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By Ikeddy ISIGUZO
INTRIGUES and the quick sands of politics fully manifested in the affairs of Sir Tony Chuks Obuh, who was a sure bet for governorship of Delta State in the heady days leading to the 2015 elections. It was not about the hordes of supporters already calling him “His Excellency”, no, Obuh had the support of departing Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, who left nobody in doubt that Obuh’s inauguration was awaited.
From campaigns through discrete meetings held within and outside the State, Obuh was sold as the candidate. Sir bought into the project, resigning from the civil service where he had spent 32 years. His brilliance shone through presentations to various stakeholders as the campaigns went through their final stages. He was billed as a worthy successor to Uduaghan.
Obuh, 62, died in the early hours of Thursday at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. He was a month away from his 63rdbirthday, and was serving as Chairman, State Pensions Board, a position to which Okowa sworn him in 18 months ago.
Uduaghan praised his diligence and experience, describing him as, “an experienced retired civil servant, who started working with me first as Director, then Permanent Secretary in SSG’s Office, and then my Permanent Secretary in the Government House,” in a tribute that mirrored their relationship.
“He became Permanent Secretary Government House and Protocol, when I was Governor, from where he resigned to contest the Governorship seat of Delta State.
“After the unsuccessful attempt, he was appointed a Commissioner for Special Duties until the end of my administration.
“In the past few years, he has dealt with a protracted illness for which he had sought medical solutions both in Nigeria and overseas. He finally succumbed to the illness in the early hours of this morning.
“He was a highly effective and efficient technocrat, hardworking, dedicated, and very humble”, Uduaghan said. He prayed for the repose of his soul of the deceased and sent his heartfelt condolences to the family and associates of the deceased.
Muffled protests had continued within the party, and especially among the Anioma sides of the State when Uduaghan continued promoting his candidacy weeks to the primaries in 2014. One of the charges was that none of the candidates stood a chance against Obuh.
Was Obuh not their son? Some said he was not, tracing his ancestry away from the part of the State that had been zoned the governorship slot. Some said he was from Edo State. Politics exhumes extreme positions. The fights were on behalf of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the current Governor. The tension continued within the party.
It was reportedly the turn of Dr. Okowa to be Governor. According to the legend, Dr. Okowa had won the primaries in 2006, to step into the office James Ibori was vacating. Ibori asked Okowa to step down for his cousin Uduaghan with a promise that Okowa would be Governor after eight years of Uduaghan.
Okowa was a candidate in the primaries, assuming it was his turn. His group spoke of the uneven turf under which the primaries would be conducted. A small delegation went to London to press Ibori, who was in prison, to keep his promise to Okowa. The meeting was successful. The party was told to vote for Okowa.
I last saw Sir Tony in Anwai, outside Asaba, in April 2016, a day after his son’s wedding. The crowds around him had thinned, as was expected of one who was no longer in power. The occasion was the thanksgiving service of the previous day’s wedding. He had the event at a chapel of the Anwai campus of the Delta State University.
“The family has always worshipped here,” he explained. It was another notch in his humility. He took the lost governorship in his pace.
On 17 September 2019, we exchanged Whatsapp messages. We had not been in touch for over three years. I had no clue that he was ill.
Greetings sir. I hope you are fine.
Good afternoon bro. I’m good. And you ?
I am fine thanks. Just found you number while checking my backups. How’s the family?
We are fine. We give glory to God.
To God be the glory for the life of a man, who did his best in high office, but kept his humility. Farewell Sir Tony Obuh, may the Almighty rest you.