Aguata Local Government Area has long enjoyed its own fair share of peace and tranquility in the selection of its Chairman. This harmony has been anchored on an unwritten gentleman's agreement between Aguata North and Aguata South. The arrangement is simple: One zone occupies the Chairmanship position for eight years, after which it rotates to the other zone for the same duration.
In the build-up to the 2027 general elections, this longstanding tradition of fairness that characterised the practice has been subtly and tactically subverted. This disruption is widely attributed to the maverick manoeuvrings of Chibueze Ofobuike (the incumbent Chairman of the Local Government Area), actions which ultimately cost Aguata South the opportunity to complete its eight-year tenure as Local Government Chairman.
His Excellency, Mr. Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, OFR (Oluatuegwu), made it clear that individuals who have previously served as Caretaker Committee Chairmen and elected Chairmen are ineligible to contest the forthcoming Local Government Council elections. Following this pronouncement, Chibueze Ofobuike reportedly realised that his personal political ambitions had been threatened. Instead of putting Aguata South first, grapevine information alleged that he sacrificed the zone on the altar of inordinate ambition.
The local government Chairmanship position was well within reach - a bird at hand - for Aguata South, had Chibueze Ofobuike chosen to place his zone and the people of Aguata South above his personal aspirations and pushed for the position. Instead, driven by vaulting ambition, he is said to have identified an opportunity in his estranged Deputy Chairman. Through calculated political maneuvering, he allegedly sidelined potential aspirants from Aguata South by preventing them from obtaining the Expression of Interest (EoI) and Nomination Forms for the Chairmanship position. He is further alleged to have orchestrated the emergence of his Deputy, who is from Ekwulobia, Aguata North, as the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate for the elections, effectively leaving Aguata South with nothing at the moment.
This is Chibueze Ofobuike's political strategy to block the emergence of a candidate for local government Chairmanship from Aguata South, and aspirants for the House of Representatives from Ekwulobia, while positioning himself advantageously for the House of Representatives seat in Aguata Federal Constituency.
This timely write-up sheds light on the maneuvering and manipulation of some Ndi Aguata through his propaganda machinery. Now that these issues have been laid bare, the good people of Aguata South are better placed to determine who should be held accountable for denying them their rightful turn to complete their tenure as Chairman of the Local Government Area.
It is important to note that the contest for House of Representatives seat in Aguata Federal Constituency has been opened to both Aguata North and Aguata South. The history of party primaries and general elections in the constituency has been well documented, and need not be revisited here.
A principled politician placed his people and their interests above personal gains. Any leader who sacrifices his zone and their interests to advance inordinate ambition deserves to be approached with caution. It defies logic for an individual to bargain away what belongs to his people, merely to secure advantage in a House of Representatives contest that is open to both Aguata North and South.
Now that the veiled has been lifted, the people of Aguata South must reflect deeply and act wisely. They should find the item that fell into the riverbed with their feet. The entire good people and residents of Aguata should know the number of their teeth with their tongues. What defines leadership is not physical appearance, but character.
The use of information is power. With the greater awareness comes the responsibility of choice. Now that Ndi Aguata may have know better, the choice of who would represent them in the Green Chambers rests with the people.