By Chuks Iloegbunam
Without Chief Victor Umeh, Governor Peter Obi would not
have had a second term of office. This declaration is an easy start to
explaining the title of this article. It happened this way. Well before his
first tenure ended, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, fed up to the hairline,
ruled Mr. Obi out of a second term. One morning, General Ojukwu arrived APGA
offices in Awka, to the cheers of party faithful and expectant journalists.
There, he lifted the hand of Mr. Emeka Etiaba, now a Senior Advocate of Nigeria,
and pronounced him the man to fly APGA’s flag in the 2010 governorship
election.
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| *Gov Obiano |
Government House, Awka, immediately went into
turmoil, with Governor Obi looking like someone poleaxed. Long hours later, he
ditched lamentation for counteraction. This came in his flying to Victor Umeh’s
patronage. They met later that week at the grounds between Government Lodge, Enugu 50 metres away. Left severely alone, Governor
fell to his knees, contrite, subdued and solicitous, pleading with Umeh for a
second chance. After some contemplation, Umeh, reluctantly decided to give Obi
a kind ear.
