Before me is a whip to unleash, but on my right is the special one, Apokue Dike and on my left is the beloved Ohamadike, both my own dear, hence I restrain but to remind us that the current crisis rocking the APGA family must not be viewed from the narrow prism of Oye vs. Umeh.
The current crisis is about the likelihood of APGA losing the trust of Ndi-Igbo. Most of our people are disenchanted with the party’s current dysfunctional and inept leadership. They are not sure if the leadership will ever become competent again. And if our politics continues to dehumanize our people and take them for granted, we will lose them.
Akpokue, where are you? Where are you, that the great party handed over to you on a platter is now trapped in a spiral partisan death where truthful voices are silenced, rather than be heard on merit. Where are you Apkokue? Where are the elders that the children must fight to finish? Why must simple issues be settled over their dead bodies? Why?
Akpokue, I want you to think, think and think deeply of how this journey started between you, Mr. Peter Obi and Chief Victor Umeh. The history is still fresh and reasonably within the reach of our memory. Minus God in heaven, only you, Obi and Umeh can tell with accuracy how you became governor. This is inspite of Obi’s denial of you at Ezinihitte in 2017 where he told a rally that his three preferred candidates were Obaze, Idigo and Dr Chike Obidigbo but that Umeh disqualified all three to pave way for you. And, that in the interest of peace he reluctantly accepted to campaign for you. If Obi didn’t produce you as his successor then Umeh must be blamed for it assuming you are a wrong choice, otherwise Umeh deserves some credit in making you governor.
The irony of life is that you, Obi and Umeh are now at daggers drawn rather than be the triumvirate on whose shoulder laid the actualization of the dream of making Alaigbo the economic power house of Nigeria. The dream of our founding fathers was to have a political platform that will harness the Igbo ingenuity and make the Igbo nation the most technological and economically powerful region in Nigeria. That was the dream of Dim Emeka Ojukwu and which Chuwkuma Soludo spoke about in his treatise on the Taiwan of Africa and Dubai of Nigeria. This was the foundation Obi laid which you inherited.
Apkokue, I decided to direct this message to you because there are moments when God makes someone that special person that will lift up His people. That special person that can save APGA from its current crisis is you, only if you will pause to take the pulse of the people.
When I stumbled on a leaked email sent to you by Chief Umeh, I quickly called him up to verify the authenticity of the email and to enquire if the leak emanated from his side. Umeh acknowledged the accuracy of the email message but categorically denied leaking it to the media. He felt it is disgraceful that a private communication to your Excellency will be mischievously leaked. He felt a private communication with a governor should be secure. He strongly felt that the leak must have been from a disloyal aide with access to your email handle or someone intent to sabotage the good relationship both of you have enjoyed.
Umeh further explained that apart from the letter to you that he had also written to Chief Oye because of the moral burden the various accusations posed to his office as National Chairman and the future of the party. And since Oye wasn’t forthcoming with reasonable explanations, he decided to write to you so that you will as the leader of the party and Chairman BoT investigate the veracity of the allegations.
Umeh said he believed that as a friend and one of those that played a pivotal role in your emergence as governor and re-election that he owes you the duty of truthful advice at all times especially on issues capable of affecting the lots of our people.
What did Umeh say in his letter? A section of the said letter borders on the narratives of some APGA governorship aspirants who complained of how much they paid to Oye, they include Okey Eze, Stanley Amuchie, Ikedi Ohakim and Humphrey Anumudu.
The four shocking tales are damaging allegations that warrant an immediate investigation. The minimum expectation would be for Oye to step down as National Chairman until he is discharged of all guilt. Instead of responding on points to the allegations posed against him, Chief Oye had resorted to sponsoring street protest against Chief Umeh, a case of corruption fighting back. I am yet to comprehend how the sponsored protests will erase the moral burden posed by Oye’s improprieties on the leadership of our great party. It is also not sufficient for Oye to spin that the allegations against him is because of 2022 permutations. Given the experience of how Obiano emerged as governor you can testify that whatever permutation anyone is making now as against 2022 is a mere exercise in futility. Only God anoints the king!
Chief Oye unfortunately no longer commands the confidence of the people. To even think we have Igbo votes locked up for APGA in Anambra 2022 is to say the least wrongheaded. Putting the party on the right path means putting the APGA house in order so as to build strength and pose a united front as PDP/ APC/ YPP challenge in Anambra is real.
At the risk of repeating myself, I will again remind us that APGA is not entirely an Anambra project to appropriate. We shall be losing nothing if we find accommodation for other Igbo brothers who are vexed by Oye’s alleged corruption. We shall lose nothing if these allegations against Oye are thoroughly investigated. I will be happy if he comes out clean, otherwise we shall lose nothing but to let him go. We shall lose nothing if the position of National Chairman is ceded to either Imo or Abia as a necessity. We cannot be accusing President Buhari of fulanising Nigeria and marginalizing Ndi-Igbo while within us we are Anambranising our common heritage and marginalizing other Igbo brothers. Akpokue, let’s halt the drift and do unto others as we would like them do unto us.