No one likes to lose, much less a political contest in which all contenders boast that they would win. So the shock of losing an election, the trauma of the month-long stress of electioneering campaign, the huge sums of money spent in pursuit of the project, betrayal from trusted allies and supporters, all these make it even worse.

At the end of every election, there is a winner and there are losers. In reality, both winning and losing are integral parts of our existential experience; someone must win a political contest, others will lose, but that’s not the end.

The Anambra state governorship election which will be completed today after the supplementary election in Ihiala local government is as good as concluded with a clear winner, except for any last-minute, unforeseen miracle. Otherwise, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of APGA is the substantive governor-elect of Anambra state. And so moving on, it is expected to read outbursts from politicians who lost the contest. No one likes to lose, much less a political contest in which all contenders boast that they would win. So the shock of losing an election, the trauma of the month-long stress of electioneering campaign, the huge sums of money spent in pursuit of the project, betrayal from trusted allies and supporters, all these make it even worse. Perhaps, within the reality and context of human relations and engagements, nothing is more devastating than losing an election and people respond to the shock differently.

In the days ahead, it is therefore expected that friends may fallout in public. Allies may cut ties. People will demand that their monies given freely as election mobilization funds which those given did not use, should be returned to them. It is going to be a full-blown crisis, which may involve some level of violence like beating, harassment with police, detention, among others. Things like this have happened before, so it is not exactly new. Yet, in every election, some political merchants still go about collecting money from politicians and accepting election mobilization funds only to pocket same. It is quite a jungle out there, and a terrible experience for any politician who has lost. For the one who has won, all is suddenly fair and just, such is the supremacy of victory.

Everything associated with election victory and loss is also associated with life itself, nothing is new. Those who are victorious must show restraint and magnanimity
in their victory.

In Nnewi, there is an ongoing ‘fight’ between Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah, the YPP candidate and his mentor, Chief Cletus Ibeto, a major financier and supporter of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo of APGA. Sen. Ubah is not happy not only with Ibeto, but also with other Nnewi-born wealthy and powerful men who did not support him. Although in 2019, Chief Ibeto was the major supporter of Sen. Ubah in his senatorial aspiration. When APGA renegade on the deal brokered by Ibeto to give Ubah APGA’s senatorial ticket of Anambra South. Chief Ibeto supported Sen. Ubah in YPP and Ubah later won overwhelmingly. But in 2021, Ibeto did not support Ubah for governor, instead, he supported Soludo. Other Nnewi-born heavyweights supported various candidates of their choice. For Sen. Ubah, it is too difficult for him to stomach. In his radio outing earlier, he blamed Nnewi rich and powerful for his fate and accused them of sabotaging the ‘Nnewi Agenda’. He also shamed them for failing to win their polling units as they could not stop people from showing him (Sen. Ubah) love and voting for him notwithstanding. While he did this without mentioning anybody’s name, yet, he left a clue. The closest hint he gave was when he referred to “nke na alu motor” which can be translated to mean “the carmaker”, of which the identity is certain and unmistaken.

As his discussion went viral, soon, a piece, “Ifeanyi Ubah, lest you forget” authored by a certain Anthony Okoli, obviously, a pseudo, followed and was spreading on WhatsApp and social media platforms till Tuesday morning. The piece essentially noted how Ifeanyi Ubah was the major supporter of Andy Uba in 2007 against his own Nnewi sister, who was then the Deputy Governor. Chief Ibeto allegedly shared the post in a Nnewi Forum and that proven to have provoked Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah to a telling point. This morning, Ifeanyi Ubah personally shared a piece titled, “Oga Cletus Ibeto, lest you forget; Never stab a man that calls you father and mentor.” also authored by “the same” Anthony Okoli. This piece accused Chief Ibeto of working against “Nnewi Agenda” and also of destroying Nnewi rising figures in a bid to remain a godfather forever, among many others. Things like this are expected in this season because of tension, the pressure of personal sacrifices that have come to nothing, and the shame and sadness associated with losing. Sen. Ubah has always extolled Chief Ibeto as his father and his mentor, and we were witnesses to how Chief Ibeto stood his ground in 2019 and gave him full support to the senate, but these are different times.

The winner of the election and. in this instance Prof. Chukwuma Soludo should, as a matter of strategic outreach, extend a hand to all colleagues in the contest, all of them, if he has not. This will help in their recovery process and also help to stabilize his government on time.

Both election victory and losses must be managed in the utmost interest of all. Everything associated with election victory and loss is also associated with life itself, nothing is new. Those who are victorious must show restraint and magnanimity in their victory. There is absolutely no need to join issues with anyone who has lost. Those who lost are going to need time to heal and there is just no use robbing it on their faces. But even those that lost must understand that someone must win and therefore others have to lose in consequence. They must show maturity and sportsmanship, desist from name-calling and shaming. For instance, Sen. Ubah won Nnewi squarely despite the fact that both APGA and APC major supporters and financiers are from the same Nnewi and have intimidating capacities. Still, YPP won APGA which is the closest rival by almost three thousand votes. There is nothing he needs to say that can speak louder than the result he has. Winners and losers must show grace and moderation in their commentaries and reactions to the election outcome.

The winner of the election and in this instance Prof. Chukwuma Soludo should, as a matter of strategic outreach, extend a hand to all colleagues in the contest, all of them, if he has not. This will help in their recovery process and also help to stabilize his government on time. Given the background of this year’s election, the growing tension might signal a return of the old pattern in which electoral victory is needlessly and hopelessly dragged in the court, causing distraction and impacting negatively on governance. In the interest of Anambra state, stakeholders and respected figures who wield influence over the candidates should intervene on time to forestall possible adverse impact of political bickering and bad blood, on governance.

♦ Ebuka Onyekwelu, strategic governance exponent,  is a columnist with the WAP