Fresh plot against Peter
Obi thickens
• Andy Uba still the problem in Anambra –
Senator Annie Okonkwo
By IKENNA EMEWU(ikenna@sunnewsonline.com)
Saturday, April 5,
2008
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•Gov
Obi
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Anambra State is at it once again. The war mongers of that
state who have vowed the people would know neither peace nor
progress are back on their game. The plot remains what it
has always been – to destabilize the state, to massacre,
loot and burn down places. But most of all, they want to do
this through a plot to still threaten the position of the
governor, Peter Obi.
In the new plot, quite unlike before, the target is to remove
the governor and the deputy and pave way for the enthronement
of the Speaker who is of the PDP. When that is actualized,
the hounds would bounce back after a make-believe election.
It is a project powered and propelled by the same old misplaced
zeal to rule a people by force.
But now, there is a problem internally, that is in PDP where
forces and loyalties are divided. Unlike before when the PDP
was a one-man show at the behest of a man that had affinity
with the ex-lord of Aso Rock, the center is weak.
Those PDP members who are bent of letting peace reign in the
state and who see the state as their heritage and that of
their offsprings are shaking their heads in angst and dissent.
They say enough is enough and they have vowed to rather stand
up now and tell the truth even at the risk of their lives.
One of the people that share this view about Anambra is Senator
Annie Okonkwo, who represents the Anambra Central Zone at
the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Senator Okonkwo
is saying an absolute no to this plot. And he insists it is
not a PDP plot, but the plot of an individual who thinks it
is his birthright to put the state in perpetual crisis.
In a chat with Saturday Sun in Lagos this week, he bared his
mind on what he, and his ilk in PDP want to do to salvage
the state from plunderers.
Yesterday, a team of like minds from the PDP, including the
old folks of the party in the state met at an undisclosed
place in the state to find the way forward for the party and
the state. That body whose membership draws from across the
state and the old brigade of the PDP wants an action taken
by the PDP national body against what it called the cabal
that is bent on further damaging the image of the party in
the state.
Anambra not for an individual
Senator Okonkwo said: “This is the time to say ‘enough’
to the harassment of an individual. I think the state is big
and bold enough to stand up now and find a final solution
to this problem from one person that threatens the stability,
growth and progress of our people. As it is today, it is beyond
the party. Every Anambra man who feels concerned about his/her
identity should find a way of contributing to this struggle
to liberate our state. If people can come together and form
organisations or any kind of pressure group to stand against
this cabal, let it be done now. All we say is that everything
we are going to do will be within the law. There is already
a reign of illegality and disregard for the law, and we don’t
want to tackle the problem through the same approach.
One man has hijacked our state for too long, and we also watched
him for too long like fools, which we are not. This is the
time to stand up and say no, and that we must do right now.
Their plot against Obi
We are all ashamed of the plot and tricks being played in
the state House of Assembly by the majority of the member.
I know they are some sincere members who value the peace of
their state than a mess of porridge. Those few who have stopped
the House from making the majority they need to impeach Governor
Peter Obi remain the hope of the state. We work in alliance
with them, we give them all the backing they need to make
sure the state is not put to shame again because if it happens,
PDP will take the blame. I say again that it is not a PDP
plot.
It is the desperate plot of one man, and that is Andy Uba.
There is a well-planned plot by the hijackers of the state
who almost handpicked all those that ran elections on the
platform of the party to impeach Obi. This time, they wont
like to make the same mistake they made earlier. They want
to impeach the governor and the deputy so that the Speaker
will step in while a fresh election where the hijacker would
emerge as PDP candidate will hold. But what is annoying and
signifies desperation in someone who claims to have a mandate
he would actualize in the future years. Why is he no longer
patient to wait for that time to come? He has made a u-turn
and wants to have power now even without the consent of the
people.
We have reviewed this with concern and feel something is really
wrong and should be corrected.
Obi, not party governor
I view with serious concern the fact that enemies of their
fatherland have refused to allow the state have some peace
since 1999. It remains the same people who torment the state
without consideration for its future.
I have found out that any plan to frustrate Obi is a plan
to frustrate Anambra State. He is the governor of the state
and not of the APGA, PDP or any other party. If we understand
what politics is about, we would be open in our approach to
it and make sure the general good remains the primary consideration.
But in a situation the individual puts himself utmost and
in fact has no place for the society is a deplorable case.
That is why the state is the way it is and the enemies have
continually assured they will be no liberation for our people.
Cult heroism
What Andy Uba enjoys is having members of the House flock
around him whenever and wherever he summons them. He makes
a big issue of lording it over them and other members of the
party in the state. He wants to be worshipped like a god.
It does not sound proper that when an individual is around,
state officers will leave their duty post and mill around
him for personal ego.
All these fault-findings you hear against Obi is to find one
reason or loophole to impeach him and create the avenue for
an individual’s selfish ambition. You cannot keep managing
members of the state House like houseboys in your home. But
now we don’t want to fold our hands and watch it happen.
I am a member of the National Assembly and there is no time
the president wants us to all leave our duty posts and come
to prostrate before him to demonstrate some importance.
Destructive politics
For the House to frustrate the passage of Anambra State budget
to which any and every plan to develop and move Anambra forward
is hinged is destructive politics. In fact, it is not politics
at all. I call it a deliberate attempt to destroy the state,
and no right-thinking person gains when Obi is made unpopular
to favour someone’s interest. Whether we like it or
not, Obi is the governor and our fate to some extent is in
his hands today. And it is only a fool that will doubt that.
Let’s take for instance that Governor Obi is frustrated
out and his government made unpopular and he leaves, whatever
plans he had for the state goes with him, would he lose more
than the average citizen of the state? Obi won’t lose,
because it is possible as an individual he is already made,
so we kill ourselves when we go out of our ways to frustrate
him. I know everybody in power must have one good thing or
the other to offer.
Saving PDP
What we are doing is the best attempt anybody could put in
to save the PDP in Anambra. The party has been made very unpopular
by the past acts of the desperate actors who are bent on ruling
a civilized people by force.
I would use this opportunity to call on the leadership of
the party, from the National Chairman to Mr. President to
intervene and wrest our party from this cabal. The best way
we can save and revive PDP in Anambra is to make it acceptable
and likeable by the people. We are no more ready to keep retaining
the bad identity few desperate persons have put on the party.
I say it over and over that only a good image that shows the
party as loving the people will reposition PDP in Anambra.
Good signs
During the last state convention, there were some dissents
to the wish of the cabal to keep dictating who gets what.
We said no. I know the media and outsiders must have seen
it as bad omen, but I tell you it was a sign of better days
because in the past, there was no opposition to these people.
But today, a group in the party can stand up to them. It will
continue that way until they understand that Anambra State
and the PDP are not individual properties.
I have received threat calls asking or commanding me to back
out of the fight I am into to make sure Anambra is liberated.
The caller even disclosed his identity, and he is a very senior
police officer I know very well. He cautioned me on the consequences
of my actions, but I told him we are still young enough to
stand up and say what we want to say for our people. I will
not be stopped by anybody. I fight for the people of Anambra
State and God in heaven is my solid backing. And if those
who fight against the interest of their people will survive,
I know I survive a hundred times more than they do, and those
who fight with me will all survive and see a better Anambra
State. |