2010: Obi Should Re-consider His Personality

Because power is in the hand of few literate Nigerians, the art of image laundering is allowed to only the reading public. If some people were to head their villages and towns were oracles and deities are revered, they won't come out hale and hearty. They would be exposed. Even tyrants in our democracy launder their images on the newspapers and on the radio and on the television so that people could see them as democrats, which they are not.

Governor Peter Obi has been in the news of late. If he is not a 'born-again' Christian as he always professes, one could think he has been possessed by some evil spirits. He has been loquacious and arrogance one could easily equate him that he is best for monarchy than democracy.

Obi has been biting everybody he perceived could be stumbling block for him to achieve his re-election in 2010. He has been antagonizing Prof. Maurice Iwu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), of a course best known to Obi.

One couldn't see any basis of Obi squabbling Iwu since Obi never contested election which Iwu chaired. Obi was in the court fighting that he has not completed his tenure which Dr. Chris Ngige who was ex-Governor of Anambara state abridged, so where is Obi's locus-standi fighting Iwu?

I think Obi is haunted by nemesis. I don't think Iwu contributed to Obi's nemesis. Obi's posture as a governor is despicable in a democracy. In another vein Obi doesn't see himself as a governor but as a King. He is applying in Kings' tactics by banishing anybody who is opposed to his dukedom. Obi is garnering more problems to himself than progress. And the later is what made kings like Obi garner to themselves because they create more foes to themselves than friends.

Higgledy-piggledy , Obi took democracy like a family meeting or family headship in Igbo land where the led are not allowed their opinions. The “born again” Obi is malicious. This has led to the disintegration of the APGA, with Chekwes Okorie being the president on one side while Victor Umeh lead the other. Umeh who is Obi's traveling mate. But Obi should check if Umeh has hypnotized him.

It is perturbing that a governor like Obi doesn't know when to quit a fight. He thinks that keeping malice with his political foes in Anambra or in Nigeria is the best option or strategy for winning an election, whereas it's the electorate.

Obi's piteous in-born habit in quarrelling has now estended to Iwu? Obi's deputy, Dame Virgy Etiaba would have a copious novel about the political bouts Obi had given her. Dr. Ngigi, is a bad news as far as Obi-led administration was concerned in Anambra State, but not to the people of Anambra.

Except in Nigeria were people say 'anything can happen', I don't see a man like Obi making more foes than friends winning the election of 2010 in Anambra from even if Iwu he is fighting is removed from the office of the INEC. And even if the Ghana officials who saw to the free and fair presidential election recently conducted in Ghana come to Anambra State the possibility of Obi winning is slim.

Obi's feudal antecedents is a bet that he may likely lose APGA's ticket to contest the election under its platform. The challenge Obi has given Mrs. Etiaba has led to one of a Etiaba's children, Barrister Emeka Etiaba unequivocally showing interest for the exalted seat in Anabara in 2010.

Dr. Ngigi on the other hand is not happy that many of the work Obi claims his administration has achieved in the state, were works Ngigi's administration had paid for. Now, as a matter of factly, Obi is angry with Ngigi as being the strongest contender in the 2010 governorship

election in Anabara State. Obi is not happy that Ngigi mobilizes millions of Anambra people to him, which even Obi's name can not mobilize. Its therefore palpable that wherever Dr. Ngige went in the state, his people thunder, “Onwa! Onwa!! Onwa !!!” ( moon, literarily meaning light).

It is unpatriotic of Obi that he can't put to order his-led APGA in Anambra State. One wonders how he is ruling Anambra as a governor if APGA in Anambra is in total fracas.

A good guest, according to a saying, is he who knows when to leave. I think Obi should save himself the shame of losing election in Anambra State and quit interest now. He should tow the line of the former south African President Thabo Mbeki who resigned when the ovation was no longer “hosanna”.

I don't mean that Obi should resign, but he should re-consider his personality. There are perceived murmuring against him by the many people of Anambra State. He should realize that Anambra people are a people who have known the etymology of not suffering fools gladly.

Obi Should save himself his name and avoid the many sycophants around him urging him to re-contest. Does Obi know that they are just advising him for the protection of their jobs? But the pressing need of political observers of Anambra politics is that Obi should recoil to his banking profession after his tenure in 2010, because Ngige's interest in 2010 would be a major set back to Obi.

With the feudal approach of obi, it's not hidden that he lacks a strong political network. And he is still playing the politics of the “ winner carries it all “.

If Obi is still relevant in APGA, I wonder how a candidate obi fielded in the re-run election in Nnewi North/ Nnewi South Federal constituency held recently withdrew to campaign for court-voided C.I.D Maduabum. Let us not talk about the re-run senatorial election in Anambra South were Senator Ikechukwu Obiora (disgraced Obi) won.

This winnings show that Obi is not a good political fighter as he makes people to believe. Obi seems to be a distance-fighter! And if he continues with this method, I wonder how he would dodge Ngige's dangling hammer in 2010.

Obi should hearken to the wife's wish, as published in many Nigeria dailies, “I don't want my husband to re-contest”, said Obi's wife. He should save the wife the shame of being defeated in 2010. I don't think that Obi's image laundering would same his job in 2010. It seems Anambra people have marked him as a bag egg since Ngige had shown interest for the governorship race.

Odimegwu Onwumere is the Founder of Poet Against Child Abuse (PACA), Oyigbo, Rivers State. 08032552855. [email protected]