Politics
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Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State is not the first politician to jump from one party to another but his exit from All Progressives Grand alliance has been generating a lot of controversy
| By Maureen Chigbo | Oct. 27, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT |
IT IS no longer news that Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State has jettisoned the All Progressives Grand Alliance, AGPA in favour of Peoples Democratic Party penultimate week. But his action is still generating a lot of dust from foes and friends alike. Those in support of Obi laud his actions while some see it as a betrayal of Obi’s former mentor, late Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu while others could not be really bothered about a politician’s peccadillo.
Those who see his action as a betrayal argued that Ojukwu will be turning in his grave because he supported Obi’s political ambition during his lifetime. During Obi’s second tenure campaign, he deployed Ojukwu as his chief campaigner and the latter begged Anambrarians to grant his last wish by voting Obi into office for a second tenure. Ojukwu was the brain behind the formation of the APGA.
But over the years even before demiss of Ojukwu, APGA has been bedeviled by crisis. Chekwas Okorie, APGa’s first national chairman, fell out with the party after a prolonged crisis. He was replaced by Victor Umeh. Shortly after Umeh had its own leadership tussle with Obi but survived after a court ruling which reinstated him as the authentic chairman of the party. Both Obi and Umeh reconciled and worked together to get Willie Obiano, a political neophyte, elected last year as the Anambra State governor.
Hardly had Obiano been sworn in that his relations with Obi became strained. Obi is said to have a senatorial ambition just like Umeh who also want to contest for the senatorial seat of Anambra Central constituency which is currently occupied by Senator Chris Ngige, former governor of Anambra State.
Knowing fully well that Obiano and Umeh will conspire to deny him the ticket to contest for the seat, Obi had shocked some Anambra political watchers when he broke ranks and joined the PDP formally. He had reasons to do so because he had lost a federal appointment as the minister of aviation because he belonged to APGA. His refusal to switch party as a condition for his appointment was what cost him the job.
Previously, Obi had always said that he will ensure that APGA is sustained as a party to pursue Igbo interest and sustain the memories of its founder Ojukwu. But it appears he cannot remain there if his ambition for other higher offices will continue to elude him because he is sticking with party which is unwilling to do him the favour of allowing him to contest the senatorial seat. Hence, his decision to jump ship much to the annoyance of some members of APGA. This must be the reason some people organised protest at the grave side of Ojukwu last week to drum home the fact that Obi’s action is a betrayal of what Ojukwu stood for.
But Valentine Obienyem, the media aide to the former governor of Anambra State, described the demonstrations and universal regret that his boss left the All Progressives Grand Alliance for the People’s Democratic Party as a welcome development, Obienyem insisted that more of such demonstration are welcome for the lessons inherent in them. Obienyem was reacting to the demonstration in Nnewi on Thursday, October 16, by some APGA faithfuls against Obi’s leaving the party. In a release made available to the Realnews, he said that more demonstrations and expression of regrets were, in fact, expected and that all of them pointed out to one thing: that a grave situation visited APGA leaving friends and foes of the Governor crying and rolling on the ground.
According to him, the demonstration, including more to come in future, are perfectly understandable. “Many people leave parties everyday unsung. In Obi’s case, the unprecedented reactions, never witnessed in a Nigeria, or perhaps since the evolution of party politics, only show how important Obi is and how dearly he is missed. It shows that those he left are feeling it so much and could not bear to wait to ask him to come back by way of demonstration. Though we understand their predicament, we urge them to take heart since, as Obi himself made it clear, it was not because of APGA or any person, but to offer him the opportunity to campaign fully for President Jonathan, whom he is aware that APGA is also supporting- a case of pursuing the same end through different routes and therefore call for fraternal understanding. Besides, the era of regional politics is gone and Obi, forward-looking as ever, is desirous of playing regional politics that will enable our people to be together, speak with one voice and get our due from the centre. Look at how generous the man is, he left quietly without his followers thus not cutting that umbilical cord connecting him to APGA”, Obienyem said.
Also, Obienyem said that though he was aware how the topmost echelon in APGA leadership brought out money for the demonstration, he said that it was not the best way to run a party, reminiscent, according to him, to the reforms Obi made futile attempt to introduce in APGA. “It was even those old men that resisted reforms, in APGA and short of ideas that are leading the demonstration,” Obienyem said thanking all those who realise that by joining any party or deciding to belong to no party, that a citizens inalienable right must be respected at all times.
Obienyem may not be completely right that Obi left alone to PDP without his supporters if the allegation of Umeh is anything to go by. Umeh had alleged that it was Obi who instigated some members of the APGA to decamp to PDP months ago. Those who decamped then are APGA members in the National Assembly including Uche Ekwunife, House of Representative committee chairman on Environment. With OBi’s departure from APGa, only time will tell if the party will stand the test of time or fizzle out totally from the political firmament.
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