By Eddie Onuzuruike
Emma Ogbuehi’s mendacity for Alex Otti.
If based on history and experience, I will be foolish to expect a friendly article or compliment from the Sun Group of Newspapers to Abia State Government. It has come to a stage where yellow journalism and plain blackmail have become beautiful piece of art and writing. I am not protesting for we have been used to it. What will become a surprise is the day The Sun turns around to pen of the good deeds in Abia.
Page 20 of The Sun, March 3rd came in true colours. One Emma Ogbehi in the first few paragraphs invoked the names of the founding fathers like Zik, M. I. Okpara, Awo, Osadebey and other towering fellows in order that you will credit the write-up with being studded with facts and figures, but it turned out to be a serious bait where the reader went along and unaware of the trap ahead, fell into a snare of downloading fallacies as facts. The Sun and the hack writers are known for this trick and to the experienced, they are up to their games all over again. It has become guerrilla warfare where articles are sneaked into other newspapers like the page 20 of the Guardian, Tuesday, 3rd March and page 57, of Sunday Vanguard, 2015.
In the said pieces, mention was made of great names of Nigerians, then followed innuendos to spite the Abia helmsman as a divisive person. In real terms, the message from Emma Ogbuehi if he is real is highly seditious.
This analysis of selflessness and siting of projects in areas other than their homes were intended to instigate Abia people. Emma Ogbuehi refused to pin-point where projects were unjustly sited just because he and his camp have been denying that there are projects. Emma didn’t want to fall into his own trap because he will be admitting that there are projects. Emma’s argument that a replacement of Emeka Wogu, former Labour minister should come from Abia South is a ploy intent on deceit. By this argument, he was pretending to be protective of Abia South that Alex is trying to snatch their governorship zoned to them. Not only that, his deputy governorship candidate MRS Eme Uche is equally from the North in a double take off Ukwa na Ngwa.
Akobundu who was nominated has his contacts. He has been in Abuja circles, and has been a military administrator and other high points as a senior military officer. Recommendation to the president is made on multiples for the president to choose from. Any person, the president and the presidency can position their choice candidates. In the year 2000, Obasanjo nominated Onyema Ugochukwu for the chairmanship of the NDDC, but the Gov. of Abia then did everything to thwart it to the extent that Abia Senators then refused to advance Onyema’s candidacy. At the end of the day, Obasanjo prevailed as it is not a prerogative of the governors only.
Emma faulted the candidacy of Okezie victor Ikpeazu calling him a stooge. Oddly enough, the stooge that Alex Otti wanted to be by all means. The zoning in Abia by the PDP, Government and the people favour Abia South Senatorial Zone where Ikpeazu hails from. He is well read and experienced, so what’s wrong with him. Alex Otti offered all the money he had to be in Ikpeazu’s place but he couldn’t get it. We all know the story of the fox and the sour grapes. Alex Otti is too ambitious and has in many ways incriminated himself to the extent that if you take him to court, a jail term will not be out of place.
The speed with which he swapped party and nativity raises quantum moral questions. Arochukwu is in Abia North; his home falls foul of the zoning formula. Overnight, he raised a mansion in Isiala Ngwa South and took some hazy chieftaincy titles. In a hurry too, he forgot the emblazoned inscription on his Arochukwu country home which imputed that there is no place like home. His PDP membership card no. 2962204/16 was obtained from Arochukwu Ward 3 and this clearly indicated that he is from Arochukwu Local Government Area. In most of his documents in Public domain like the citation for an honorary doctorate degree from Babcock, it was boldly stated that he is from Arochukwu. The same Alex in his new affidavit has sworn that he is from Isiala Ngwa South. Is this the quality of a man to be governor? Who is sure that he didn’t tamper with figures while in the bank?
Some lessons for Alex. Chief Orji has exceeded his promise in his manifesto. As somebody in the system, he knew how to achieve much with the paltry allocations. He set up many agencies like the CSDP, ADP, ABROMA, ABIA LIBERATION FARMS, IFAD and CO. Most of them existing before he came were moribund and unfunded. He has rejuvenated and promptly funded. Like magic, all these agencies are concurrently carrying out many projects resulting in multiple projects going on innumerably in all parts of the state. The over 710 Primary Health Centers cannot all be in Umuahia alone as Ogbuehi insinuated. There are manifold collaborative projects going on in many of the communities between CSDP and various communities. All these are community based. Same goes for the blue-roofed model secondary and primary schools rebuilt, renovated by ASUBEB. The magic is that most of these could not take place without counterpart funds paid, thus killing many birds with few stones.
What about the 100 bed hospitals, many built from the scratch in Arochukwu, Ikwuano, Okeikpe and the rest? The International Conference Center, the E-library, Joint Accounts Allocation Auditorium, tahe twin worker’s secretariat, ASUBEB and ASEPA Houses can only be sited at the state capital city. It is unfortunate that those who clutch all the straws like the drowning men they are did not notice all these lacking facilities as the ministries were in rented apartment’s and seminars meant for Abia were taken to other states.
It is only for a short time as history will vindicate Chief T A Orji.
Eddie Onuzuruike.