Has Senator Andy Uba’s Political Empire Crumbled?

Society Watch

Do you wish to write a book about a certain Nigerian politician whose political career seems to have been buried before his very eyes in the current dispensation?

Then, your subject should be no other than the Anambra State-born politician and former lawmaker, Senator Andy Uba.

Before now, he was one of the most dreaded politicians in the state as well as neighbouring states. His name resonated with power, influence and wealth. And he was so powerful that his words were law. When he sneezed, many politicians caught a cold, and many young and aspiring politicians literally worshipped the ground he walked on.

But as the saying goes: “Power is transient.’’ Uba did not enjoy the power for so long, as it gradually slipped out of his fingers. His pathetic story began sometime in 2007 when he experienced his first baptism of fire.

His hope of becoming the Number One citizen had been dashed when the Supreme Court nullified his governorship election victory. Since then, either by design or accident, the most sought-after position has eluded him.

The billionaire politician suffered another humiliation of his life in 2018 when he lost the All Progressives Congress primaries to a political rookie, Tony Nwoye.

So desperate for his long life ambition, Uba has had to jump from one political party to the other to realise his goal, all to no avail.

This was evident last year when he left his former political party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling party, All Progressives Party (APC) in the bid to realise his dream in the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State.

He came a distant third, as the election was won by the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles Soludo. This further confirmed that he is no longer a force to be reckoned with in the political circle of the state.

Undeterred, he vowed to reclaim his mandate in the court of law. But the Supreme Court last week voided his participation in the last governorship election in the state as the APC flag bearer.

A five-member panel of the court, last Tuesday, ruled that APC breached its guidelines for the conduct of primaries and thus, failed to conduct a valid primary from which Uba emerged as the party’s candidate in the Anambra governorship election.

The Supreme Court affirmed the February 23, 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the December 20, 2021 judgment by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

This has finally nailed the coffin on his political relevance, thereby leaving him in the wilderness.  This according to political watchers in the state has set tongues wagging while many ask if this is the end of his political empire.