Ojukwu celebrates Obi

Leader of defunct Biafra Republic and Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, has joined legion well-meaning indigenes and residents of Anambra state to shower praises on the state governor, Peter Obi, for fast tracking development in the state since he assumed office three years ago. Ojukwu (Eze Igbo Gburugburu) was the presidential candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the April 2007 election. (Pictures show Gov. Obi (left); Ojukwu (right) and Etiaba(down left)

Significantly, Ojukwu chose the opportunity of opening of the campaign office of Emeka Etiaba, son of Dame Virgy Etiaba, the state’s deputy governor, to haul these accolades at Governor Obi. Emeka Etiaba, in what is seen as a spoiler’s gimmick, is challenging second term running Obi for APGA ticket in the 2010 election in Anambra state.

Maintaining that Obi has performed superlatively as governor of the state in the past three years, the Ikemba insisted that APGA would provide a level-playing field for all governorship aspirants for next year’s election in the state.

Stated Ojukwu, “Governor Obi has done well, especially, in transforming Awka, the state capital. He has provided good roads for the people and the party is proud of him”.

Many, however, reason that Ojukwu’s praises on Governor Obi during the function implies Obi’s endorsement for a second term in office by APGA. This is because, apart from being its presidential flag bearer, Ojukwu is, also, Chairman, Board of Trustees of APGA.

Still, other political analysts in the state and beyond think that Ojukwu’s speech was an indirect way of advising Emeka Etiaba to shelve his (untimely) ambition for now, and allow Governor Obi to continue with his good works in the state on the platform of the party till 2014.

Expectedly, Emeka, the celebrant, was disappointed by Ojukwu’s unexpected glorification of Governor Obi in a function he (Emeka) organized to run for the governorship of the state.

Because he had to play politics (as a politician), Emeka acknowledged that Governor Obi had tremendously done well, but said his main reasons for joining the governorship race were to do fundamental work on education, health and agriculture; create a deserving state capital in Awka, while not neglecting other cities in the state; provide strategic roads and good transportation network, ensure security of lives and property and provide jobs; as well as take the state on a journey to the next level from where Governor Obi would stop.

The journey to the next level, Emeka stated, would resolve some knotty issues that tend to disintegrate the people and discourages incompetence and mediocrity, adding that chief among those issues was religious politics.