The former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, has reacted to an interview granted the Sun Newspaper of Monday, 20th October, 2014 by Nigerian Ambassador to Spain and wife of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Her Excellency, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, where she expressed shock and disappointment over the former governor’s joining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). She said, inter alia, “It is undeniable that Peter Obi made immense contributions to All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). I remain proud of his achievements, as governor of Anambra State. His exit diminishes us, and many of his supporters and grassroots crusaders are disappointed and demoralised”.
Mrs Ojukwu also described the action of the former governor as a betrayal of her late husband and renowned Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu who had such great trust in him and his assurances that he, Obi, would always stand by APGA.
In his reaction, Obi, who has so far ignored all comments made about his political decision opened up by pointing out that Bianca Ojukwu was not a frivolous person and that her comments must be taken seriously more so because he was the wife of his leader. But he reminded the public that loyalty to a cause does not change with a change of platform; and that there has not been any change of principles on his part.
Speaking to the press, Obi said this response would be his last on the matter to enable him channel his time and energy alongside other well-meaning Igbos to work for the re-election campaign of President Goodluck Jonathan and the place of Ndigbo in the Nigerian politics.
He said: “Of all those who have spoken, and who continue to speak, on the issue of my leaving APGA, only Bianca spoke with sincerity. She does not fall into the class of those who are now displaying dated video clippings and presenting matters out of context for political reasons, without appreciating the sacrifice put into building the house they are now destroying”.
Continuing, Obi said: “ I want to have it on record that Bianca was right when she reported my exchange with the Ikemba when he called me and asked whether I would leave APGA, after the events of Abia State at that time, when the Governor left APGA for reasons I believe to be genuine. On my own part, I got so many overtures for meto leave APGA when I was the Governor, I did not give in. I wish to reiterate that I am still loyal to our great leader, in terms of what serves the interests of our people and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Everyone knows today that APGA is not what it used to be. My assurance to our great leader did not imply that I would be loyal to a platform that some people have resolved to turn into an empty shell without an inner core of shared values. I remain faithful to those values and principles our great leader asked me to stand by and defend”.
Obi insists that time would reveal whether the APGA of today is still propagating the late leader’s core principles. He added that he had seen enough of violation of what APGA stood for, and therefore cannot continue to stay in a place which had departed from the original course and where clearly he was not wanted.
Recounting the father-son relationship between him and Ojukwu, Obi said that he kept his promise to the leader and finished as an APGA Governor and helped to enthrone another APGA Governor. He also said he stayed with Ojukwu throughout his trying period and intervened in all possible ways to ensure that he was given a burial befitting for a leader and a hero.
“According to Mrs Ojukwu, our political father, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Ndi Anambra and Nigerians believed I was humble, hard working, honest, good mannered, among others and that I delivered on good governance. These were not primarily because of the political party I belonged to, but because of my belief that we must build a better society for our children,” Obi added.
Obi said that Ojukwu advised him to continue supporting Jonathan for reasons which Ojukwu made clear to him.
On his several discussions with Mrs Ojukwu, Obi said it was true that they discussed about APGA repeatedly, but that the last time he discussed with her in detail was after he, Obi, held closed door meeting with the leadership of the party with four venerated persons from Anambra State, after which he told Mrs Ojukwu that based on what transpired at the meeting, which those people understood, that he had had enough and needed to move on.
“Like my leader and political father, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who was bitterly criticised for ignoring the Zik-led Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) to join the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) where he felt the interests of Ndigbo and the nation would be better served, I have moved out of a political party which in my own opinion had derailed. I have moved on to a place my contributions towards proper representation of our people would have the level of impact that would make Ikemba rejoice in his grave,” Obi said
Governor Obi said that her Excellency, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, whom he holds in high esteem would later be in a position to judge the propriety or otherwise of recent developments in the party and his actions. He concluded that time will judge all “our actions accordingly.”
