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Tag: Obi

  • Obi challenges Ngige to a debate

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has challenged Senator Chris Ngige to a public debate.

    Ngige had called on Obi to account for the over N2trillion he collected as revenue since he became governor.

    In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Valentine Obienyem, the governor said it was laughable for Ngige to raise the issue of infrastructural development when the people marvel at the infrastructural development in all sectors.

    He said: “Besides the roads Ngige built in Idemili, he did nothing for other parts of the state and in other sectors.

    “Look at his alma mater, Alor Boys, he is not ashamed that the place is being rebuilt by Governor Obi .

    “The other day, we met him at Girls Secondary School Alor, where he thanked the governor for rebuilding the school.

    “All he did was to move the State University College of Medicine to Alor, his home town, without building a table.

    “Today, Obi has built the teaching hospital from scratch and it has been accredited.”

    Obienyem said Obi would be comfortable engaging Ngige in a public debate.

  • Obi: Place of traditional rulers in our democracy

    Obi: Place of traditional rulers in our democracy

    The way some governors sometimes infringe on the fundamental rights of the people they took oath to govern has become a source of concern.

    It goes without saying that a governor, nay any political office holder, is not a task-master with the citizenry as slaves, or servants. In point of fact, it is the governor who is the servant, the person chosen by the people through the instrument and machinery of the ballot box to work for them and to be at the helm of affairs to take charge of and control the affairs of government and governance.

    Some governors are yet to come to terms with this reality of the servant-leader role cast upon them, as some of them are filled with sheer arrogance and even contempt and disdain for the people who elected them into office in the first place.

    This is a reprehensible conduct, to say the least. Perhaps, on account of the prolonged period of military incursion into governance in the country, a lot of people are yet to come to terms with the reality of our democracy with the constitution as the grand norm and supreme law.

    Take, for instance, a recent development in Anambra State, where Governor Peter Obi threatened to sanction some traditional rulers from the state for honouring a wedding invitation from a son of the state in Lagos. A top flight businessman, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, who hails from Anambra State, had reportedly extended an invitation to some traditional rulers, Presidents-General of town unions and other opinion leaders and stakeholders from the state to witness his younger sister’s wedding in Lagos.

    The business icon, as is customary in Igboland, hosted his guest in Lagos and conducted them round his office, business places and facilities in Lagos. Thereafter, he gave them customary Kola in form of money for honouring his invitation. For this, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State became infuriated. He quickly put together a seminar during which he threatened to sanction the traditional rulers who made the trip to Lagos at the behest of Ubah. He also asked them to return the sum of three thousand dollars each, allegedly given to them by Ubah.

    He also upbraided the traditional rulers for daring to travel out of the state without approval from him or his Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs.

    I am not aware of any law which makes it mandatory or compulsory for a governor to be notified before hand before a traditional ruler could travel outside the state.

    So, I consider the governor’s alleged threat or suggestion most indefensible and untenable. It shows he has a wrong notion of the place of traditional rulers in our demo racy. His reported action creates a negative and disgusting impression that traditional rulers have suddenly become servants or errand boys of governors. Governor Obi’s hypothesis is, to say the least, absolutely demeaning to the institution of traditional rulership in Igbo land. This is the first time in Igboland that a governor would demand that a traditional ruler will not leave the state unless he, as the governor, is put in the know about the trip.

    It is interesting that Obi attempted to justify his position by stating that he could not travel out of Nigeria without the knowledge of the President. Now, the two scenarios are wholly and totally different. Obi does not seek the consent of the President before traveling out of Anambra State to another State. In the same manner, a Traditional Ruler from Anambra State need not put Obi in the know that he is going to Lagos. For the avoidance of doubt, Obi did not select or appoint them as traditional rulers.

    The traditional rulers are not under Obi. They are not his appointees or aides. In fact, Obi rightly observed that they are ‘Primes Inter Pares’ among their subjects and the veritable custodians of the custom of their people. He also opined that their people look up to them for inspiration, guidance and direction. If Obi truly made these observations from his heart of hearts, why would he not have seen the futility of his directive, which is akin to an instruction from a master to his servant.

    The frivolity and mischief implicit in Obi’s reaction to the traditional ruler’s trip to Lagos came to a head when he reportedly asked the royal fathers to return the money which they received from their son, Ubah. He also promised to provide SUV vehicles to the traditional rulers very soon.

    There is no need denying the fact that this is an absolute descent from the sublime to the ridiculous. It shows the abysmal level and depth to which governance has fallen in Anambra State. It is strange that a governor should lose sleep over a social visit by the Igwes to Lagos. Obi’s reaction to the trip smacks of psychological defeatism. It paints His Excellency as a man who is unserious.

    It is a sad commentary on the way things are done in Anambra State that Obi should abandon his constitutional responsibilities to fret over frivolities.

    The SUVs reportedly promised by Mr. Obi at this time looks like a Greek gift. Of course, it should be rejected outright. It is curious that the governor wants to give the cars to the traditional rulers free of any cost at the twilight of his tenure. Why did he not give them the cars before now? Is Obi afraid of anything? Why did it take the traditional rulers’ visit to Lagos for Obi to remember the SUVs? I do not see how anybody would deny the allegation that the proposed car gift to the natural rulers has a political undertone. So, I join other right thinking Anambra indegines to urge Obi to leave the royal fathers alone.

    – Ikechukwu, wrote in from Onitsha, Anambra State

  • Anambra guber poll: CNPP shops for Obi’s successor …lauds governor on development

    Anambra guber poll: CNPP shops for Obi’s successor …lauds governor on development

    As Anambra State governorship election draws nearer, the state chapter of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has begun shopping for who will replace the incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Obi.

    The group, in a statement yesterday in Awka, hailed the achievements of Governor Obi in the state, adding that it would not allow anybody who will not follow his footsteps to emerge as governor in the state.

    The statement by the CNPP was signed by its new chairman and the state chairman of Advance Congress of Democrats (ACD), Oby Okafor.

    The Nollywood actress, therefore, warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to manipulate voter register ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

    She said that the absence of a fresh and comprehensive voter register for Anambra State will yet be another plot to manipulate the electoral process.

    Okafor, said that CNPP would screen the candidates of each of the political parties, to know those who are qualified and capable of giving Anambra good leadership like Obi.

    “We in CNPP will not take it kindly to the use of the old voter register by INEC to conduct the 2013 governorship election in Anambra State to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2010,” she said.

    Okafor further said that the body was now working as a united family unlike before when all manners of people hijacked CNPP in Anambra, thereby ridiculing the association.

    “Obi has tried his best for the people of the state and therefore we want anybody who will take over from him to continue from where he will stop.”

     

  • We have enough to finance our projects, says Obi

    Anambra State has enough financial resources to complete all on-going projects, Governor Peter Obi, has assured.

    He said the government has saved enough before embarking on projects across the state.

    Obi spoke yesterday during the flag-off of Iyiowa-Odekwe road at Okpoko.

    He assured residents that the project will be completed before the end of his administration.

    The governor, who recalled many roads and projects he has executed in the area, including the on-going Atani-Ogwuikpele-Ochuche road, called on them to continue to support the administration.

    Commissioner for Works, Architect Callistus Ilozumba, said that the contractor handling the project had been tested, stating the firm will deliver quality job according to specifications on time.

     

  • We need national dialogue, says Obi

    We need national dialogue, says Obi

    Senator Ben Obi is the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter-Party Affairs. In this interview with AUGUSTINE AVWODE, he stresses the imperative of a national dialogue for the country to move forward.

     

     

    As a member of the Patriot canvassing a national dialogue before the 2015 general election, why do you think we so badly need it?

    Yes, I am a member of the Patriots and we are committed and determined to pursue the national dialogue or national conference for obvious reasons. Things have been going back and forth with the Nigerian nation and it is important that we have this dialogue now to move Nigeria forward. And if you tie this to the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, the Patriot, which is a body of elder statesmen, viewed part of the ‘transformation’ as a situation where we can sit down at a round table and discuss the future of the country.

    The body has been making consultations with other groups, including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). I am also aware that our chairman, Professor Ben Nwabueze, has also written to some eminent Nigerians, former Heads of State and others who enjoy international audience to join hands with the Patriots to really sit down and discuss how we can make this country a great nation. To that extent, I don’t see why anybody will have any inhibitions as to the need for a dialogue. I am certain that the President is not against the holding of such a dialogue.

    But like I have also said to my elder colleagues in the Patriots, there is the need to also approach, not only the President, but the leadership of the National Assembly. It is good to make them understand what the dialogue is all about so that they can be partners in progress.

    If it is held today, what would be the kernel of the dialogue?

    It is simple. How do we run this country? We talk of ethnic nationalities, we talk of zones, we talk about rotation. People want to know how we want the country to be governed, instead of beating about the bush. Now, we are practising the presidential system of government, but is it the best for the country? The constitution we are operating today, is it a people’s constitution. How did we come about it? The issue of indigeneship, for instance, how do we deal with it? How do you deal with the issue of somebody who has been staying in a place for 20 years and paying his taxes, what is he going to benefit from it. These are the main issues we want put to rest and there is no better time for this than now.

    You said you are optimistic that the Presidency is not averse…

    No, no, no. Even the President when he was the special guest of honour at the launch of Dr Tunji Braithwaite’s ‘The Jurisprudence of the Living Oracles’, said that much. He said that he is not against the national dialogue. But then, the procedure has to be clear. And that is where we have a President that is different. He likes to consult widely and think things through. So, if we can consult with both the Presidency and the leadership of the National Assembly and secure their understanding and support, then, it is as good as done.

    Who sets the ball rolling?

    Those who are championing the call for the dialogue should just get the consent of the Presidency and the National Assembly by meeting them and providing answers to all their questions and we can start from there.

    It is just about two years to May 29, 2015

    I agree with you. But don’t forget that the journey of forty years starts with a step.

    What is your position on the clamour for the zoning of the governorship to Anambra North in the next election in your state?

    I have said it again and again that I feel for the people of Anambra North. Ordinarily one can say that, yes, it is their turn. But these things are not given on a platter of gold. It is not a piece of cake. I would like to see them lead and champion the call for such a proposition. There is a saying in my place that the man who wants to go to the loo is always the one at the front. We must also remember thatb the issue of zoning is not cast in iron; or that there is a law somewhere that can be enforced. So, for them to have it, they must be able to make a very strong case coupled with intensive consultation and appeal to the other stakeholders in other zones; meet them and make them see reason why they should back down. Importantly, it is not a thing you try to force down the throat of anybody, you cannot bulldoze your way through, you can only make appeals and whatever comes out of your appeal you take it.

    What kind of Anambra do you expect in the post-Peter Obi era?

    Governor Peter Obi has set some standards that are pretty attractive and I don’t see how anybody who will emerge in 2014 can afford to go down below such a standard. I don’t see the people of Anambra condoning or accommodating anybody who will not exceed the performance of Governor Peter Obi. I can tell you that the good people of Anambra State will be looking forward to the type of person who will double the performance of the present governor. That is what we need so that soon, the state will be in the league of the most developed state in the country. And all I can do is to pray that God in His infinite mercy will help us to get the right candidate to emerge as the next governor of Anambra State in the post Obi era?

    Your office was able to bring to the round table all the contending parties in the two governorship elections such that at the end of the day, the much hyped possibility of large scale violence became a non-issue. What is on ground for Anambra State?

    We would be doing the same thing in Anambra State, no doubt. The issue is whether you have the tacit support of your principal, in this case the President. Of course, yes. It is not Rocket Science; these things are pretty open to all. All you need to do is go to him and tell him you need his permission to do this and that, and that this is why it is necessary, you state the when and how. But, I must say that the President is even the one who reminded me, in this previous outing that we have to do in Ondo State what we did in Edo State. He said, Senator, this thing you did in Edo State, go and do it in Ondo because I want the issue of free, fair and credible election, void of violence to be part of our culture. So, the President is committed to that. For me, it is a thing of joy because over the years, what we have been screaming at is the issue of lack of transparent election. But that is gradually becoming a thing of the past. We all know that he is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But for him, that does not impose any obligation on him to support anything that undermines free and fair election. And because he is for it, he is often the first to congratulate the winner. Whoever it is, from whichever party, his concern is let the process be free, fair and devoid of violence and bloodshed and you get your congratulatory message right away. So, we would be doing the same thing in Anambra, in Ekiti and Osun states.

    Many people are of the opinion that one more state should be created for the Southeast region for the sake of equity. But from the look of things, the issue of state creation seems not to enjoy much enthusiasm in public discourse…

    I have been pursuing this issue in the last 15 years and I will not give up, until it is given to the zone. I have no apology to make for this clamour. We will not stop talking about this injustice being meted out to the zone. It is unfair, it is unjust and it a classic case of inequity. The implication of the injustice that the Nigerian nation is inflicting on the Southeast zone is to turn a majority into a minority. When you do this type of thing, you can hardly get far. I mean when you inflict this type of injustice on a people whose capacity and entrepreneurial skill are almost infinite, then, you should be to also contend with the aversion that comes with it. Take a look at any community in this country. There is no zone or region where you don’t find the Ndigbo. And, everywhere they are found, in any locality at all, if the economy of the place is not managed by the people of the place, it is being managed by the Ndigbo. So, what it means is that they go every where and help to develop that environment and society. Look, it is when this kind of injustice is perpetrated that peace becomes a scarce thing. When you deny people their rights, what comes to the fore is complete chaos and anarchy. So, for me, until that injustice is corrected, we cannot say we have gotten it right in this country.

    Given the insecurity in the country, do you support the call for state police ?

    First, I was born in a barracks and I love all the things I saw my father did as a policeman, until he became a Commissioner of Police. I went everywhere with him. Besides, I have also had the opportunity of working with a former National Security Adviser (NSA) of this country. So, from my knowledge and experience of what I know about security, I will not support State Police for now. When we have attained a particular height of development in the future, then it can be considered. But for now, not yet.

    What do you think should be done to deepen democracy in Nigeria?

    I would say provision should be made for independent candidates to contest in our elections. Over my 35 years of politicking, I have been lucky to have joined and founded three political parties. And I have been national secretary of the three of them. The way political parties are managed today is not what we used to know. Political parties no longer enjoy internal democracy. When that is absent, it leads to the imposition of unpopular candidates. And where an unpopular candidate is imposed and you have free and fair election, he would lose. If a popular candidate is dropped because the party leader does not want to see his face, then there should be a platform for him to go before the people as an independent candidate to realise his political ambition. I think this is one thing we should do as a matter of urgency to promote and deepen our democratic parcatice.

     

     

  • Anambra ‘ll give him befitting funeral, says Obi

    Anambra ‘ll give him befitting funeral, says Obi

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi yesterday said the state would give Prof Chinua Achebe a befitting funeral to match the late writer’s global stature as a worthy ambassador of Africa and Nigeria.

    The governor spoke in Rhodes Island, United States, when he commiserated with the family of the literary icon.

    Obi, in a closed-door meeting with Achebe’s wife and children, said Anambra State would continue to be proud of Prof. Achebe for his seminal works that brought honour to Africa and Nigeria.

    He said: “Though I do not want to reduce him for whatever reasons to Anambra State, but you will agree with me that he was first an Anambrarian, form where his fame shined forth to all the corners of the earth.”

    The governor said he had a useful meeting with the Achebe family but declined further comments.

    Obi stressed that matters revolving around Achebe could not be a one-man affair, though, according to him, one may be thrust by circumstances to be in the position of leadership.

    He noted that the stars of Anambra State were diminishing, though he acknowledged that the state has not changed.

    According to him, Anambra State has continued to produce more stars in all fields of endeavour.

    He said: “It might interest you to note that in some of the things done recently, where merit was the sole criteria, Anambra people have always come first.”

    Obi said one of the cardinal policies of his administration is to honour those who bring honour to the state, whether such people are dead or alive.

    He said: “We did it for the likes of Prof. Chike Obi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and shall do it for Achebe.

    “The reason is to hold them out as role models that should be imitated. It is also a way of telling the younger ones that we need to always look up to those that are noble in deeds.”

     

     

     

  • He was Africa’s foremost storyteller – Obi

    He was Africa’s foremost storyteller – Obi

    Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi, has joined others to mourn the late Chinua Achebe.

    In a statement yesterday, he said: “It is with a great sense of shock, loss and immense sense of foreboding that I received the sad news.

    “Chinua, as he is fondly called, was an epitome of literary creativity that went beyond the normal, his witty anecdotes in his books especially the early three: Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God and No Longer at Ease, compelled the readers (especially Africans) wallow in homesickness.

    “A true scholar who has left immortal footprints in contemporary literary history, a great son of Africa and statesman is indeed no more. Things really have fallen apart and the centre will no longer hold.”

    He consoled the widow, children, extended family and the government and people of Nigeria “on the sad event of the death of one of the greatest men that ever trod this earth in our time and indeed Africa’s number one foremost story teller.”

     

  • Obi, Rawlings, Asobie flay corruption in Nigeria

    Former Ghana President Jerry Rawlings, Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi and former President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Asisi Asobie, have condemned the level of corruption in Nigeria.

    The trio spoke yesterday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State during the 2nd Zik’s Annual Lecture series of the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS).

    The speakers also extolled the qualities of the former Nigerian President, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, whose name the institution was named after

    Rawlings, who was the Guest Lecturer, likewise Asobie, narrated how he assumed power in Ghana, adding that if he had not done what he did by eliminating some corrupt persons, Ghana would not have been where it is today.

    “I struck in a coup in my country because of the sufferings and humiliation of my people to save them from the hands of evil doers and I have no regrets whatsoever.”

    According to Rawlings, “Corruption arises from a state of deviation from the moral or spiritual norms; it is a deliberate refusal to operate based on set rules, regulations and laws and with a wicked, if not evil desire to circumvent the punitive actions that come with such deliberate deviant actions. Corruption manifests itself in many ways.”

    “Corrupt practices include undue influence for selfish benefit. With respect to governance, from where the greatest power flows, this largely refers to improper interference with the freedom and integrity of several facets of governance in the form of bribery, coercion and intimidation. The end result is always impairment of the integrity of a political process.”

    According to Governor Peter Obi, everybody in Nigeria was guilty of corruption, adding that it kills professionalism and hard work.

    His words: “Corruption should be blamed on everybody, we are all guilty of it, we are all corrupt, I am no longer fighting corruption but the greed in the system because, there are so many tollgates in Nigeria.”

    Furthermore, Obi said corruption ruins everything, adding that there was so much distortion that led to corruption. He said fighting corruption was a challenge for everybody in the country.

    Former President of ASUU, Prof Asobie, stated that the country was fighting corruption by enacting laws and creating various forms of commissions without implementation.

    “Corruption has become a very important point because, it is the greatest obstacle to development of any country. There is growth without development in the land.

    “There was corruption under Nnamdi Azikiwe and Abubarka Tafawa Balewa and abuse of office, but Nigeria was relatively clean and not endemic like what we have today. They were guided by values of merit, impartiality and reward.

  • Can Ngige succeed Obi?

    Can Ngige succeed Obi?

    Can power shift from the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in this year’s governorship election in Anambra State? Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the political career of the ACN contender , Senator Chris Ngige, and his chances at the forth-coming polls.

     

    How far can Senator Chris Ngige, medical doctor and chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) go in Anambra State, as he joins this year’s governorship race? Since 2006, when he was deposed by the Court of Appeal, he has been nursing the ambition to return to the Government House. His supporters are also soaring daily. This attests to the fact that the senator from Anambra Central Senatorial District is not weak in personality and popularity. However, observers contend that the race will not be a walk over for any governorship candidate.

     

    Contenders and pretenders

     

    In recent times, many governorship aspirants on the platforms of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have invaded the slippery political field drumming support for their ambition. Some of them are serious contenders. others are pretenders merely seeking for relevance. Instructively, no chieftain of the ACN has declared interest. This has lent credence to the belief that the party is united behind the candidature of the former governor, Ngige.

    The governorship aspirants itching to succeed the outgoing governor, Mr. Peter Obi, include Senator Andy Uba, former Central Bank Governor Charles Soludo, House of Representatives member Hon. Uche Ekwunife, former Information Minister Prof. Dora Akiyuli, former federal legislator Emma Anosike and Chief Akachukwu Nwamkpo. Others are prominent businessman Dr. Obinna Uzor, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, a journalist and federal legislator Afam Ogere, and Secretary to Government Mr. Osekola Obase.

    The majority of the contenders are from the APGA. They hope to profit from the power of incumbency wielded by the governor. However, the ruling party is engulfed with three crises. The first is that the governor is said to be championing zoning of the governorship and backing his SSG for the number one seat. Also, the party is being distracted by the protracted leadership tussles rocking it. Besides, the party is polarised by the merger proposal involving a section of the organisation.

    Both APGA and ACN have not succeeded in wiping out the PDP from the state. Relying on the federal might, the PDP, whose arrow head is Senator Uba, is seriously mobilising supporters for another epic battle. Uba’s ego had been bruised in the past, when he was deposed by the court barely a month in the saddle as the governor. But like Ngige, his confidence was restored, following his election into the Senate. Also, like Ngige, he is a top contender.

     

    Ngige’s third attempt

     

    But eyes are on Ngige, whose popularity has not waned, since he left power seven years ago. This is because the anti-PDP sentiments as a rigging machine has not fizzle out. The indigenes are also seized by nostalgic feelings. Although he was a governor by default, he erected lasting legacies, which were acknowledged by Obi and other Anambra leaders. Reflecting on his tenure as governor, Ngige said that he served the state without blemish.

    “The roads I constructed are everlasting. I served with diligence and sense of purpose. I can confidently walk on the streets unmolested and without an escort. I wanted to solve a lot of problems in the state”, he told reporters in Lagos.

    Senator Ngige is on a familiar terrain. His supporters believe that he is known and tested. Today, he is the only flagbearer whose candidature will not be challenged by party colleagues. His party is known for time-tested philosophy and people-friendly programmes. It is a united platform not assailed by the peculiar internal squabbles that undermine political parties during electioneering.

    In the past, Senator Ngige tasted the bitter pill. While in the saddle, he faced the odds. But, he did not flee from the battle. He was beaten, but not dazed.While the godfathers who installed him beat the drum of war, he ran to the people through the moral and pseudo-populist route, calling attention in a ceaseless manner to the ravaging marauders itching to pillage the treasury.

    Ngige triumphed initially in the first leg of the battle. But,he kissed the dust during the second phase of the battle. The court legitimately deposed him as an impostor governor who entered the State House through the back door. Today, it is debatable now whether historians can list him as a past governor because, as the court ruled, he did not win the election.

     

    Failed second attempt

     

    When he recontested in 2010 for the governorship, he had become more popular. Those who sympathised with him did so because of his achievements in office. He had successfully converted his tragedy into a massive goodwill. In this second coming of Ngige, the forces against him were also formidable. Obi, who wanted a second term, became his first political foe. Apart from the advantage of incumbency in 2009, the governor was equally perceived as a good candidate aptly recommended by his moral antecedents and belief in prudent management. He had kept corruption at bay and fought the infrastructure battle in all the sectors. Obi has shunned ostentatious lifestyles and endowed the office with honour. He predictably defeated both Ngige and Soludo, the political upstart catapulted into the critical race by the intrigues in the PDP.

     

    Battle against godfathers

     

    Ngige may have been toughened by his past battles. He retains the memory of horror and tragedy as a governor held hostage in 2005 by his erstwhile godfather, Eselu Chris Uba, who had parted ways with him. When the heat was turned on him, he described Uba and his allies as the Goliaths of Nigeria, which ,he, the David of Anambra State, would be strengthened by God to defeat. Consequently, he was swallowed by the big storm that threatened to abort his career. It was a long siege and the tribunal verdict, which ousted him from office, positioned him very far from political safety.

    With the Bible in his right hand, he took refuge in God. As he explored a religious dimension to the political battle he waged, he dare the local philistines who dragged him to the Okija shrine without public knowledge. Had he faced his senatorial pursuit initially, he would have the spared the ordeal of becoming a puppet governor tossed around by Uba and his foot soldiers for reneging on the unwritten agreement on fat returns on political investment. Anambra state is poor. So, when the benefactor, a politician with a business sense, came to demand for his cumulative loot, the governor was defiant. Ngige could not frantically deny the unofficial pact. But,he was torn between loyalty to the state and his godfather.

    On the day of his inauguration, he sworn before the people to protect the lean treasury from the prime eyes of the looters. But, he had earlier assured the godfather to deliver the purse to him and the devil was the principal witness. The dilemma was which one should take precedent between loyalty to the few financial backers who bankrolled his election bill and the poor masses who voted in anticipation of a new lease of life.

    The diminutive politician pulled the rug off the feet of his sponsors. His wits and force of character compensated for his physical minus. He rallied the people, but the fold was divided.

    Ngige stood his ground, insisting that the N3billion allegedly demanded for by the godfather was outrageous. The lending process was unknown to the people. If it is granted, the implementation of the state budget may be crippled.

    When the war finally broke out, Ngige became the first security officer who was boxed into insecurity. The governor was abducted on July 10, 2003.The act of perfidy was supervised by the police under the guise that Ngige had resigned from office. Nigerians decried the kidnapping. Thereafter, he moved swiftly to consolidate his position. His axe fell on his deputy,Chris Odey, and the speaker of the House of Assembly, Euchara Azodo. They lost their portfolios. The deputy was sacked, while the speaker was impeached.

     

    Victim of judicial coup

     

    The next hurdle was the court order by Justice Stanley Nnaji asking Ngige to vacate office because he had resigned. Sudedenly, he was left in the cold again. His orderlies were withdrawn .For 10 months, he relied on hired muscle men for protection. At a time, his life was in danger. Ngige was no more save in the state he was elected to govern. He was forced to flee to Governor James Ibori for refuge,accompanied by the local militants he had recruited as security aides.

    His fate hung in the balance until the former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun, restored his security. Justice Nnaji later had to answer questions before the national Judicial council(NJC) for wrongful dismissal of the governor.

    The next phase of the battle came on November 10,2004.The State House was razed by thugs allegedly loyal to the godfathers. In flames too were the State Radio and office of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC). The state was in chaos for nearly a week. The Federal Government was indifferent, until the public criticisms force the reluctant former President and Inspector General to restore order into the state of pandemonium.

    Ngige regained recognition as a Chief Executive, but his feet were shaking in the party. He was sent out of the Federal Executive Committee meeting of the party in Abuja. It was ironic because he had been a leader of the party from the inception. In the pre-2003 period, he was an ex-officio member of the national PDP. Later, he and his godfather were expelled. But in a dramatic manner, Uba re-emerged as a member of the Board of Trustees(BOT). The last straw that broke the back of the camel was the nullification Ngige’s victory by the court. He lost power, but he retained his respect among the people he served faithfully, despite the distractions.

     

    Defection to progressive camp

     

    Ngige dumped the PDP and emerged as a progressive missioner in Anambra politics. “AC offers the cardinal programmes of free education, free health, affordable housing, integrated rural development and full employment. This is why it is better”, he once told party supporters during his last senatorial campaigns. In that senatorial election, he defeated his APGA challenger, Akuyili. In the Senate, he has not been a bench warmer. He has contributed to debates on the floor. In the Upper House, he is accorded the respect befitting an elder.

    The politician has also added value to the ACN. Unlike those who defected to the party and later returned to the PDP, he has been consistent in the ACN. Today, he is one of the ACN leaders driving the merger.

     

    Can he make a difference

    in polls?

     

    Senator Ngige is not required by the law to resign his seat as a governorship candidate. He is an Abuja politician with a formidable grassroots support. Recently, he organised an empowerment programme for the people of the state. Ngige declared that, at this stage, the acquisition of wealth is not a priority for him, but the welfare of the state. His philanthropic activities have endeared more people to him. Many of them recalled that, as the governor, he fought corruption and channeled the state’s scarce resources to its development. Observers contend that Ngige will not lack the resources to oil his campaign machinery. As a senator, he is a rallying point at home. Many people also believe that his party has better programmes. Ngige’s political base is expected to be enlarged in the state with the birth of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The polarisation of APGA may also be to the advantage of the APC in the state, if succession battles weakens the ruling party.

     

     

  • Joel Obi robbed in Italy

    Joel Obi robbed in Italy

    Super Eagles midfielder Joel Obi’s home in Milan has been burgled.

    The Inter Milan midfielder fell victim to burglars in Milan, according to reports on Friday.

    Obi discovered the infraction upon returning home in the early hours of Friday morning, according to a report from the ANSA news agency.

    The report did not however say which items were taken by the burglars.

    Inter Milan qualified for the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday thanks to a 3-0 away victory over Cluj for a 5-0 aggregate win over the Romanians.

    In Serie A the Nerazzurri sit in fifth place on 43 points, 12 behind leaders Juve and one adrift of AC Milan ahead of the city derby on Sunday.

    Obi has not enjoyed national team action for a while due to his recurring injury.