Cracking a Nigerian Fiefdom - NYTimes.com The Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe, one of Anambra's most illustrious sons, once described his home state as a "bankrupt and lawless fiefdom." The author of the aptly titled novel "Things Fall Apart" was appalled by the chaos following the abduction in 2003 of the state's governor, Chris Ngige, who was kidnapped from his home by a squad of policemen led by the state's most senior law enforcement officer. Gov. Ngige, it later transpired, had been kidnapped - apparently with a quiet nod from President Olusegun Obasanjo - because the governor's political sponsors were irritated by his failure to steer bogus state contracts their way. But, sadly for them, the kidnappers had forgotten to divest Mr. Ngige of his mobile phone. The governor was able to call the country's vice president, Atiku Abubakar, who immediately ordered his release. Mr. Ngige was restored to office. The policemen returned to duty, the state's top police official was retired, and the governor's former friends were forced to eat crow and turn their thoughts to other, more discreet plans of vengeance. There were no criminal charges. After all, such events were not unique to Anambra. In the years since military rule ended in Nigeria in 1999, elections like the one that bought Mr. Ngige to power were marked by high levels of violence, in which private militias worked hand-in-glove with soldiers to steal ballot boxes and beat up - or even kill - anyone who objected. But by 2011 things started to calm down. Indeed, by the standards of the recent past, the Anambra state elections this month - which have unleashed angry protests and bitter denunciations of fraud and political corruption at the highest levels - show how much things have improved. They also show that even the nation's "godfathers" have to move ahead with the times. The term, which refers to political patrons, is widely used in Nigeria. Chris Uba, a wealthy businessman who was close to President Obasanjo and had been happy to sponsor Mr. Ngige's political ambitions, is a good example of the genre. He and his fellow godfathers were displeased by the governor's failure to award them inflated contracts they did not intend to fulfill. Their outrage was amplified by a statement Mr. Ngige made after his abduction, in which he referred to a pledge of loyalty they had made him take before an Igbo religious shrine. "I followed them and watched them say their nonsense, and got out," he said, adding that he thought he could "afford to call their bluff" once he assumed office. Mr. Ngige's godfathers, disappointed by the police, were forced to seek payback elsewhere. And so they turned to the judicial process. With help from the federal government, they were able to get an election tribunal to declare Mr. Ngige's election invalid and rule that his opponent Peter Obi was the true victor. Mr. Ngige accepted the decision with good grace. A popular politician widely seen as being victimized by corrupt forces, he was subsequently elected senator. Now, with Mr. Obi's two terms as governor ending, Mr. Ngige has once more sought the post. The election last week was a three-way fight between the All Progressives Grand Alliance, represented by Mr. Obi's would-be successor, Willie Obiano; the Peoples Democratic Party, which is headed by President Goodluck Jonathan, and was represented in Anambra by Tony Nwoye; and the All Progressives Congress, represented by Mr. Ngige. The Grand Alliance is relatively insignificant on the national scene, with only two of the country's 36 governors, and only eight of the 469 seats in the National Assembly. The P.D.P., by contrast, has dominated Nigerian politics for nearly 15 years. It was also once the party of Mr. Ngige, who was hoping to bounce back with the A.P.C., itself a coalition of parties forged earlier this year in hopes of breaking the P.D.P."s grip in the general elections set for April 2015. The coalition, which controls 11 states and 102 National Assembly seats, represents a huge threat to the governing party. So it was imperative that the P.D.P. keep Mr. Ngige out.