Whereas firmness of character and integrity define a real man, nothing ruins him faster than hypocrisy and or desperation. Either of both, the latter cannot be unconnected with the unfortunate severance of morality from our politics. A real man is expected at all times to take full responsibility for his actions. Even at the pain of death, he is expected to always stick to his gun and take a definite stand on issues irrespective of whatever logic.
But with materialism today as predominantly the motivation for political interests especially in Nigeria, a weak cum morally-bankrupt fellow cannot but tow the path of dishonor so as to remain a thorough-bred   chameleon which sadly has become the case of most public office holders.
With the 2015 general elections fast approaching, series of activities that corroborate these are increasingly manifesting by the day, but Enugu State seems to be on the very wrong side of the trend. Any keen political observer would agree that it is mere political expediency that could make Governor Sullivan Chime to suddenly somersault, relative to his support for President Goodluck Jonathan. One had expected him to stick to his gun.
Just like yesterday, Chime variously spoke against the then public clamour for Jonathan to be made the acting president during the sick days of the late Umaru Yar’adua. In a particular instance, he dismissed Jonathan as being incompetent to assume the presidency.  In fact, it was his tacit sympathy and support for James Ibori that made people wonder why the apathy towards Jonathan. This even continued while his hospitalization lasted in the United Kingdom.
When Adamu Muazu came to the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the first meeting of the party national working committee with PDP governors and National Assembly members was shunned by the likes of Chime. Though no official reason was given, bur it could be that with the emergence of Muazu, Chimaroke Nnamani, his predecessor would become relevant again to the point of likely taking full control of the party in the state.  This was merely on account of both Muazu and Nnamani serving as governors at the same time under Obasanjo. He also lamented that Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu’s influence in the party has been on the rise, as such it would be impossible for him to realise his senatorial ambition in2015.
He blamed Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s exit as PDP national chairman on Jonathan’s lack of political will, insinuating that it marked the beginning of the dwindling of the fortunes of the party. How time flies!
The manner Vita Abba was foisted on the party as the state chairman still calls for question. He is today massaging the egos of the elders he neglected and abandoned since the inception of his second tenure having ridden on their backs to come back to power. The glaring highhandedness and total disregard to party discipline and procedures have combined to pose a serious threat to PDP in Enugu State. Another evidence of the state government’s disdain towards Jonathan presidency was during the last South-East zonal rally of the PDP in Enugu. The governor used the event to launch his senatorial campaign and that of his Chief of Staff, Ifeoma Nwobodo. Touts physically assaulted the PDP South-East publicity secretary at the event. Jonathan and Muazu were equally castigated for not involving PDP governors from the South-East in the recent composition of the party’s zonal integration committees.
Of all the support groups rooting for Jonathan’s re-election bid, Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), has been practically leading in the campaign. During its South-East rally in Awka, Anambra State, Chime demonstrated apathy towards the body. But the rally turned out to be a huge success. TAN is already a household name in Enugu State with a well-grounded structure under the leadership of Chief Anayo Onwuegbu, a successful businessman, philanthropist and grassroots mobiliser.
Rather than leveraging on the political capital inherent in the activities of TAN in the South-East generally, Chime put up a pseudo pro-Jonathan group called Enugu Movement for the Re-election of Jonathan (EMRJ). While the world is waiting to see the magic wand of EMRJ for the re-election of Jonathan and with the shabbily organized rally over, the people of the state have rather resorted to counting their losses.
Economic activities did not need to be grounded to reelect Jonathan. That was a height of hypocrisy. Why embark on a state rally after the PDP zonal rally in Enugu in April and TAN zonal rally in Awka, all involving Enugu State and for Jonathan if truly they meant well? Besides, Jonathan has since been adopted as the party’s sole candidate except Enugu State is no longer of PDP.
Again, it is still war of attrition against Ekweremadu and the National Assembly members from the state that led to these self-inflicted distractions such that governance is now practically stalled in the state.  Muazu, typical of a leader determined to succeed, has been harping on his resolve to reconcile and heal the party while promoting internal democracy. He has repeatedly announced that for the party to win in all the elections, only popular and marketable candidates should be fielded.  He stressed that for the challenges facing the party to be surmounted there should be some sort of attitudinal change:
“You know that the party has lost some grounds. You know it cannot be business as usual. We shall reassess ourselves. We shall remark ourselves. We shall be truthful to ourselves. We shall be sincere to ourselves nationwide to find out what has gone wrong.”
Food for thought. Chime should embark on a genuine fence-mending if the party must be united and refocused.

*Ben Ike Mba writes in from Enugu

Enugu rally: Between Jonathan and Chime