Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah is loved by his people especially the youths. Over 80% of Igbo youths see him as a genuine leader. This has led to every political party in Nigeria wooing him to come and help them win election.
In 2015, it was Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah who relocated to Lagos state, moved to all Igbo markets and areas dominated by Ndigbo and mobilised them into PDP. It was the first time in history that Ndigbo won two House of Representatives seat and a House of Assembly seat. Apart from the seats won by Ndigbo, PDP Lagos broke the jinx, taking over some elective positions from APC that usually win every election in Lagos state. All these were because of the intervention of Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah.
But PDP failed to retain his selfless services. In 2017, Ubah contested for the governorship election of Anambra state and was meted with injustice. PDP showed no appreciate to his fearless effort at helping the party to win elections.
Shortly after the PDP primaries, APGA leadership saw the potentials in him and came begging. APGA made all manner of promises to him including an automatic senatorial ticket. As at the time he joined APGA to rescue gov Obiano whose reelection bid was in comatose, there was little or no hope that the governor would make it.
As a utility player who will always make a difference whenever he is introduced into a game, he swung into action. From his intellectual sagacity, he coined a phrase, ‘Afa Igbo Efuna.’
‘Afa Igbo Efuna’ became a movement as youths from all works of life quickly identified with it. Within a week, he breathed life into APGA, and on November 18, 2017 governorship election, the result was 21/21. Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah delivered.
Again, APGA failed him. Gov Obiano turned to tiger forgetting that ‘na mmadu aburochukwu.’ Ifeanyi Ubah was pushed out of APGA. The enemies celebrated, but as the saying goes that every disappointment is a blessing, Ubah began another journey.
This time, he joined Young Progressive Party. YPP was unknown and existed only in the head of the few founders. But like Obiano’s dying 2017 governorship campaign which Ubah resuscitated, he breathed a political life into the newly registered party. Many doubted his capacity to win with a party without any structure in Anambra south where the likes of Senator Andy Ubah, Chief Chris Uba, Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu, Chief Ken Emeakayi among other heavy weights had all emerged flag bearers from their different political parties.
As a political mathematician, crowd puller and sagacious lover of youth empowerment, Ubah tactically dismantled all APGA structures in Anambra south, coopted PDP political freelancers and mobilised wandering APC members into YPP. Within 30 days, YPP in Anambra south senatorial zone became a youth movement.
But the naysayers still believed that no man born of a woman can retire Andy Ubah. Some said that Oga and his Madam at Agu Awka would ensure he was defeated. Like a joke, APGA Leader ordered that all his billboards and campaign materials be destroyed. Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency led by Jude Emecheta within 48 hours carried out the order.
In the midst of all the plots of ‘we must bring him down’, Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah kept his strategy going and on Saturday, February 23, 2019, he emerged victorious at the poll. He won convincingly in most of the polling units and wards across the senatorial zone. The youths, women and men who believe in him made an uncommon statement – They spoke with their PVC.
Despite winning convincingly at the poll, the enemies went into another conspiracy. The Anglican church led by chief Goody Ezeemo of Umuchu laid another trap. The Anglican church cabal wanted to use their contacts to either get their own declared or the election will be declared inconclusive.
Confusion set in. The Returning Officer who earlier declared Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah of YPP as the winner of the election having polled the highest number of votes cast recanted within 36 hours. Ifeanyi Ubah was declared winner at about midnight on Sunday, February 24. Within one hour, that’s about 1am, a petition was written by Chief Chris Uba and within 24 hours, an election that was declared conclusive was declared inconclusive.
Again, God showed himself and within another 24 hours the truth emerged, the Returning Officer stood his ground on doing what’s right. He investigated the petition and quickly wrote to the Resident Electoral Commissioner Anambra state, withdrawing his earlier letter of February 25 and reaffirmed that Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah was duly elected and that anyone with contrary opinion should approach the tribunal.
While ndi YPP went to sleep after hearing that the Returning Officer recanted, a suit was quickly filed by Chief Chris Uba at the Federal High Court Awka asking the court to grant an order stopping INEC from issuing a certificate of Return to Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah. To the Glory of God, the court rejected the application.
While our people were busy plotting to stop him, Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah’s victory from an unknown party reverberated across the nation. He became the topic of discussion at every gathering. Those who understand his capacity began to look for him.
The troubled political atmosphere in Lagos state where a battle line was drawn between Ndigbo and ndi Yoruba which has threatened the candidature of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s anointed political godson, Babajide Sanwo Olu needed an Ifeanyi Ubah to pull through.
Acknowledging the fact that Ndigbo love him and see him as a genuine leader, APC Lagos state had to bring him on loan from YPP to lead their campaign in the state. They want him to deliver Babajide Sanwo Olu on March 9, the same way he delivered gov Obiano of APGA on November 18, 2017. They know that his people love him. They know that Ndigbo listen to him.
The rejected stone has become the chief corner stone. One thing is sure, the political feud between Ndigbo in Lagos and their Yoruba brothers are over.
Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah is a stabilizer. He is in Lagos to heal the wound and ease every political tension between the two neighbours. With Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, every intimidation of our people in any part of the country will be addressed.
Let’s keep supporting him.
