Date Published: 08/03/09
Adieu! Orji Uzor Kalu and PDP 2011
By Marshal Blago, marshalblago@yahoo.com
I wrote the first part of this article immediately after the event at the Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri of July 25 2009. I was sure that what happened at that stadium was going to spark off a crisis in the South east of Nigeria. And surely as the scenario always plays out in Nigeria, it did. Orji Uzor Kalu was “questioned,” and “grilled” as some local newspaper put it the following week. He was grilled by the SSS and police because Ikedi Ohakim, the man at the center of the inglorious 25 th July event accused Orji Kalu of threatening his life and property. Wonders shall never end in my country Nigeria. Sometime ago it used to be Orji accusing somebody of threatening his life, today it is Kalu that is threatening somebody else’s life. The situation got so worse that Orji was invited by the new police boss to answer questions. This kind of situation explains why Nigerian politicians go through any means to remain in power.
Actually on July 25 th 2009, I watched People’s Democratic Party faithful stroll and dance into the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri. Ikedi Ohakim, who until yesterday a PPA chieftain, was celebrating his return to the PDP. Shameless Obasanjo, sick Yar Adua and many corrupt PDP top officials were present. Amidst the fanfare, there was jubilation as sounds emanating from drums and trumpets rented the air. As usual, the stale mantra, party slogans and songs of the PDP which are not always in short supply engaged the bought crowd as the event progressed. This event ended a long period of speculations about Ohakim’s return to the PDP. Also, it began the long requiem for Orji Uzor Kalu’s political ambition— to emerge as the godfather of south east politics. Orji believed that with his superficial influence in Abia state and Imo state he would be able to bring other south eastern governors into the PPA. Thus, making the south east a PPA stronghold and straightening his presidential power grab venture. However, from the series of events happening in the South east today, which Orji Kalu may never recover from, one can evidently conclude that Orji Uzor Kalu’s ambition has hit a brick wall with the defection of Ohakim to the PDP and planned defection of Theodore Orji of Abia state. Although I commiserate with Orji Kalu as per his present shaky political structure, I am not deeply bothered about his predicament. Because, at the ripe time (just as Ohakim said in his inglorious speech about his return to the PDP), Orji Uzor Kalu will re-trace his steps back into the party where he was a founding father in 1998, as he has always claimed(Ikedi Ohakim claimed same too). My latter statement about Orji Kalu returning to the PDP above no longer holds, because as at the end of this week in Kalu’s Sun News column, which I struggle to understand, he seems to have changed his position against Yar Adua, the PDP, and the Nigerian situation. As of two weeks ago, he trusted Yar Adua government and admired his Unity government going by the biased and favorable commendations he regularly doled out to them through his column. However, after his humiliating experience at the SSS headquarters Abuja recently, his writings are filled with rage and distrust of Yar Adua and the unity government. It is also filled with criticism of Yar Adua’s party defection bill to the senate and his rule of law policy. He said he no longer trust Yar Adua and would prefer voicing his anger on the pages of newspaper instead of his usual method of speaking with Yar Adua on a one on one level. Orji kalu sounds idiotic to me. If Yar Adua and the PDP had not encroached into his PPA party and snatched one of his he would never have realized their pretence and double faced nature.
Now that he sees his requiem mass has been done even before he is actually dead politically, Orji sees reason to write against Yar Adua and PDP. When the Ekiti imbroglio happened, he did not make a comment. A PPA governor, in fact his stooge in the person Of Theodore went as afar as endorsing the Ekiti brouhaha. I laugh at Orji Kalu because when it finally happens he will not realize. If he does not know, his stooge, Theodore will soon jump ship too. Kalu Orji’s case with Yar Adua is very normal among Nigerian politicians, whom I view as lacking in integrity and morals. Now, Orji, who had hitherto disregarded the view of many Nigerians, through Sahara reporters and other media outlets that Yar adua is a man lacking integrity and morals, is the one writing to the public to inform them of Yar Adua’s ill characteristics. This amuses me. Of course, some willing Nigerians, who may be unemployed and uneducated will fall for Kalu’s gimmick tomorrow and even go as far as pelting stones at Yar Adua when he visits Abia state for Theodore Orji’s future decampment to the PDP. They will be gunned down by the police just as the Boko Haram, unarmed and surrendered members, were gunned down. And if we investigate what happened to them, we will never find out the truth. And that the truth was that Orji Kalu secretly organized and funded them to do the job. I say this because a former member of Bornu Governor’s inner caucus, who fell out was the financier of the evil Boko Haram Sect. Most of the religious crisis, kidnappings and ethnic clashes are all manipulations of disgruntled men like Mallam Foi Buju and Orji Kalu. Ekiti crisis was not different. It was there that old unemployed women were paid to protest naked by one of the governorship candidates. Jos crisis is also in the list. It was here, that voters turned out to blood letters. The case of Nigeria is gruesome. The Nigerian people must stand up against these machinations and manipulations of disgruntled people like Orji Kalu.
Even though many innocent Nigerians have been victims of the evil machinations of these wicked politicians, I write this article to expose the vulnerability of our politicians and so called leaders of becoming victims tomorrow. These politicians (comprising of men and women) who drive in overstretched convoy of cars blaring siren at top speed and oppressing the common man on public motorways, which are not easily motorable, are fat cowards as a matter of fact. Their cowardice is exhibited in the unruly manner they use the road out of fear that the other road users, whom they oppress maybe enemies. Although, the oppressed common road users clear the passage way for the oppressors at the faintest prompt and are intimidated by the braggadocio of these politicians, I must confess that they— the politicians, are the most vulnerable group in the society. It only takes the effrontery of patriotic Nigerians to challenge their chicanery. After all, the masses outnumber them. The instruments of state they also use to oppress like the police and army are also highly populated with common men who struggle to survive in the dying nation, Nigeria. Take the 27 soldiers that were imprisoned for protesting for their rightful payment for example. There are many more like them in the police and army force that want better lives like we seek. Only that the system of intimidation and coercion under the control of these few corrupt elite population puts these common men in the police and army force in strangle hold, again, the 27 soldiers for example who were imprisoned. However, I do not blame any member of the masses because of the long period of intimidation and violent coercion has made them what they are now. Their—the masses, reaction stops at raining curses on the politicians.
Having met individuals from different tribes and social background possessing various degrees of academic achievement across Nigeria, I can confidently assert that we are all going through the same situation, as a result of the excesses of these treacherous leaders. Now is the time, no other time for us to strike against these unscrupulous elements that parade themselves as leaders. We cannot continue to see them as brothers, sisters, kinsmen, statesmen or tribesmen because they do not have our wellbeing at heart. They are after their private pockets and immediate families. This can be proved by the recent decampment of this gutless fellow, Ikedi Ohakim. He has proven to me and all other Nigerians that share my view that he is a coward. If asked the reason for his decampment to the PDP, I assure you that he has no ideological reason for his decision, other than a self serving one. Power Consolidation 2011!!!He is trying to consolidate himself in the greatest election rigging party towards his second term bid for 2011. Ikedi Ohakim is a man that has described himself as a God-sent. Some people, like, his political foot soldiers and sycophants say he is performing in Imo state. They are really dreaming, given the spate of kidnappings in the state, which exposes the state’s current employment crisis. Ikedi Ohakim jabbers that he is turning Imo around for the better. If he trusts his antecedents of remaking Imo state within these few years, he has had the opportunity to run the state, why can’t he confidently run again under the PPA or even as an independent candidate. But Lo, he knows the truth that nobody even the orange seller that danced at Dan Anyiam stadium yesterday won’t give him a vote, thus his decampment to the election rigging party of Nigeria.
Ikedi’s action shows that he is one of those Nigerian politicians that need to be eliminated from the society. He is one of them that continually takes the common man for a ride. After all in early 2008, security aides attached to his convoy physically assaulted a lady on a Lagos highway. Ikedi Ohakim knows deep down in his mind that he has done nothing much to get the re-endorsement of Imo people. He lacks the courage, interest and dedication to service that Imo state people are looking for. He realizes that Maurice Iwu who installed him in the first place will not be around in 2011 and the only means to hold on to power is to join the band of election riggers. Woe to him and the others that have jumped ship in the north of Nigeria. I do not commiserate with the PPA or its members for the decampment of Ohakim, but I weep for the people of Nigeria that will continue to bear the excesses of these brigands and usurpers.
Today, one can not readily point to a Nigerian politician fighting for the emancipation of the people, what we see are pseudo-leaders and despots. I will not be surprised if tomorrow Adams Oshiomole decamps to the PDP in order to hold on to power after his first term because personal observations and interaction with people in Edo state readily point to the fact that Edo people are already fed up with Oshiomole’s excesses. His recent visit to the United States along with the likes of criminal minds like Saraki also point to the fact that he is not whom the Edo people thought he was. He is just a stooge of Lucky Igbenedion, a onetime marauder of Edo treasury. And surely, very soon, these men will pay for their atrocities against Nigerians.
Going back to my topic on Orji Uzor Kalu, I wish to state categorically that his likes should not be allowed where there are good people. I shake my head in disappointment each time after I read his column on Sun Newspaper. He writes like an innocent man, whom when given the opportunity may turn things around positively in Nigeria, when in fact he was and is still among those that plunder the resources of the country since the time of Ibrahim Babangida. Every time, after I force myself to read his article, hoping that he will one day confess to his atrocities against the people of Abia state, I feel disgusted with the audacity with which he wittingly canvasses for the support of the youth towards his 2011 presidential bid. I must state bluntly and clearly that Orji Kalu is a loner and a loser. He does not possess the antecedents of a reformer and will never be a leader in Nigeria again under any capacity as far as right minded nationalist and patriots continue to stand strong. As the PDP continue to encroach into his false displayed political base all I can say is Adieu!!!
Nigerian youths, nationalists and patriots in Nigeria and in the Diasporas should stand up against these bands of robbers that parade themselves as our leaders. They are mere cowards. In fact, they are mortal men and not supermen as the common man thinks. We can outdo them and we will overrun them. As the campaign towards 2011 election heats up, Nigerians should be ready to stone as many politicians that have disappointed them in the past. Not because some disgruntled men like late Alhaji Foi Buju, Atiku Abubakar, Orji Uzor Kalu and Fayose paid them too, but because they want to direct their destinies. Many of these disgruntled men and present governors, chairman and legislators are inconsequential in the progress and development of the nation we dream of. Orji Kalu is one of the inconsequential ones. Ikedi Ohakim is another. And others like Saraki and state governors that have plundered our resources within these few years of their stay without showing any concrete development are very useless. They should be stoned picketed, sniped and gunned down. I urge as many Nigerians to prove Fela Anikulapo wrong, where he says Nigerian citizens do not fight for their right because they are afraid they “get wan child, mama dey for house, papa dey for house, and no wan die.” If nobody fights for the mama at home and for the one child and his future, these marauders will consume everything we labor for.
God bless Nigeria!!! There is no other time for the Revolution to start but Now!!!!!
African Forum for Paradigm Change
Public relations officer, Tanda Alphonso
marshalblago@yahoo.com
