CROSS RIVER CENTRAL: OWAN- ENOH VERSUS SANDY ONOR- WHO BLINKS FIRST?

With less than three weeks to the 2015 general elections, UBONG INYANG, takes a look at the fierce contest for the Central Senatorial district of Cross River between two kinsmen,

Hon. John Owan-Enoh of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and Dr. Sandy Onor of the labour Party(LP).

There is a war in the Central part of Cross River. But it is not a war of armies. You can call it a battle of wits or clash of the titans. Whatever you call it; it is nothing short of a fierce war on the political space of the State between two kinsmen.

Two kinsmen are at the moment plotting each other’s fall in the battle to represent Cross River Central Senatorial district in the upper chambers of the National Assembly. Hon. Owan-Enoh is contesting senatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Dr. Sandy Onor is slugging it out with him under the banner of the labour Party (LP).
 
 Undoubtedly, they are both prominent politicians who are conversant with the political terrain of the state. From the onset of democracy, they have been involved in the running of the affairs of the state. Owan-Enoh for instance had been a member of the Cross River State House of Assembly from 1999-2003 and currently representing Etung/Obubra in the lower Chamber of the National Assembly while Sandy Onor had been Chairman of Etung local government during Donald Duke’s administration and Commissioner for Agriculture/ Environment in Liyel Imoke’s administration. He was also the Chairman of NCPN.

One distinctive feature they both have is that they are lecturers with very robust intellectual capability. In fact, the two kinsmen bestrode the political landscape of Cross River like a colossus; they are a strong force to reckon with in the politics of the State.
 
Owan-Enoh was a staunch member of the All Peoples Party (APP) but later dumped the party to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was one of the pillars of the APP before the party went into oblivion and its members dissolved into various political parties, especially to the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (now APC) and PDP.

Sandy Onor was also a staunch member of the APP. He later moved to the PDP and became a prominent member. He has contributed in no small measure in giving the party lifeline in the state, particularly in the Central Part of the state. Due to the controversy and crisis generated during the last primaries of the PDP, he defected to the labour party to contest for the Senate.
 
 Having won the tickets of their parties, the two lecturers cum politicians are now set for a battle royale with a view to grabbing the Senatorial seat of Cross River Central. They are known to be dogged fighters and rivals when it comes to politics, in spite of their close affinity and long years of service in the state.

However, analysts say the battle would be one of the keenest in the political history of Cross River owing to the fact that they are both grass root politicians who are greatly loved by the people. Sandy Onor during his time as Chairman of Etung LGA had been at home with the people and has impacted positively on their lives. These political experts say would be one of the strongest points that could give him an edge over Owan-Enoh. Though his ambition is believed to have been an after-though having left the PDP in anger due to the perceived injustice in the party.

Nevertheless, Onor’s ability to alter the political arithmetic of the PDP played out recently when he explored the length and breadth of the Central part of the state to woo electorates. The reception from the people of the central was tumultuous. He was received with open hands thereby giving credence to prediction that the opposition may capture certain parts of the State. His entry into the race has no doubt given the ruling party sleepless nights owing to the fact that he possesses the grass root clout and war chest to cause a major upset in the political chessboard of Cross River. He is a strong politician by all standards. Many believe that Onor is at the moment working with the structures of the out-of-favour Senate leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba who controversially lost the ticket to Owan-Enoh. But one ponders, would this supposed structures of his political friend and popularity guarantee him victory against Owan-Enoh whose party is well grounded in all parts of the State?

The answer to these question is however not far-fetched due to the long standing dominance of the PDP in the State. In fact, over the years the general believe had always been that anyone contesting on the platform of the umbrella party will against all odds, coast home to victory. But all that seems to have changed in recent times. A viable opposition seems to have crept into the political scenario of Cross River and may consume the PDP in the general elections if they (PDP) fail to work hard.
Owan-Enoh on the other hand is someone you can describe as one of the pillars of the PDP in Cross River. He is not a push-over in the politics of the zone and the State as a whole. He has considerable influence in the zone, having impacted on the lives of thousands of his kinsmen. Owan-Enoh is a big spender when it comes to politics and this gives credence to why he single-handedly financed the rehabilitation of some federal roads in the state which had been in a deplorable condition. The soft-spoken, baby-face and easy going experience lawmaker is no doubt the people’s delight. He has massive grass root support, a condition which may give him victory in the senatorial election. Quite a lot of politicians in the state have been beneficiaries of his philanthropic gesture by way of political sponsorship. Although he fought tooth and nail to secure the senatorial ticket of the PDP which was a subject of controversy and crisis between him and the Senate leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba. Even as the primaries had long been concluded and the senatorial ticket of the PDP firmly in his hands, the dust is yet to settle as some stakeholders loyal to Ndoma-Egba are still pissed off with the leadership of the PDP, especially the Governor, Liyel Imoke who is alleged to have deliberately shoved out Ndoma-Egba in favor of Owan-Enoh.

Owing to recent political developments, pundits believe that the Central Senatorial district may no longer be considered as a stronghold of the PDP. This is due to the heightened disenchantment of the people against the PDP for fielding some candidates whom they are opposed to. But political watchers believe that such disenchantment may not have any adverse effect on the chances of Owan-Enoh getting the upper hand in the Senatorial contest. This they say is hinged on the fact that the PDP remains the party to beat in the state despite the rising tide of opposition. But some believe that with the entry of Onor into the race, the usual carry-go of the PDP may not work this time.

More so, some analysts believe strongly that Owan-Enoh may get a soft landing with the support of the incumbent governor and alleged directive from above that the party in the state must ensure his victory to the senate.

Meanwhile, the two kinsmen are leaving no stone unturned to win the election. While Onor is mobilizing massively to upstage Owan-Enoh, Owan-Enoh on the other hand is battling hard to maintain the long standing and unbeatable momentum of the PDP in Central district. Whichever way it goes, it is an affair of two kinsmen.