Okwubunka of Asa.
Events make dates historic. Massive fall in the value of stocks in the Wall Street that ended up triggering similar falls around the world made 19th October, 1987 to be declared a black Monday.
The event of 15th February, 1999 in Jos Township Stadium, unspeakably made it a Black Monday for the Igbo.
That Monday was the day the Peoples Democratic Party had its first National Convention and it took place in Township Stadium, Jos.
More than a month before the Convention, Abia delegates to the Convention had made up their mind that they would vote for the former Second Republic Vice President, late Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme.
Of course, apart from being the founder and first National Chairman of PDP, Dr Ekwueme had visited Abia State severally, spending huge amount of money on the Orji Kalus. Every top stakeholder of PDP in the State was passionate about his aspiration to be Nigeria’s next President.
Even Chief Orji Uzor Kalu who had become a Governor-elect in 1998, always gave the impression that he was in support of Dr Ekwueme’s presidential aspiration.
Only two days to the Convention while we gathered in the country-home of the State Chairman of the Party, Chief Tony Ukasanya, feelers manifested that Chief Orji Uzor Kalu and his Mother were, after all, not sincere in their purported support for Dr Alex Ekwueme.
The ‘preliminary instruction’ by Orji’s mother was that delegates from Abia State should vote for former Second Republic Governor of Anambra State, Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, who, on his own, was only on a ‘revenge mission’. He felt that the PDP Presidential Primary Election would be an opportunity to settle scores with Dr Ekwueme whom he alleged had aided Chief C C Onoh to rub him of his second tenure election as Governor of Anambra State in 1983.
We were asked to meet at Nweke Street, Aba, being the residence of Orji’s mother the next morning for our take-off to Jos. A Molue bus was hired for Abia delegates who would not travel by their own means. Some drummers were hired to accompany us on the trip. Late Sir I K Daniel was made the Cordinator. The expenditure was borne by Chief Jim Nwobodo.
In the night of Sunday, 14th February, 1999 when we had arrived Jos, the story had changed. Chief Orji Uzor Kalu had deceitfully traded off and abandoned both Dr Alex Ekwueme and Chief Jim Nwobodo, his Igbo brothers.
We would later understand that Orji, who before then was merely being deceitful to both, had selfishly been fooled to believe that if an Igbo Man became President of Nigeria in 1999, it would seal his chances of becoming Nigeria’s President in his life.
That bare-faced deceit was too hard for the Igbo in Jos to believe. Hence, they had nearly lynched Abia delegates in Jos.
Chief Orji Uzor Kalu’s life has always been characterized by selfishness, greed and deceit.
It is a combination of the above traits that made him think he could, once again, impose another of his brothers on the good people of Aba-North/ Aba-South Federal Constituency in next Saturday’s bye-election.
Feeling that Ngwa politicians in APC, a party he merely joined after he had mismanaged his own party, are cowardly, he had thought it would be just an easy walk-over imposing his younger brother on Aba people. Unknown to him, a roaring Lion, in the person Prince Paul Ikonne; an outstanding Chip of the old block, is there to call his excesses resulting from his time-held intellectual porosity to order.
Orji, as a pathological liar had claimed that his brother scored 47,000 votes to emerge as the candidate of APC at Enitona Hotel, Aba. But he was not intelligent enough to appreciate the simple fact that Enitona Hotel is, by any imagination and application, incapable of accommodating more than 500 persons at a time. This Orji has refused to grow. He remains an unfortunate liar.
Orji Kalu is a known enemy of the Igbo. He takes pride in being the one that brought RUGA to Abia State. If Orji Kalu is merely promised to be Nigeria’s President on the condition that he would kill all the Igbo, he would not spare even a second to make sure no Igbo Man or Woman would breathe again. Orji is evil.
As campaign for bye-election in Aba-North/ Aba-South ends this night, I urge all residents of the Enyimba City of Aba to vote the Candidate of PDP, Hon Chimaobi Ebisike. He is a Man we can trust based on well established pedigree and antecedents.
Besides, a vote for Hon Ebisike is a vote in appreciation of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who has given his best to Aba.
Congratulations to Hon Chimaobi and PDP in advance.
It is hoped that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will be impartial in the conduct of Saturday’s election. Whatever the case may tend to be, the Aba electorate are urged to make sure that their votes are protected so that they will count.
Okwubunka of Asa.
