Ubah’s Defection to APC Rattles Anambra Politicians

David-Chyddy Eleke writes that the recent defection of the Senator representing Anambra South senatorial zone, Ifeanyi Ubah, from the Young Progressives Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress may not be unconnected with his governorship ambition in Anambra come 2025.

Penultimate week,  news of the defection of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, member representing Anambra South senatorial district in the Nigerian Senate broke. His defection from Young Progressives Party (YPP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) was announced on the floor of the Senate, via a letter Ubah wrote to the Senate, which was read by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

In the letter, Ubah had among other things stated his reason for moving from YPP to APC to include; APC’s sterling leadership of the country, Tinubu’s fairness to Ndigbo, and the need for his constituency to be connected to the centre.

Ubah followed up his explanations by appearing on a national television on same Thursday to further explain his decisions.

He said: “For someone winning election back to back, you know that you must be close to your people and you must always consult widely with your people. So for me to join the APC, I did my consultation and then I listened to the voice of my people. If you look at the APC today, you will discover that the President (Bola Tinubu) has been super fair to the South-East irrespective of our votes during the elections. Giving us the Minister of Works (David Umahi) is something that would not have been possible in the past.

“There are other appointments that are coming and so many other good things he wants to do for our people. So, it is very important for us now to join the centre party so that we would not be left behind. The entire South-East is joining where I am going. Just watch and see what is going to be in the next few weeks.”

Ubah’s submissions may not be wrong. For someone who joined a then obscure party like YPP, Ubah was able to bring his influence to bear, using the party to win two hotly contested senatorial elections and also make a huge impact in the last governorship election in Anambra.

Ubah, the CEO of Capital Oil, was first elected a Senator under the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in 2019. He was also re-elected under the YPP in the recently concluded 2023 poll, after what has been adjudged an impressive showing, which also brought people into the fold of the party. Ubah’s claims may not be false that soon, many other politicians would begin to flock the party, this is especially as he himself has bigwig politicians, especially in Anambra State, who may move with him to APC.

In the last general elections, through Ubah’s doggedness, YPP was able to secure three House of Assembly seats in Anambra for young politicians, and also stood his ground to reclaim the victory of a House of Representatives candidate of his party, who was on the verge of losing her victory.

Most of these, may most likely join Ubah in his new party, when he holds his declaration rally. Moreso, Ubah is the national leader of YPP, and as such the face of the party.

With his exit, it would not be a surprise if the party collapses, as most of his political mentees, allies and supporters would join him.

Meanwhile, there are indications that Ubah’s defection has nothing to do with his love for APC and its achievements, but strictly because of his resolve to accomplish his long time ambition of becoming the governor of Anambra State.

A legal practitioner, Mr Tony Okafor, who spoke to THISDAY said: “Only two reasons can qualify a National Assembly member to defect: first is when there is a division (not crisis) in the political party that sponsored him to win the election, another is if there is a merger of the political party that sponsored him to win the election; see section 68 of the 1999 constitution.

“If YPP has the capacity, it should drag Ifeanyi Ubah to court to commence the process for his sack from the Senate. I think too that the people of Anambra South Senatorial District can be accorded the jurisdiction to litigate on this. Its selfish trading off of the people’s mandate. Wish I could help.

“Division is not running battle (as Ubah stated). Running battle at best could be quarrel or crisis. The constitution says division. Don’t we know what is Division. Division is like one divided by two (which is half). The only political party in Nigeria that can qualify to be said to be divided is may be Labour Party that has Apapa and Abure or so. YPP is not divided,” the lawyer submitted.

Besides these, many people in Anambra have insinuated that the move to join APC was to ensure that Ubah rode on the wings of the rulling party to actualize his ambition.

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, who spoke on condition of anonymity described Ubah’s defection as timely.

This is on the rumours that Senator Uche Ekwunife, a serial governorship contender like Ubah, who was recently named the Director General of South East Governors Forum, was warming up to move to APC, with the help and connection of both Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, and David Umahi, former governor of Ebonyi State, who are both top APC members.

“I don’t see Ifeanyi Ubah’s defection stopping that of Ekwunife, but what it means is that the trio of Ubah, Ekwunife and Andy Uba, who was the candidate of the party in the last governorship election would be slugging it out, which I know will favour Ifeanyi Ubah, because he currently holds a strategic position that the powers that be in APC would want to pay attention to.”

In the wake of the announcement of Ubah’s defection however, several members of APGA attacked him for what they described as his desperation. While many reminded him that APC remained a hard sell in Anambra, others told him that his desperation to hit Anambra governorship seat was making him return to his spittle (APC), which he had denied in 2019.

An APGA chieftain, Mr Chinedu Obigwe said of him: “The rumour is that Ubah dumped the Young Progressives Party (YPP) for APC to properly position himself to contest the 2025 governorship poll in the state against the incumbent governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo of APGA. As at the last count, Ubah has joined five political parties, namely, PDP, Labour Party, APGA, YPP, and APC. Those claiming that APGA is jittery with Ubah’s rumoured defection to APC are talking nonsense. As a matter of fact, APGA is unperturbed because  Ubah is a familiar political foe to the party(APGA) especially when it comes to governorship election contest.”

“He is a familiar political foe to APGA and the party knows how to beat him in every governorship election. To be honest, this latest move of Ubah is a political dent to him. It’s also an ill-advised and ill-conceived political move. The defection portrayed him as a political prostitute that specialises in jumping from one party to another. The attitude of jumping from one party to the other also portrayed Ubah as an inconsistent character that cannot be trusted.

“As for the rumour that he joined APC to contest for Governor in 2025, APGA remains unperturbed because his political move is inconsequential. When that time comes, Governor Soludo’s good works in Anambra will speak for him and Anambra electorate will use his re-election for a well deserved second term to reward him for his administration unprecedented transformation of Anambra State,” Obigwe said.