My 2017 Democracy Day Message To Ndigbo:, By Francis Chidozie Okoye

"Umunne m, It Is Time To Close Ranks And Work For The Overall Interest Of The Igbo Race! Time For Action, No More Rhetorics!

Prelude;

I have been an active player since the last 18 years of uninterrupted democratic experiment in Nigeria, not just as a voter, but also as a political pundit, party man, grassroot mobilizer, and as well as political consultant to elected and appointed government officials!

Within this period, I have been with government in power, but more in opposition politics! In all these, I observe with nostalgia and pained a great deal that Igbos have not actually taken their rightful place in the firmament called Nigeria!

But, my piece today will not dwell on the Federal Government of President Buhari, whose 2 years in office is  a total disgrace and a misplacement in Leadership!
I will confine my message within my immediate constituency(Ala Igbo: Biafra nee Anambra State).

'Obu anyi na eme onwe anyi, ka obu mmadu na-eme anyi?'

The answer is very clear, "obu Igbo na-eme onwe ha!"

Now let us go memory lane.
The greatest number of democrats that formed the Peoples Democratic Party in 1999 were Igbos and they had the majority stake to produce Dr Alex Ekwueme as PDP Presidential flag bearer, but during the Jos Convention. It was fellow Igbos that Babangida and co used to disgrace Ekwueme out of the race in favour of Olusegun Obasanjo!

During the 4th and 5th Senate (1999-2007), Igbos produced 5 Senate President. Sen Evans Enwerem came in, few months after Dr Chuba Okadigbo plotted his removal. After Okadigbo, Anyim Pius took over! All within 4 years. Yet again Sen Adolphus Nwagbara came on board, but was plotted out and asked to resign, while Sen Ken Nnamani took over.

In all these it were fellow Igbo Senators that spearheaded these removals, thus the seat unfortunately rotated among the five Igbo states. In Imo State in 2007, one out of either Martin Agbaso or Sen Ifeanyi Ararume would have been elected Governor to succeed outgoing Gov Achike Udenwa, but Obasanjo used fellow Imolites and the judiciary to plot against them and a political infant from PPA Chief Ikedi Ohakim took over as Governor! However, Ohakim after 4 years in office was denied a 2nd term in office thru cheap campaign of calumny by a fellow popular cum politician Igbo priest! Now, an underperforming pro Hausa Governor was foisted on them.

The rest is now history! In Abia State, one family led by the so called Ochendo Global chief T.A Orji has been calling the shot since 2007, even when their achievements while in office are nothing to write home about. Abia is now a failed state, after the glorious Orji Uzor Kalu era of 1999 to 2007. Let's hope the current Gov Okezie Ikpeazu will change the Abia narrative!

Ebonyi and Enugu State are fairing better with both Governors blazing the trail in governance. Even though the Chimaroke Nnamani era in Enugu was a charade, Sullivan Chime lifted the state higher! Former Governors Sam Egwu and of Ebonyi State could be scored average!
Back to my home state Anambra, the center of Igbo politics, commerce, and industry.

Anambra has faired much more better than other South East State. Kudos to the Road Renaissance of the Gov Ngige's administration. His remarkable 3 years in office made us to easily forget the pains of the last 2 years of the failed 4 years of Dr Mbadinuju's administration!

Then came the Peter Obi's government whose 8 years in office needs no advertisement. Needless to say that Obi lived the stake much more higher than Ngige left it! Obi gave Anambra state the status of the state with highest road network in Nigeria. He gave us a debt free state , gave us a new secretariat, gave us a crime free state, brought simplicity in governance, reduced waste and cut down cost of governance and left office with his head high! His greatest mistake was not allowing Ndi Anambra to choose his successor! Gov. Obi went to Houston and imported a retired banker and imposed him on us! We allowed him do it because Obi promised that he would be better than him! Alas, na one chance we entered!
Anambra is today being drawn 25 years backward under Gov Willie! We are now being run by unimplementable MOU's and scams everywhere (viz a vis; Ugu scam, Yam scam, Anambra Rice scam, Awka Abattoir scam, flyover scam, Airport scam, and now Golden tullip hotel scam, Agulu).

Anambra State : A house divided by itself:

Anambra State is today losing a lot owing to numerous political camps in the state and inherent wars!

Sir Victor Umeh was National Chairman of APGA and at the same time he contested for Senate just to be relevant always!. Uche Ekwunife defeated Umeh at the election, he went to court and chased her away. My boss, Peter Obi finished as Gov and swore to retire from politics, but because Umeh has to be stopped by all means, Obi declared for Senate.

Gov Obiano is the Governor, because he doesn't trust any other person(s) from other senatorial zones, he filled the Government House with only Aguleri people! He is even afraid of his friend Victor Umeh, such that he sacked all party excos loyal to Umeh!

We have 2 Senators and 11 House of Reps members from Anambra, majority of them are bench warmers! Sen Andy Ubah is representing only his family. Sen Stella Odua is representing only Ogbaru people!
Ifeanyi Ubah, nwanne anyi nwoke has been illegally detained by the DSS for the past 3 weeks, and unfortunately none of our Abuja Senators and Reps has demanded for justice for Ifeanyi Ubah.
Gov Fayose is now our Anambra mouth piece!

Anambra Central Senatorial Seat has been stalemated for  2 years now and in fighting between Umeh, Obi, Ekwunife and Obiano's camps, has brought us many losses and hatred among their supporters and thus derailed the development of the state!

Anambra Central Logjam: My Take:

Let all the matters in court be withdrawn and let my boss Obi step aside since he had no interest initally and allow Victor Umeh to go for Senate, while we all team up and groom Obi for President of Nigeria! With a caveat that Sir Umeh should call all his boys to order to desist from further attack on our hero, Gov Obi. Obi remains our best material for ije ogu Nigeria, while Umeh would do well for Ndigbo at the red chamber.

On the World Igbo Congress;

The outcome has shown lack of unity of purpose and I stand by Gov Obi and Sen Ekweremmadu's speech at the conference! (Ndigbo should not stop where Nigeria dropped us; Read it up from the comment box of this post!

Happy Democracy day to Ndigbo and Nigeria!

Akweke Francis Chidozie Okoye,
Oyi Umunri,
Writes from Nnewi.