By Okey Enekwe
Initially, I was worried that our people in the South-East would not support Atiku Abubakar’s running mate and our brother, former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi. With the intervention of Almighty God, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is likely to be victorious in the February 16 election and become the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Indeed, the indicators are very clear.
I am delighted that despite all odds, the South-East People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed its strong support for the candidacy of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Peter Obi. Beyond that, the party warned those intent on sabotaging their efforts to beware of the wrath of the people. This was a welcome relief as sabotage from home is always disastrous.
In expressing their support for the Atiku-Obi ticket, the South-East Zonal Chairman of the party, Deacon Austin Umahi declared that: “The South-East PDP will aggressively give all their support to the victory of the party in the South-East. Alhaji Abubakar has verifiable records. Mr. Peter Obi’s performance in Anambra State is there for everybody to see.
Nobody is more qualified than both of them among other presidential candidates. Hold me by my words. You will now see a different dance step that will tell other parties that they have no place in the South-East. Every stakeholder must go and deliver his polling booth”. With this unequivocal message, PDP members have agreed without compulsion to deliver victory to the party in this year’s general elections. And so it shall be.
Peter Obi is loved by Ndigbo and he is our next Vice-President by God’s grace. God has remembered Ndigbo for the actualization of restructuring and end to marginalization. We can count on Peter on this because he has the ears of his principal, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. As Ohaneze Ndigbo and Igbos at large desire restructuring, they will get it from Atiku and Obi.
I speak with great confidence having accompanied Peter Obi on many of his campaigns and consultations in Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Abia states. Those some newspapers told us were against his candidacy told him point-blank that they are supporting him and vowed to mobilize their constituencies for the Atiku/Obi ticket. It was clear that some of the opposition against Obi were really for political exigencies in the interim.
On reflection Atiku’s choice of Obi was wise because none of our other politicians would have been able to attract the full confidence and support of millions of Ndigbo in the South-East and elsewhere. Obi has won the hearts of many PDP members who were said to be against him before now. For instance, at the Interdenominational Service of the PDP at Emmaus House, Awka over 20,000 Anambrarians from the 21 Local Government Areas and beyond were in attendance to express their solidarity with Peter Obi. As many watched, an initially PDP affair attracted many more people than really expected; some from other political parties. Dignitaries who attended with their supporters included Chief Chris Uba, Chief Hagers Igwebuike, Yul Edochie, Godwin Ezeemo, Hon. Azubike Iloh, Sen. Uche Ekwunife, Chief Osita Chidoka, Hon. Chu Onyema, Hon. Gabriel Onyenwife, Hon. Chris Azubogu, and Chief Okey Ezibe. They all came to see and hear Peter Obi speak. Indeed that outing summed up Mr. Peter Obi truly as a phenomenon that should not be confined within the restriction of parties. Everyone at the event admitted that Nigeria is in trouble and needs a consummate and tested manager like Mr. Peter Obi to work with a confirmed leader like Atiku Abubakar to restore it on the path of progress and development.
Mr. Oseloka Obaze, PDP’s flag-bearer in 2018 Anambra governorship election was very emphatic when he said that only the likes of Peter Obi in position of authority can redefine the country for the better. In his words, “We live in times of fracture and fear for the national interest and our collective March for the future of the people of the State. We are here because the ruling APC has ruined the country. Nigeria needs a purposive and tested leadership, capable of confronting the problems of our time — unemployment, acute hunger, mindless borrowing, and fractured economy, among others. We are here to receive a leader, Mr. Peter Obi who has the capacity to restore Nigeria to its past glory”.
On his part, Senator Ben Obi, former running mate of Muhammadu Buhari was disgusted on the rate of killings in the country and said that the only way to stop the atrocities and misgovernment going on in Nigeria is by voting out the APC and voting in the PDP joint ticket of Atiku and Obi. Reviewing Obi past services, he affirmed that Obi had all the qualities necessary to help Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to restore the glory of Nigeria.
The Chairman of the PDP in Anambra State, Chief Ndubisi Nwobu, Obuka Awka recalled the unfulfilled promises of the ruling APC, and concluded it is time to vote out APC since not one of those promises was delivered. He appealed to Ndigbo to deliver Peter Obi for Atiku in South-East as their bargain for the 2019 general elections.
In attendance with his wife, Margaret at the reception, Peter Obi assured Nigerians that his primary mission was to assist the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in restoring sanity to the country; where unemployment would be tackled, jobs created, infrastructure provided and the economy rebuilt. He also dispelled rumours that some leaders of the party in the South-East zone were working against the party in the forthcoming presidential election; insisting that they were all working as one family. His words: “Let me tell you all that we in the PDP in the South-East are working as one family, and when the votes are turned in, you will all see it”.
The Bishop of Awka Diocese, Anglican Communion, Bishop Alex Ibezim, who led other church leaders to the interdenominational service prayed for Obi and his wife, Margaret, against any form of attacks as the elections draw near. He described Peter Obi as a servant-leader, noting that only servant-leaders can salvage Nigeria: “Our country needs servant-leaders; leaders who can serve selflessly.
We lack leaders like Nehemiah. Nehemiah served in the king’s palace, but didn’t take pay for the work he did. We need leaders like that but they are fast disappearing in Nigeria. We must pray to God to give us God-fearing leaders through this election. Nehemiah was comfortable in the king’s palace, but he was more concerned about the welfare of the people of Jerusalem. Nigeria is characterised by war, hunger, and all manner of afflictions. All politicians here must know that and work to redeem the country.”
The momentous event established that Obi is at home in Anambra State and South-East at large against pockets of opposition from people who even benefited from him. The South-East is solidly in support of the Atiku/Obi ticket and the election results shall confirm this fact.
Hon. Enekwe, a former Chairman, of Orumba North LGA, Anambra State, writes from Awka.