some of the key decisions in the outgoing administration.
Chime eventually got the PDP nomination and was elected governor. He went on to run one of the most impactful administrations the state has ever witnessed.
If indeed Ugwuanyi is looking beyond the present crowd of governorship aspirants in Enugu to point the way to his successor, he could well go for Dr. Kingsley Ude, a man whose candidature would not be tied to a powerful individual or the promptings of a cultural group.
At 42, he is one of the Governor’s key backroom staff who is credited with some of the administration’s policy initiatives. A Development Expert with versatile academic qualifications and multi-sectoral experience in governance, Udeh surprised many earlier in the year when he resigned his position as the Governor’s Special Adviser.
Few days later, he veered into the political terrain with a loud bang by picking the Peoples Democratic Party expression of interest and nomination forms to contest election as Enugu State governor in 2023.
Until he joined the administration in 2017, Udeh had conquered in many fields, as a Consultant to several international development organizations. Among them are the UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank, African Development Bank, FCDO and UK Department for International Development (DFID).
With experience in multi-disciplinary engagements across almost all the states of the federation, he was a “big catch ‘ for the Ugwuanyi administration. And in less than six years, his imprint can be seen in several policy thrusts that have defined the administration.
He started first as Senior Special Assistant on Development Aids, handling much of the state’s international finance partnerships. From there, he moved to become the Focal Person of the Enugu State Open Government Partnership (a multi-stakeholders’ good governance platform) before he was again moved to Education as Special Adviser.
During his days from serving the Nnamani administration as Special Adviser and later Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Sullivan Chime was credited with many achievements but two of them stand out. His office drafted the all-important Local Government Laws of Enugu State which was later passed by the State House of Assembly; he also published the revised laws of Enugu State which had not been updated since 1963.
As a lawyer myself, I appreciate that this was a landmark in the dispensation of justice. So, what will Udeh be bringing to the table this time around?
There are several policy initiatives of the Ugwuanyi administration that Udeh can take credit for. Out of modesty, however, he says it will be improper to single himself out for credit. In an exclusive interview with THISDAY newspaper on Saturday 9th April, 2022, Ude gives a peep into this aspect of his activities: “One act of the governor that has had a profound impact on the development of the state is the setting up of Sectoral Ad-Hoc Committees that looked into all aspects of the state’s development. I was part of the formulation of the committees and the production of the development blueprint that resulted from their activities.”
He says It is one of the many policy documents that have taken the state higher, and one that he will adopt in order to ensure the state progress on the trajectory of wholesome development.
“To me the whole essence of politics is servant leadership. I have been involved in leadership and activities that impact the public positively. I believe that one should not seek power just for the sake of it but as an enablement to do good. This philosophy has guided my public life as well as my private endeavors as a developmental philanthropist supporting our teeming youths, widows, orphans and people with disabilities and the less privileged in our communities.”
For a relatively young man with little experience in partisan politics, how does he hope to square up against the titans in the field? He answers thus: “My candidacy is unique in many ways and what you consider to be disadvantages are actually what makes it stand out. I am the unifier, and rather than being bogged down by the unnecessary divisions in our polity, I believe I am accepted across board. And having spent over 20 years in key international institutions involved in development plus my critical work as Adviser to Enugu state governor, I have all the requisite experience.”
What Dr. Kingsley Udeh has going for him are many. For instance, he is seen as a cross between the youth and the older generation that constitute the political leadership in the state. Besides, he is not burdened by any past unsavoury record or baggages that some of his fellow contestants have.
A product of College of the Immaculate Conception (CIC) Enugu, he also possesses a first degree in Law from the University of Nigeria. He is also equipped with a Master’s Degree in Law (LLM) from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom and a Doctor of Philosophy/Doctor of Laws Degree (PhD/LLD) from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.
On the flip side, some people may regard the fact that he hails from Ozala in Nkanu West Local Government Area as a challenge to his ambition. The area has produced a governor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, from 1999 to 2007. While he strongly disagrees, he contends that zoning of the governorship position in Enugu state is on the basis of Senatorial zones and that his chances are not in any way dimmed by the fact that he hails from the same area with ex-Governor Chimaroke Nnamani.
For a man who openly confesses that working with Ugwuanyi has been for him, a mixture of challenges and fulfilment, he says the governor has done “exceedingly well” considering the socio-political and economic climate in the state and country. Like Ugwuanyi promised about his predecessor’s during the 2015 governorship campaign, Ude has also pledged to adopt the development and good governance ideals of the outgoing administration. “I must admit that I have learnt a lot working with Gov. Ugwuanyi. He has a passion for the common people, he is pragmatic and focussed on delivering on his promises.”
Is Udeh punching above his weight? Definitely No. Many would recall that some of the best governors Nigeria has produced since 1999 – the likes of Donald Duke, Chimaroke Nnamani, James Ibori, Bukola saraki etc, – took offices in their early 40s.
What are his views on the vexed issue of zoning of the state governorship?
Udeh believes in zoning in Enugu State and at different fora, he has defended the legal and practical perspectives on which the issue of zoning rests. “In Enugu State, zoning has evolved and it has ensured equity, justice and a seamless rotation of the governorship position from one senatorial zone to the other, beginning from Enugu East in 1999, to Enugu West in 2007 and then presently Enugu North in 2015. It is only reasonable that it should continue in Enugu East in 2023.”
As the contest enters a crucial stage and all eyes fixed on Governor Ugwuanyi and the party’s caucuses that will set the guidelines for the contest in the state, Ude will continue to attract attention. Beyond his youthfulness, his outstanding credentials, his wide experience and impressive programmes, it will be interesting how he squares up with more entrenched aspirants in the contest.
•Alex Asiegbu, a legal practitioner, writes from Awka, Anambra State .
