By Chimaobi Afiauwa
The Nigerian brand of politics, as it is often played by politicians, has a whole lot of trappings for malice, animosity, calumny, name-calling, and a do-or-die attitude, just to mention a few. It is a zero-sum game that is dauntingly unforgiving, with a protracted imbroglio amongst the gladiators that, in most cases, is to the detriment of the people they want to govern.
It is probably from the foregoing that many see politics as a dirty game desperately played by those who are dirty. No doubt, it is like murky waters you would not want to dive into for swimming without making up your mind to come out dirty from it. So, can a politician be clean in the game?
The Abia state governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu (KSJI), is that one politician who, since coming close to him, has demonstrated that politics can be played in an ideal manner, devoid of the negative characteristics of it most politicians exhibit. Before the commencement of the governorship campaigns, for instance, he specifically instructed his media team, which I am part of, to focus on the issue-based campaigns, placing the developmental issues of the state far above the name-calling, propaganda, and calumny that often go along with political campaigns.
The instruction was contained in a Facebook post he made on his verified personal Facebook page, which partly reads, “As the governorship campaigns officially kick off in Nigeria today, I have specifically instructed my media team not to be petty with anybody while projecting me but should focus on disseminating our formulated policy statements and manifestos to the public.” The instruction is in line with the promises I have made to run an issue-based campaign devoid of calumny, propaganda, and name-calling.
So far, with two weeks until the governorship election, Chief Kalu, keeping to his promise to run an issue-based campaign, has resolutely not deviated from talking about the issues. In a series of radio and television interviews, town hall meetings, and debates, he has refused to stoop low to the calumnious statements against his opponents or the ruling party. In fact, on several occasions when most radio presenters have pushed him to discredit Gov. Okezie, he has always told them that the government is not running for the 2023 governorship election.
Lest you think the Abia state APP governorship candidate is putting up an image that is a facade just for election’s sake, go back and check his antecedents before he threw his hat in the ring for the governorship. In 2010, when the political crisis between the then-incumbent governor, T. A. Orji, and Uzor Kalu’s family started brewing, he quietly resigned from his position as the Chief of Staff and never got embroiled in the crisis—something that is uncommon in Nigerian politics.
Till today, his public service records have never been up for scrutiny, which, undoubtedly, is evidence that he served diligently. As someone who has served in that capacity, knowing how the game plays out, you would think his opponents would come up with any records while in office against him. But none of that is to be found.
Having found none, they resorted to the argument that he is Orji Uzor Kalu’s brother, which has become a cliche and a lame argument. On his part, though, the former Abia State Chief of Staff, even in his quest to become the next governor of the state, accepts in good faith the advantages and disadvantages that come with being a brother to OUK, depending on the circumstances at hand.
If they are those who hate him in politics, they do so not because he has in any way offended them but because he is a brother to OUK, who probably could be their political enemy. This, of course, led to his famous statement at the Anambra’s Day celebration by the Aba-based indigenes of the state late last year at the Abiapoly, where he said, “They have nothing against me except that I am a brother to OUK.”
But, surprisingly, the APP governorship candidate remains unperturbed by the inherited political enmity. Pacifically, this has in no way stopped him from building bridges as the thorough pacifier and unifier he is. On Anambra’s Day last year, you could see him freely interacting with Senator Abaribe, who is perceptibly one of his brother’s political rivals.
With his antecedents as a bridge-builder, it was not surprising to many that his campaign’s mantra revolves around unifying Abia State and making it great again. The political quarrel amongst the political class thus far is what he had previously identified as one of the contributory factors to the underdevelopment of the state and has promised to resolve it if elected into office.
The astonishing palpable qualities of Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu (KSJI), in all sincerity, make me wonder what manner of a politician this is.
