Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Former Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Jerry Obasi, has predicted that the friction between the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, and the wife of the late Igbo leader, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, may collapse APGA completely if the feud is not resolved soonest.
He said that the party has not been fair to Mrs Ojukwu irrespective of her contributions to the party. He also spoke on other issues of national concern. Excerpts:
What is the latest about the crisis rocking your party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)?
Well, the latest has to do with Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s fourth posthumous birthday anniversary at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam where Her Excellency, Bianca Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu espoused and made known to the world that the embodiment of APGA and her image which is Ojukwu has left APGA completely and I totally agree with her because the governor, Chief Willie Obiano, and all the government apparatus: the National Chairman and a large chunk of the members of the Board of Trustees could not come. They only sent the innocent man, the Deputy Governor, Dr Nkem Okeke to come. There is no other way to disrespect a man than that expressed by Governor Willie Obiano. You see, before now, hitherto, I have been against bringing in strange elements from nowhere to come and run APGA. Even when Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh was at the helms of affair, I was critically against that. I have two major arguments. One, on the national chairmanship consistently remaining in Anambra as if there will no longer be other persons elsewhere to man the party. Secondly, the way and manner political nomads are brought in from everywhere to come and hold affairs in APGA. For instance, the present Deputy National Chairman (South), Uchenna Okogbue, even though court has abrogated their leadership through the abrogation of the convention, wanted to become the local government deputy chairman, then he came down to ward chairman. But the former National Chairman, Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh, now raised him above everybody now to become the Deputy National Chairman (South). It is an insult to everybody. And I am happy today that everybody is suffering from this same thing because whatever pleasant place Umeh had wanted to be, he is not in that place today. But people like us who have been shouting; like I have consistently been doing, we are seen as the black sheep in the house. But today, the black sheep has become the precious stone; because all these later prophets in APGA who are coming back to start making noise, they are all cowards because when men were men, where were they? When the voice of men was needed, they were nowhere to be found. But because we are in crossfire now, everybody now is a tiger. Everybody wants to become National Chairman of APGA. Even the lame wants to be National Chairman in APGA; even the blind wants to be National Chairman in APGA. The deaf and dump want to be National Chairman in APGA. Even people who are suffering curses from their communities want to be National Chairman in APGA. It is quite unfortunate. So, the party is actually in a quandary. The party is facing extreme challenge because the governorship election that will take place in Anambra; I don’t pray that APGA will lose that election, but with the way its leadership under Governor Obiano’s watch is conducting itself, I have my fears. It is sad and quite unfortunate because further litigations will spring up except the right things are done. Unless the right things are not done, there will consistently be complaints and arguments within the groups in APGA.
Do you foresee the friction between Governor Willie Obiano, and Bianca, the wife of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu worsening the crisis in APGA?
It has deepened the crisis. It has deepened the argument. Dirty leanings are washed in the public; names are called, arguments are raised, curses are also rained, abuses are also rained, quarrels have ensured to the point of market square magnitude such that we have not seen within the political milieu. It is only in APGA that such things are being seen. And for the umpteenth time, even though I am not holding brief for Her Excellency, Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, but the kind of treatment that has been meted to her in APGA is the worst of its kind. I have not seen that kind of treatment before. People should reap where they sowed. People should benefit from their farmyards inasmuch as people benefit from politics. There are people in APGA and nobody can be more Catholic than the Pope. So, she should be given her due place in APGA. At least, she should be among the persons in the high table to discuss who takes what in APGA. But today, even when she asks to be given from the fall of the cake which is meant for her to share, she is not given any. What is now left for the patient dog? The patient dog which eats the fattest bone, in APGA, they eat both the fattest bone and the patient dog itself which has been waiting. I have never seen such a thing like I have seen in APGA in my entire political history and my entire political involvement.
The Kogi and Bayelsa states elections have been conducted. From what you saw, the reports available to you, how would you rate the conduct of that election, as well as the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that conducted it?
It is shameful. Even in the land of the spirits, Bello is not supposed to return as governor. So, it is not worthy to mention. It is not worth my time. For the one of Bayelsa, Dickson showed high level of ingratitude. For instance, there was a book we wrote for Jonathan called the ‘Making of the Statesman.’ The day we went to Bayelsa for the launching of this book, even though later, I was meant to understand that Jonathan was not also comfortable with the launching of that book because already, he had plans to also write his book that had one or two things to also do with what we had in our book. I was the chairman of the entire arrangement for that book and I partly sponsored the book from my hard-earned money. As I am speaking today, we got nothing from that book. I may not blame Jonathan much for that. I may blame his details because, may be, they didn’t tell him well. As shameful as it is, Dickson and his crew, ensured that nobody attended that book launch. We had to go to a village called Brass to pay men and women N1,000, N2,000 each for them to come out and fill the hall. Could there be any way to be so ungrateful and disrespectful to the man who brought you from nowhere and made you governor; to the man who sent you to the House of Representatives; made you governor for two times. What would you lose? Already, what you have got, you have got as governor. What would you lose if you allow the man to choose who becomes governor or even contribute to that. So, the treatment meted to Jonathan was actually undeserved of him as a former president. Not even being a president from the state, but having made Dickson what he is. But I know that Jonathan in the end may not enjoy the development of making this man governor, but actually, they provoked him to the point that he did what he did. But on the side of Kogi State, it does not worth my time. It was already alleged that results were written before the election and INEC was just stamping and endorsing those results. Where is our democracy going?
All these things we are labouring to sustain democracy, is it how the democracy is going to be sustained? It was a sham. INEC didn’t show that it is a good umpire; it didn’t show very well that it is a good watchdog. It is unfortunate that INEC, not only ate the bone that was given to it to keep, they ate both the bone and the dog. And it is wrong for INEC to behave like that. Such celebration in Kogi, we are clapping just with one hand and we are climbing the Iroko tree with our back. And very unfortunately, we will fall off because when your electoral system, already is determined before the election, then, will there longer be democracy? What are you queuing for? And when there is apathy to the point where nobody comes to vote because already, they have known the winner… INEC is just like the Nigerian film where you determine the end before the film starts. And it is quite unfortunate. There should be departure from this. In fact, every democrat the world over is mourning. I will also ask Dino Melaye to take heart over the death of his nephew. It is quite unfortunate that democracy in Nigeria is suffocating. Democracy in Nigeria is in the intensive care unit of a very dilapidated hospital called INEC and it needs urgent attention.
Recently, the Senate came up with the ‘Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill, 2019’ commonly called social media bill. Many Nigerians are already condemning it. What is your view on it?
It should die before the point of its entry. When you bring such nocturnal bills and sponsor them at the instance of persons who will benefit from them; when you kill free speech, then, is there any reason to talk about free speech any longer? Then we should go back to military anarchy, military regime. But I know that the Senate in their wisdom, what happened to third term under Obasanjo will happen to it. The Senate will in a very mild way, may be in their respect for the sponsors of the bill, will find a mild way to quieten it down. But such bill is not supposed to succeed. In a 21st Century nation like Nigeria, that has the level of elite, which we have, such things should not happen. Such thing should not even be thought of.
The frosty relationship between President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo appears to be taking new dimension following the recent sack of about 35 out the latter’s aides by the former. Do you foresee a situation whereby the Presidency may initiate the impeachment of Osinbajo using the National Assembly?
I don’t pray that it happens, but they are heading towards that. The flag is tilting towards that direction. The coast is moving very consistently and very quickly in that direction. But in that crazy haste, I will advise them as a statesman to take it slow because of this baby called Nigeria; because of this baby called our democracy. It is a hard fought and hard won democracy. Those who fought for this democracy then, what would they say that they fought for? It is unfortunate. Let us thread carefully. Let us not throw away the baby and the bathwater. It is quite sad. I bemoan the situation with Osinbajo, but I know that there must be a way to wriggle out of it. That because somebody must be president at all costs must not bring the country to its knees. Today, the borders are closed; economic activities now are at a standstill; Apapa gridlock multiplying geometrically by the day. It is a sad day for our democracy.
The issue of Igbo presidency is gaining momentum by the day. What step do you think should be taken to achieve it?
Every necessary tool must be brought to bear. They are consulting. I am also consulting; talking to my Hausa and Yoruba friends to support the Igbo people to be president. If only my friendship with them will endure. I supported them as Igbo. For us to accept to remain in Nigeria; whether we voted for Buhari or not, for us to accept to remain in Nigeria for them to celebrate the victory against the party we supported, they cannot deny us presidency. Rather, it is only in our face that they enjoy the victory they had on us. They cannot deny Igbo the opportunity to be Nigeria’s president. If only actually we must remain as one Nigeria, then the Igbo presidency should not be killed. At least, Igbo man should be president. We have contributed a lot to the stay of this country because if you say now that we cannot be president because of one frivolous reason or the other, then are you now going to say that what the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under Nnamdi Kanu and his group is doing is correct? If you refuse to say Igbo man should be president, are you now going to argue that what Uwazurike is doing with his Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) is correct? The answer should be no. So, let there be a way to make the Igbo man to be president of Nigeria. It is long overdue. I think, it is the right time. We have been patient enough. Nobody knew that 2023 will come this soon. So, let us manage the Igbo man’s presidency very carefully. There should be a way to come by this Igbo presidency thing. But a lot of northerners of note and of good reasoning, of good rationality, have argued that Igbo man should be president. Good Yorubas and Ijaw people have also argued in support of Igbo presidency. Heaven will not come down if Igbo man becomes president. Nobody will lose sleep if Igbo man becomes president. Other parts of the country may even be favoured more with the way Igbo man behaves. When Dr Alex Ekwueme was Vice President, those who benefited more from him were the northerners ahead of Igbo people. On the other hand, Igbo people benefited more from Shehu Shagari as a person and the Hausa too. So, it balanced the equation. So, let us look for a way to pay Igbo people back at least to rub Ekwueme’s back for his good role in 1999. At least for our patience, for our sense of candour, for our sense of ‘Nigerianness’. It is only Igbo man who lives everywhere. With Igbo man’s presidency, Nigeria’s unity that is under threat will be resolved because there won’t be good argument any longer of why the IPOB or MASSOB should be making clamours. But when you don’t give them, that clamour will further gather momentum because those who are telling them to stop will no longer have reasons to tell them to stop. And again, unleashing the army to kill Nigerians that are making that argument would have been avoided. That’s my take on that.