ABIA 2023: CAN CHIMA ANYASO SAIL ON SHIP TAIL?

When on the 8th of December 2021, Chima Desmond Anyaso took to his Facebook page to announce the alliance between his OFUJI MOVEMENT and Ginger Onwusibe’s OTAWIKE FOUNDATION, many concluded that the Onu Ibina Igbere born businessman has served notice that he may be seeking beyond a seat at the Federal House of Representatives, like he did but failed in 2019.

Dr. Chima Desmond Anyaso, OFUJI BENDE and the athletically built Oil/Gas magnate announced his presence in party politics in 2019, winning the coveted Federal House of Representatives ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Bende Federal Constituency. While many wished him away as a greenhorn, he did the uncommon by demystifying Hon. Nnenna Ukeje, a ranking Federal Legislator at the time, defeating the Alayi born lawmaker in a keenly contested party primaries.

The President of UMUABA CONNECT failed to consolidate the tremendous goodwill that followed his success at the primary, losing to Benjamin Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

BENUDECHUKWU.COM gathered that though Chima seems to be restrategisizng, some members of the same team that inspired him to squander the tremendous goodwill of 2019 still lurk around his political corner.

Young, enterprising, benevolent, jolly good fellow, resourceful, connected and easy going, the Chief Executive Officer of CAADES GROUP by every standard fits into the personality Abians crave for come 2023.

THE NNENNA UKEJE CHALLENGE

Until Chima challenged and defeated Nnenna who was at the verge of being reelected for the Third term, many would have discharged the Igbere born Philanthropist with a wave of the hand. Unfortunately, that huge feat appears to have shaped his political history as events that followed were either the ones that showed strong support for his bravery or those that vowed that he deserved some measure of punishment for unsettling the inimitable ADA BENDE.Only recently, BENDE YOUTHS organised a GRAND CIVIC RECEPTION for Nnenna, perhaps a subtle way of informing Chima that Nnenna may be the most valid choice in 2023.

THE COSMOS NDUKWE FACTOR
Chima, BENUDECHUKWU.COM was reliably told, cannot tell the story of his memorable foray into Bende politics without giving resounding credit to Rt. Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe Ph.D (ManofGod). ManofGod, who was Deputy Speaker of the 6th Abia House of Assembly was believed to have obliged the Chima campaign team, the substance and strategies adopted for Chima to defeat the ranking House of Reps member. Interestingly, though Cosmos paid the ultimate prize of failing in his own bid to be reelected, it is yet to be seen if Chima understands the real import of the Cosmos Ndukwe factor in his political trajectory. Though it may not be correct to say there is no love lost between them, it appears dangerous if the budding Philanthropist thinks a problem can be wished away by forgetting it.

HIS STRENGHTS
The University of Lagos graduate of English Language has one of the softest spot for the poorest of the poor. His AHUOMA SCHOOLS, sponsored wholly from the proceeds of his privately owned businesses positions him as a person who deserves to be trusted for keeping to his promise. The wonders he has done through free and quality education within his Igbere and its environs would put him in good standing with his people

BENUDECHUKWU.COM can also authoritatively reveal that Chima may not be a regular politician as though he lost during the general elections of 2019, he made good his promise of gifting his supporters with different empowerment tools. It is also on record that he neither severed his relationship with any of his faithfuls nor did he seek to have them account for gifts like some other politicians would have done

His leadership of UMUABA CONNECT posts a budding advantage as the organisation boasts of members who are influential enough to make in roads in the seventeen Local Government Areaa should he decide to run

Chima Anyaso in demonstration of understanding of Abia Politics has returned to pledge his loyalty and friendship to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Engr. Chinedum Orji. It is the calculation of pundits that Chima may have lost the 2019 elections to the House of Representatives for partly failing to enlist the support of IKUKU. However, an IKUKU support at that time would have been nearly impossible as the Speaker was believed to have rooted for an Nnenna candidacy. His latest moves perhaps is to fill every gap, should he find himself in another political quagmire

Anyaso’s recent alliance with Ginger Onwusibe’s OTAWIKE FOUNDATION is a smart move given the enormity of goodwill that would likely flow through the Ginger connection. It is also presumed and correctly too that should the permutation tilt towards a joint ticket with the Isiala Ngwa emerging political force, Chima is assured of a smooth sail.

It is also yet to be seen which arm of the ruling PDP would deny support to a generous, sociable and serial entrepreneur.

HIS WEAKNESSES
Chima’s major albatross would be the backlash of his seeming rejection by his Igbere Kinsmen. Unless fences have been mended, the general impression at the time he was on the ballot to represent Bende Federal Constituency in 2019 was that he may have shown disrespect to Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu, accounting for his abysmal outing even in his local Igbere community. For the records, OUK has continued to call the shots in Igbere from 1999 till date, which implication is that any candidate he does not endorse, will always post poor results in Igbere

Bende may have the largest number of two faced politicians. This trait is neither an asset nor an advantage. Final results of the 2019 elections showed that Chima lost in most areas believed to be the strongholds of his presumed supporters. Unfortunately, BENUDECHUKWU.COM is aware that most of those characters who were Chima in the day and Nnenna at night still occupy the Chima Anyaso political space.

Those who wanted Nnenna and those who believe that ADA BENDE is the most formidable politician to checkmate the OUK scare in Bende would hardly allow Chima to try his look again being on the Reps ballot. This hard truth pushes him to have a go at the Governorship, where though he is eminently qualified, would throw him up as another greenhorn

The performance of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Hon. Benjamin Kalu and the towering popularity of APC in Abia North will pose as the evil tripod when the chips are down. With the rising profile of his partymen who are mostly regular unemployed politicians, the University of Lagos Master of Business Administration has, more than he can imagine, an uphill task before him.

THE TWIST
Should Chima decide to try his luck again with House of Reps, it is presumed that the “ghost” of Nnenna will put him in check. If Chima survives the Nnenna scare, the towering credentials of Hon. Benjamin Kalu will stand against him like the rock of Gibraltar.

Bende PDP as it is presently constituted is sitting on a keg of gun powder. With politicians in Bende virtually locked in an elevator fight, it does appear Chima is primed to sail on ship tail?

BENUDECHUKWU.COM asks again, given the peculiarities of the circumstances in Bende and Abia North, can Chima Desmond Anyaso sail on ship tail?

---

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

The opinions expressed except where they originate from benudechukwu.com, represent the views of such authors. BENUDECHUKWU.COM shall not be held liable for such personal views as canvassed.