How Gulak’s odyssey in politics got fatal in Imo

The news of the death of a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, in Imo State has left Nigerians in shock.

Gulak was killed at Obiangwu along Aba-Owerri road on his way to the airport, apparently to board a flight to Abuja on Saturday night. Ironically, Gulak claimed to have escaped death by a whisker in the same state back in 2018.

As Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Primary Committee in Imo, Gulak controversially declared current Governor Hope Uzodinma winner of the exercise.

The late APC chieftain later alleged that unknown gunmen attempted to kidnap him, reportedly sent by then Governor, Rochas Okorocha.

He said Uzodinma won after securing “423,895 votes to defeat eight other aspirants, including Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu.”

Gulak alleged that about nine out of the 12-member committee were “kidnapped,” by persons he described as “agents of the governor” who were led by a team of policemen to the hotel where the committee members were lodged.

He also alleged to have left Owerri “under the cover of darkness at about 4:00 A.M.” to make his way to Abuja, same method he adopted on Saturday.

Consequently, the APC dissolved the Gulak-led committee which conducted the primary, noting that another committee will be set up immediately for the conduct of fresh primaries in the state.

Gulak, however, insisted that contrary to the decision of the national leadership, the exercise reflected the position of his committee on the matter

In the People’s Democratic Party, Gulak courted controversy too. A former Adamawa State Assembly Speaker, he declared his intention in 2014 to contest for the post of Governor. In 2016, he stormed the party’s Headquarters where he declared himself national chairman.

But following intra-party wrangling in the PDP, the Adamawa chapter disowned Gulak as the party national leader and endorsed the candidature of Ambassador Wilberforce B. Juta, a former governor of the defunct Gongola State.

Gulak, accompanied by supporters, had his words: “Members of the PDP numbering 42,000 across the 21 local government areas including party executives have today wished to formally dump PDP and join APC officially. He gave his justification for the defection on how the Buhari administration was “degrading Boko Haram terrorists”.

Gulak’s murder further heightens the tension and insecurity across the South-East. As customary, the term “unknown gunmen” was first used to describe his assassins.

And although the Police described those behind the wicked act as “bandits”, a clearer distinction is needed at all time.

Analysts say the nomenclature is an immediate concern to Nigerians as they incite violence unabated across the South East and South-South.