PERSPECTIVE – Ned Nwoko has crossed the rubbicon

PERSPECTIVE – Ned Nwoko has crossed the rubbicon

Mr. Iwemdi Nwaham.

By Iwemdi Nwaham

ABSTRACT
I am deeply saddened at the turn of events surrounding our billionaire lawyer and senator representing Delta North Senatorial zone in the current senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. By all standards, Senator Ned Nwoko has emerged fortuitously, from the vagaries of this indeterminate life, to be someone to reckon with at any level in this country, but he has breached certain “Laws of Power” and it would be interesting to watch the fight that lay ahead.

This whole saga is about some lose talking, too much talking and the indiscretion of ignoring limits, expected of a person that high up. To many of us on the side of the public, the video that went viral, of the things Prince Ned Nwoko said, when he received on a courtesy visit, the leadership of Ndokwa Nzeku Union led by it’s President General, Brig. Gen. Mike Ndubuisi (Rtd), is the beginning of the crumbling of the cookies, but where the stimuli that marked the parting of ways started, we may not know; I was on this other side. What is discernible is that there is either a “can’t take it anymore” moment for the senator or “this fellow cannot change”, for the party side. See section below on “Our Governor Vs Our Senator”.

WRONG HORSE TO BET ON?
Ned Nwoko has so much going for him. Many ordinary people love him genuinely. But he seems to be a wrong horse to bet on when it comes to deliverables. His inability to be a “boardroom” player is his major undoing. The flip side of it is that *he seems to have a personality construct that makes him not a good follower. He turns a structured system against himself.* He does not know how to stoop to conquer.

The Prince was once in the House of Representatives 1999-2003. He did not go back, try as much as he did. What happened? And it took him 20 years to return to the National Assembly (2003-2023). What happened?

This time, the Prince may have observed, with great pain and astonishing embarrassment how things in his state and his senatorial zone may have been happening, to the exclusion of his input or recognition. And it was time to shake the table or upturn it. And that is where he has made a political blunder. Seasoned politicians don’t play to the gallery. It is said, *”Never use your influence until you are sure you have it”.*

Here is a live story that many can relate with. As Governor James Ibori began his inevitable countdown as 2007 approached, people lined up to succeed him. There was Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Ovie Omo Agege (then SSG to Ibori’s government), late Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, even Chief Benjamin Elue (Ibori’s deputy). As is wont in the PDP, party matters are followed constitutionally. Primary was organised in Ogwashi Uku stadium in 2006, to pick the party candidate to contest the governor election that was to come up in February 2007.

Uduaghan came first.
Senator Okowa came a close second. Omo Agege came third. Dr. Uduaghan was the anointed candidate of the then governor. To cut a long story short, there was no clear winner after the first round of voting. Following PDP constitution, there had to be a second round of voting between the first and second persons in the contest. And so Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa were billed to slug it out. There was palpable tension in the stadium. Rumours criss crossed the land. In the end, we heard that Okowa was compelled to step down for Uduaghan, which he did. Many Deltans were livid with rage.

Okowa was clear headed, calm and calculative amid the tension and the storm. He was asked to be the campaign DG for Uduaghan, apparently to placate him, show party unity and harness his obvious support base within the party. He obliged. And when the election was won, Okowa became the first Secretary to the State Government. *If Okowa showed incontinent behaviour, feeling big, standing ramrod with people at whose behest he obtained anything, talking loosely and unguardedly, would he go that far?*

ANIOMA STATE CREATION
It is gradually appearing that Prince Ned Nwoko is a dangerous politician for a people to put their hopes on, danger that is self acquired. *All talk about the creation of Anioma state today is all about Ned Nwoko, no one else.* And the horde of citizen journalists, many of whom cannot even construct a simple correct sentence, who have been recruited to saturate the media with favourable coverages about their principal and attack any contrary voices or those who have gravitated towards the man because the billionaire lawyer has excess to drop or those who are unsolicitedly giving Ned “covering fire”, because they see in him the Goliath that can crush the enemy the have long identified, all of them put together, have not helped Ned’s cause.

They have eulogised the man Ned, to high heavens, cheered him on as “the man that will liberate the Anioma people”, to the extent that the man is now lurking in the cold up there, among the college of leaders of the Anioma nation. More on this below.

Conversely Ned Nwoko is standing alone at the pinnacle, among the loquacious, powerless mob of social media commentators, horde of citizen journalists and cotton weight Anioma indigenes, all hailing him as the Anioma saviour. No bigwig Anioma leaders are with Ned. And he is cheered on by his media team that “the people are with him…”

One of the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene says, “Don’t Outshine the Boss: Make your Superiors feel superior. Don’t expose your Talent too much…”

OUR GOVERNOR Vs OUR SENATOR
Let us have a glimpse into a publication made by the senator’s media team recently, addressing frontally, what the governor said to Ndokwa Nzeku leadership.

First, the governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborewerei used the opportunity of the visit of the same audience that our senator addressed, to make some clarification. Summary of what His Excellency said were:
“I saw the viral video involving your senator where he claimed to have discussed the Okpai IPP with me.
“He never discussed Okpai IPP with me.
“The only time he came was to ask for some appointments… which were granted.
“May be he didn’t know that the video will go viral.”

As if they were waiting for it, the Directorate of Communication,
Office of the Distinguished Senator Representing Delta North Senatorial Zone, of course with the approval of the senator responded swiftly. Their rejoinder titled “Okpai IPP: Setting the Records Straight, addressed the governor’s statement, excerpts of which are:
“A perplexing distortion of events… that demands corrections.” (Ha)
“Contrary to the claims in the release, Senator Nwoko has consistently engaged with Gov. Sheriff Oborewerei…” (so the governor lied)
“It was the governor’s unwillingness to attend to these issues that caused Senator Ned Nwoko to hesitate in moving a vote of confidence in the Governor’s administration when asked…” (Really?)
“Senator Ned Nwoko openly stated that he was not comfortable endorsing the governor’s leadership because…” (Really?)
“The caucus members advised the senator to discuss these requests with the Governor privately… (Really?)
“That said, these issues are far from private…
“Everything Senator Ned Nwoko said in the video the governor made reference to, is a direct reflection of what he said to the Governor in person. Senator Nwoko has been upfront – you can’t tell him that funds aren’t available for these projects that are very critical to his constituents, when he knows exactly how much revenue the state is pulling in.” (Really? This is confrontation naa. The battle line is drawn)
“The clip merely echoed what was already common knowledge… There’s nothing new or inflammatory about what the Senator said…” (Really?)
“Regarding state appointments…there has been a noticeable effort to undermine Senator Ned Nwoko’s position…
“Governor Oborewerei repeatedly responded to the Senator’s requests by stating that his hands were tied, as the immediate past governor Okowa remains in control of Delta North…” (Caution thrown to the wind)
“This raises fundamental questions about the essence of governance: what is the value of the senator’s position, if his suggestions are swiftly dismissed…
“At the centre of the controversy is the struggle for Anioma state and the Governor’s outright resistance.” He bluntly told Sen. Nwoko to drop the pursuit…
“Former Governor Okowa, too, has taken a stance against Anioma State.” But, for Senator Nwoko, the creation of Anioma State is not about political affiliatio or party lines. It is a people’s movement… “Senator Nwoko has vowed to carry the struggle to its logical conclusion, no matter the obstacles…” (Hehn)
“Senator Nwoko fully understands the importance of good governance and will never compromise on his principle.
“Senator Nwoko is a committed party leader who worked tirelessly during the election to secure the Governor’s mandate. ” (Which party?)
“If the senator went to great lengths in securing a senate resolution supporting the Anioma project, then nothing will stop him seeing to it’s successful actualisation.” ( Is this a one man
show?)

Moving Forward: The statement from Government suggests that Senator Nwoko lied. We urge to Government House to (1) Withdraw the statement and the media aide, Ovie Success Ossai, issue and apology, acknowledge the Senator’s efforts…” (Hehn)

How arrogant and rude and disrespectful can a political appendage get? If I were one of the followers of Sen. Ned Nwoko, by now, I will be thoroughly jittery and embarrassed. What does this man think he is doing? He seems to be an energetic politician, with ideas but he is so self conceited. He feels too big to recognise that there is hierarchy in the state.

He also appears like someone who has an exaggerated opinion of his political worth, his famed wealth notwithstanding. To the contrary, that his famed wealth ought to make him visibly “loyal” to those who assisted him to rise politically, (a tree never makes a forest naa), but Ned Nwoko feels he is up there with anybody in the country. And that is a mortal sin in politics.

A senator is not on the same leadership pedestal with a former governor not to talk of a current governor. Loquacious Nyesom Wike captured it succinctly a few years ago when he warned his Rivers state people that “there is no small governor”. And let me add, “in the third world”.

Another law of power says, “Always say less than Necessary: Silence breeds Power and Talking too much Reveals your plans.”*

Yet another says. “Win with Actions, never Arguments: Prove your point through actions, not Words.”

The contents of the viral video and the cacophony of voices sympathetic to the senator, portrayed the senator as mates with every leader of the party in the state. He talked carelessly, deferred to no one, addressed his leaders as mates on first name basis. Remember he was not there with them for 20 years. That is the height of indiscretion and disrespect. And the multitude of attack dogs, both official and unofficial recruits, have led their man to the slaughter house and he is going to be sacrificed, sadly and unfortunately.

In the past three weeks, two top level gatherings of the leadership of Delta Northerners have held. One was a courtesy visit to the immediate past governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa by Anioma leaders. Go through the role call and see that the senator representing Delta North was not there. Then a few days ago, Delta North leaders of the PDP, where the senator representing them belongs, gathered in Ibusa to begin to set agenda for future politics. Again, their representative in the senate was conspicuously absent. And the mob of social media journalists can’t see that something is clearly wrong. Is Senator Ned Nwoko likely to make it to any of such meetings towards 2027? Highly unlikely.

Ned Nwoko appears to be a wrong person to invest in, in politics, talking from the perspective of leaders and followers alike. It appears that, as soon as he gets his victory, he embarks on a solo run? Is that any wonder why he did only one term in his first stint in the HoR, where someone like Ossai Nicholas Ossai was almost doing four terms? History is about to repeat itself, unless the “Anioma people” cheering him on have a vessel for him to actualise his dreams.

OPINION OF AN INSIDER
In writing this piece, I discussed with sources that should know one or two things. I prodded a former member of the State House of Assembly who should know insider information at that their top level. Here are excerpts of what he said, “…Who brought in Nwoko? Who gave him money? He didn’t have money to run that election. I was involved. So I know what transpired…”

Getting slightly angry, the man further said, *”…We are waiting for him to make a move out of the party. Let him try his popularity in the coming elections in another party. I bet he will not even win his ward.* Fact check me…”

For me, all I can say is, “issues dey o”.

CROSSING THE RUBICON
The senator representing Delta North Senatorial zone, Prince Ned Nwoko appears to have crossed a line of no return and there is no coming back. But he may well pull off a stunt. He can be a Donald trump or even an Ifeanyi Okowa both of whom fought off all odds to surmount obstacles before them. The other “option with prospect” is for Ned to begin to seek accommodation in the All People’s Congress, APC. That is a ticket that will give PDP a run for their money. But PDP in Delta State is waiting for that move. Any other party will see him get trashed like a baby.

Here is wishing our hardworking senator well, but it will not be easy for him. And in the end, the Prince may have led many gullible Anioma people on a wild goose chase in what is seen as a noble pursuit but badly prosecuted and mismanaged, due to some psychological deficiencies or is it superiority complex? And my peep into the future is that history will not be kind to Senator Ned Nwoko if he again loses. It will just be too sad.

* Iwemdi Nwaham writes from Asaba.

Leave your vote

Facebook Comments

Army Budget Communique Delta State Discourse Ethiopia Insight Nigeria Opinion Politics