KWENU: Our Culture, Our Future

Anambra My own story

Venatius Ikem

Posted to the Web: Monday, January 31,

As I read through the excerpts of His Excellency, Dr. Chris Ngige’s submission to the Governor Oyinlola panel on the Anambra crisis published in the Sunday Guardian of January 23, 2005, I was not the least surprised. It is simply vintage Ngige, playing the saint against all the devils!

I, however, take solace in the hallowed ideals of the renowned Islamic scholar and Jihadist, Uthman Dan Fodio, which informed the motto/philosophy of the Guardian Newspapers “Conscience Nurtured by Truth.” And more elaborately in the admonition that “conscience is an open wound, only truth can heal it.”

Most importantly, I recommend this to His Excellency, Dr. Chris Ngige in his effort to continue to attempt to lead the people of Anambra State.

I believe the day His Excellency is ready to confront and accept the truth of the events and circumstances that collaborated, however dirty, squalid, sordid and even criminal, in making him governor, arguably “Leader,” of the people of Anambra State, will be the day he will begin to find lasting peace for his people. For  now, I think he is only playing to the gallery.

But while he continues to solicit public sympathy, he should remember that he is still the Governor with all the decorum expected of holders of that high office, appropriating all the benefits of the office, taking full advantage of the crisis, which has made his “security” the major project in his state. I further advise him to throw lesser mud around, despite his immunity from prosecution.
I am not competent to comment on the general issues of Anambra politics as I consider them their domestic issues but I am appalled at the negative insinuation, malicious and spiteful mention of my name in his submission, as the usual maligning of everyone that contributed in one way or the other to his present almighty status.

I served as secretary of the Local Government Primaries Committee in Anambra during the tenure of Governor Mbadinuju with Alhaji Oyedokun as Chairman and as usual, Fidelis Ozichukwu Chukwu, the zonal vice-chairman of the zone overseeing our operations. This is standard practice, but funny enough, with the ubiquitous presence of Dr. Ngige who until then, with Chief Chris Uba, (whom I got to know for the first time during that exercise), were the last line of defence of the then Governor Mbadinuju.It is sad to note the distance Dr. Ngige is attempting to put between himself and the then governor, but I leave that to Anambra State and its politics. But he should not forget so soon the role he played in all that scheme.

HARMONIZATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION LIST
I do not know how the governor arrived at his 90 per cent of the local governments, but it is true that the elections were not conclusive. The Committee then recommended a harmonization based on our peculiar experience while in Anambra, which recommendation was approved and executed by the NWC long before Dr. Ngige aspired and later became governor.

The Local Government elections were eventually shelved, for other reasons nationwide until other elections in 2003. Then came Dr. Ngige as His Excellency and later, July 10 before it became necessary to endorse candidates for L.G. elections.

The NWC again called on the 2002 Committee to harmonize the list in the face of current realities with both Governor Ngige and Chief Chris Uba, to arrive at a more realistic list. This meeting held at the National Chairman’s residence with both the Governor and Chris Uba, Nze Ozichukwu and Dan Ulasi in attendance.

I do not recall the governor protesting the presence of anyone in that meeting but that is by the way. The truth is that we had a frank meeting with both Chief Chris Uba and Governor Ngige exchanging banters when necessary and we thought hope was in sight for peace.

I recall that with the consent of both parties, we resolved all but four local government
candidates. It is true that we resolved to reconvene to handle the remaining four at a later date.

PUBLICATION OF LISTS
I have refrained from joining issues with His Excellency since the smear campaign over the publication of lists.
First, I consider him a friend and an associate, while in the NEC. Secondly, I respect the office of the Governor.

I am at pains to understand what Dr. Ngige means when he said that some members of the NWC said I was never authorized to publish the list. Was Anambra treated in isolation? It is on record that I published the list of candidates nationwide including Anambra State, based on the earlier harmonization done by the Committee as directed by the NWC in 2002.
However, following his objection as well as those of other well meaning stakeholders, it was agreed that the election in Anambra State be put on hold in view of their peculiar circumstances.

Dr. Ngige knows those he has sustained in his payroll to peddle gossip about what happens and does not happen at NWC. It is pre-posterous to suggest that I will publish the party’s list of candidates without due authorization and without due authentication of the principal signatories i.e. the National Chairman and National Secretary as provided for in the party guidelines.

That is beside the point. The truth like the Governor said, is that peculiar circumstances made it necessary to field candidates that in some instances, did not even feature in the primaries of 2002, the later defection of Dr. Mbadinuju being principal. The squabbles between the remaining members of that group: Governor  Ngige and Chief Chris Uba, arising from the July 10 saga, brought other problems. Truth is the governor no longer trusted anyone who was seen to be loyal to Chief Chris Uba even if they had jointly submitted the names. He sought to use his office to change them! These were the fundamental issues we had to grapple with in reconciling the list where verifiable with our records of 2002 aspirants.

So whatever informed and convinced the signatories was not within my power to question. I confirmed from my records, however, that this last list agreed with my records to the extent of my participation. So I went to press.
I was called names by the governor and his surrogates but I kept mute. I addressed the issues at the NWC, however, and the chairman had his views about the governor’s attitude, which he summarized as a failure of leadership! That made it difficult to find lasting solution to the crisis.

PERSONS BENEFITING FROM THE CRISIS
It is a well-known fact that the major beneficiary of this crisis is Governor Chris Ngige. Maybe people say this at his back. But not many arc fooled. I challenge him to declare his total expenditure on “Security Vote” since the July 10 crisis. The joke in town also of the arrangee bombing of his official residence has also not been lost on discerning watchers. Not after the revelations of the Abacha government NADECO bombings!

Why would he reconcile with Chief Chris Uba and share what he could conveniently keep to himself alone? Whatever happened to the quip that there is honour even amongst thieves! It is a known fact that thieves/robbers are mostly caught where they break their honour at sharing the booty. Governor Ngige should stop playing the victim and hero at the same time and vilifying everyone else.

Privately, I have had cause to advise him that for him to have time to serve his people and enjoy peace of mind, he should make peace with Chief Chris Uba. This may not be popular in our bizarre world of arm-chair criticisms especially by those whose participation in politics is limited to chastising those who apply all their time, energy and other human resources to this all important but defamed career, in our country, but I believe that is a way forward. I know that deep inside Dr. Ngige, he knows that all the claims of victory are hallow.

Alternatively, he should be man enough to own up to these truths as Chief Chris Uba has done and face the consequences. He could yet be a hero! Only then can he heal his conscience. For now, all truthful members of the NWC and most leaders of the PDP know he is living a lie! From party screening to party primaries, irrespective of whatever excuses he is giving, to the general elections, even his closest aides know, like he does, that it was all a sham.

Of course, he conveniently added my name on the list of beneficiaries because I seconded the motion for his suspension at the last NEC meeting. Otherwise the benefits I have derived from the crisis have largely been the ones extended to me by him up till the last Christmas! And he knows what it is. He can publish it. I challenge him to show my other benefits from the crisis. Maybe his patronage was for less than altruistic reasons. How disappointing considering how soon thereafter the NEC meeting in question came!

Regrettably, the initial attitude of our executive (which blame I share) in applying selective 'Justice' in the Anambra crisis led us to where we are. If we had had the courage to call a spade a spade and treated both Chris Ngige and Chris Uba, irrespective of position, as culprits, both in violation of our party constitution and in crimes against the law, we would probably have solved the problem long before now.

By my training, justice is blind. Extenuating circumstances can be considered in punishment. If Dr. Ngige must convince Nigerians that Chief Chris Uba is a criminal, I insist that as a co-conspirator, an assossory (before and after the fact), a beneficiary of the crime who has sought to keep the entire proceeds of the crime, he must accept what he is by the law and face trial too. A recipient of stolen “goods” can sometimes be convicted for the theft you know.

For now, he is only playing the ostrich. And I refuse to be impressed. He has, and continues to desecrate the office of the governor in his conduct and utterances. What is haunting him is certainly not the Bible he took to Okija Shrine.

Venatius  A. Ikem
National Publicity Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party,
Plot 1970, Michael Okpara Street, Wadata Plaza, Wuse, Abuja.

culled from Vanguard, Monday, January 31, 2005