A presently gathering but yet to be confirmed report has it that Governor Ikedi Ohakim was forced by an oath he took before being allowed into the government house in Owerri, to dump the PPA for PDP? This is Brutus stab as it was the PPA that came to his rescue after PDP rubbished him, and provided him with a platform to run for governorship when all roads seemed to have been foreclosed on his ambition. What a way to pay back a once in a lifetime favor? Was this a back-stab, a Judas Iscariot treachery on the PPA or just a fast one, pulled by a conniving political whore who saw an opportunity to free himself from the vice-like control of Orji Uzor Kalu and his mother and decided to take it? Icheoku asks, did Ikedi jump or walk or was he pushed or forced?
According to the source, Chris Uba, the former Anambra State political heavy weight and the man who made former Anambra State governor Chris Ngige swear by Alusi Okija, also administered the same dreaded Alusi Okija on Ikedi Ohakim? This was on behalf of Olusegun Obasanjo, who wanted a guarantee that Ohakim will keep his promise to defect back to the PDP, if allowed to become governor of Imo State in 2007? Icheoku is still working on our source but Olusegun Obasanjo himself, practically confirmed that much, when he said that Ikedi Ohakim was only fulfilling a promise he made to defect back to PDP and nothing more! In Olusegun Obasanjo's own words, Ohakim's decamping was "a pre-arranged agreement he entered with the PDP before the election"? This begs the question, what manner of man is this Ikedi Ohakim that will jump ship of a political building block at this time of Nigeria's fledgling democracy? But his apologists argue that question of morality pales in contrast to the wrath of the Okija deity, which will descend upon his family should he renege on the sworn agreement? This latest saga of Ohakim bailing-out on a political party that catapulted him into relevance, adds to the retinue of occultist oath-taking Nigerian politicians; and their unbridled quest for power and the length they are prepared to go in order to just make it to the seat of power? Nigerian politicians, where are thou soul?
An up and coming young man with a bright political future just had it thrown away by this his defection; becoming just a number instead of teaming with the dynamic Orji Uzor-Kalu to carve a niche for the South East in national political discourse. Dee Sam Mbakwe, where at thou spirit that will let such a sabotage of the government house wherein you once gave the NPN a bloody nose? Our beef here is not necessarily against Ikedi Ohakim but that democracy be allowed to thrive through competition and options. Why should everybody be lumped into one political party, which will be tantamount to a military dictatorship where you either fall in line or be whipped into line or possibly sidelined. Re-echoing one commentator's observation, "It was shameful that the governor had opted for the seemingly easy option of cutting and running, instead of facing up to the blackmail and pressure of PDP and, in the process, helping to strengthen democracy in Nigeria." The question here is, why this chickening out from the war front which otherwise would help nurture democracy in Nigeria? 
The governor's former party PPA in a statement said, "the governor’s defection was a betrayal of trust and a cowardly approach to politics. It is, therefore, regrettable that Governor Ohakim has now buckled under PDP pressure to display a palpable lack of courage and conviction. Rather than lead, he has chosen to capitulate. Rather than inspire the growing legion of party members to stir the PPA to greater heights in the great state of Imo, he has decided to cut and run". Icheoku agrees wholly with this summation of the governor's betrayal; and adds that this bad example of how not to be a leader is as dangerous as a military take-over of government? Governor Ikedi Ohakim has followed the despicable governors of Bauchi and Zamfara States into political infamy; and for violently kicking away, the very ladder with which they climbed into political relevance in the first place, it shall not be well with them. This is a discredited path which no follower/s of Dee Sam Onunaka Mbakwe or an apostle of his, should follow. The mark of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort but during adversity; not unmindful of the pressure-cooker intensity of the ruling PDP to force Nigeria into one party state? Icheoku says, this standing by itself is not sufficient for Governor Ikedi Ohakim to turn a traitor and turn his back on the PPA that made him governor of Imo State. Even factoring in Alusi Okija does not justify his action either.
Icheoku emphasises that the proposed electoral reform bill which provides unequivocally that "a political office holder who decamps to another political party shall resign from such a post immediately" is a provision whose time has since come! Icheoku and co will not be wasting a comment on such political harlotry as exhibited by Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State, had the National assembly done their work to pass this bill. May be President Umaru Yar'Adua and his PDP dominated national assembly is stalling on the passage of the bill to enable the Ikedi Ohakims of Nigeria politics to finish their carpet-crossing before they could enact it into law. The time to act on the reform is now, before the damage would have been done irretrievably and far-reaching havoc wrecked on Nigeria budding democracy, with the imposition of one autocratic central political party? By Governor Ikedi Ohakim going back to PDP, a political party that scornfully tossed him out of their moving train to be crushed thereunder in 2007, shows that the man has no core and lacks a sense of self and decency. How dare he lick back his spittle? Does this man still have what it takes to be called governor of a state which the late Dee Onunaka Mbakwe once governed? Icheoku does not think so; and says, the earlier the Imo State House of Assembly commences an impeachment proceedings against this defector-governor, the better for the integrity of the people of Imo State. What PDP did by poaching Governor Ikedi Ohakim is pure greed as they concluded they must also consume a state out of the two held by an opposition political party? It does not bode well for democracy. Governor Ikedi Ohakim's defection is very unfortunate, it impacts adversely the sagacity of multiple political parties needed in a democracy, thereby stiffling differing view-points and should be condemned by all true democrats, who wish Nigeria's democracy well.
According to the source, Chris Uba, the former Anambra State political heavy weight and the man who made former Anambra State governor Chris Ngige swear by Alusi Okija, also administered the same dreaded Alusi Okija on Ikedi Ohakim? This was on behalf of Olusegun Obasanjo, who wanted a guarantee that Ohakim will keep his promise to defect back to the PDP, if allowed to become governor of Imo State in 2007? Icheoku is still working on our source but Olusegun Obasanjo himself, practically confirmed that much, when he said that Ikedi Ohakim was only fulfilling a promise he made to defect back to PDP and nothing more! In Olusegun Obasanjo's own words, Ohakim's decamping was "a pre-arranged agreement he entered with the PDP before the election"? This begs the question, what manner of man is this Ikedi Ohakim that will jump ship of a political building block at this time of Nigeria's fledgling democracy? But his apologists argue that question of morality pales in contrast to the wrath of the Okija deity, which will descend upon his family should he renege on the sworn agreement? This latest saga of Ohakim bailing-out on a political party that catapulted him into relevance, adds to the retinue of occultist oath-taking Nigerian politicians; and their unbridled quest for power and the length they are prepared to go in order to just make it to the seat of power? Nigerian politicians, where are thou soul?
An up and coming young man with a bright political future just had it thrown away by this his defection; becoming just a number instead of teaming with the dynamic Orji Uzor-Kalu to carve a niche for the South East in national political discourse. Dee Sam Mbakwe, where at thou spirit that will let such a sabotage of the government house wherein you once gave the NPN a bloody nose? Our beef here is not necessarily against Ikedi Ohakim but that democracy be allowed to thrive through competition and options. Why should everybody be lumped into one political party, which will be tantamount to a military dictatorship where you either fall in line or be whipped into line or possibly sidelined. Re-echoing one commentator's observation, "It was shameful that the governor had opted for the seemingly easy option of cutting and running, instead of facing up to the blackmail and pressure of PDP and, in the process, helping to strengthen democracy in Nigeria." The question here is, why this chickening out from the war front which otherwise would help nurture democracy in Nigeria? 
The governor's former party PPA in a statement said, "the governor’s defection was a betrayal of trust and a cowardly approach to politics. It is, therefore, regrettable that Governor Ohakim has now buckled under PDP pressure to display a palpable lack of courage and conviction. Rather than lead, he has chosen to capitulate. Rather than inspire the growing legion of party members to stir the PPA to greater heights in the great state of Imo, he has decided to cut and run". Icheoku agrees wholly with this summation of the governor's betrayal; and adds that this bad example of how not to be a leader is as dangerous as a military take-over of government? Governor Ikedi Ohakim has followed the despicable governors of Bauchi and Zamfara States into political infamy; and for violently kicking away, the very ladder with which they climbed into political relevance in the first place, it shall not be well with them. This is a discredited path which no follower/s of Dee Sam Onunaka Mbakwe or an apostle of his, should follow. The mark of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort but during adversity; not unmindful of the pressure-cooker intensity of the ruling PDP to force Nigeria into one party state? Icheoku says, this standing by itself is not sufficient for Governor Ikedi Ohakim to turn a traitor and turn his back on the PPA that made him governor of Imo State. Even factoring in Alusi Okija does not justify his action either. 
Icheoku emphasises that the proposed electoral reform bill which provides unequivocally that "a political office holder who decamps to another political party shall resign from such a post immediately" is a provision whose time has since come! Icheoku and co will not be wasting a comment on such political harlotry as exhibited by Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State, had the National assembly done their work to pass this bill. May be President Umaru Yar'Adua and his PDP dominated national assembly is stalling on the passage of the bill to enable the Ikedi Ohakims of Nigeria politics to finish their carpet-crossing before they could enact it into law. The time to act on the reform is now, before the damage would have been done irretrievably and far-reaching havoc wrecked on Nigeria budding democracy, with the imposition of one autocratic central political party? By Governor Ikedi Ohakim going back to PDP, a political party that scornfully tossed him out of their moving train to be crushed thereunder in 2007, shows that the man has no core and lacks a sense of self and decency. How dare he lick back his spittle? Does this man still have what it takes to be called governor of a state which the late Dee Onunaka Mbakwe once governed? Icheoku does not think so; and says, the earlier the Imo State House of Assembly commences an impeachment proceedings against this defector-governor, the better for the integrity of the people of Imo State. What PDP did by poaching Governor Ikedi Ohakim is pure greed as they concluded they must also consume a state out of the two held by an opposition political party? It does not bode well for democracy. Governor Ikedi Ohakim's defection is very unfortunate, it impacts adversely the sagacity of multiple political parties needed in a democracy, thereby stiffling differing view-points and should be condemned by all true democrats, who wish Nigeria's democracy well. 
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Christy 'Apena' Essien-Igbokwe , the wife of Jegede Shokoya of the New Masquerade and Nigeria's lady of songs is dead; she was 51years old. Although her family claimed that "brief Illness" killed her like so many Nigerians; Icheoku retorts that it was most likely AKwa Ibom voodoo and remote control that was used to arrest her. It is on record that she had fallen out with the governor of her native Akwa Ibiom State and have been having a relentless war for political turf with the governor? So who knows whether she was sacrificed to Ekpe cult or even Alusi-Okija as an offal; afterall African science is still very much alive and portent. May her soul rest in peace.
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Ohakim’s defection: PPA upbraids Yar’adua
ReplyDeleteLatest news
Written by Muideen Olaniyi
National Chairman of he Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Mr Clement Ebri on Monday said that President Umaru Musa Yar’adua was not sincere about what he called his rule of law mantra.
Ebri said this while receiving a delegation from Gombe State which paid him a solidarity visit in respect of the defection of Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He condemned what he referred to as the President’s penchant for decimating the opposition, asserting that it was a grand design of the PDP to stifle democracy in Nigeria.
The chairman said it was apparent that the president’s bill in the National Assembly seeking to check the spate of carpet-crossing by elected officials was merely a ruse.
“A president who sends a legislation to the National Assembly to halt carpet-crossing, but junkets from Zamfara to Bauchi and Imo States to actively preside over the receipt of decampees from other parties to his is anything but honest in his intentions,” he affirmed.
Ebri who said that the party was unmoved by the antics of the PDP administration, added that Nigerians were fed up with the poor services provided by the government at the centre and would surely vote it out in any free and fair election.
He lamented the country’s poor infrastructural base and the falling economy, noting that rather than addressing these issues, the PDP was busy destroying democracy in the country.
He said PPA was not downcast by Ohakim’s defection, assuring that the party would not only win Imo State in 2011 but will also spread to other states of the federation.
The delegation from Gombe which comprised members of various political parties that joined the PPA was led by a former member of the House of Representatives, Kilydaas Audu Kere who urged the party to remain undaunted by Ohakim’s decampment
Besides, he disclosed that his moving back to his old party was a way of keeping faith with the promise he made to the PDP leadership when he was endorsed by it in the 2007 governorship election that he would return to the party in due course after the election.
ReplyDeleteHe, however, clarified that the deal, which made it possible for the PDP machinery to be fully deployed in his support at the poll, was neither written nor had any precondition attached to it, adding that his promise to return was based on trust and faith.
“With the event of Saturday, we have redefined politics in Imo State the way our people desire,” he pointed out.
The governor stated that the need to render quality service to the people of the state and enhance their well-being should override party affiliation and partisan considerations.
“I wish to state that my return was motivated by the need to provide for the people of Imo State, an atmosphere to heal the wounds inflicted on their collective psyche before and during the April 2007 general election. And in this regard, I believe the first thing to do is to restore elite consensus among the political class. It was the breakdown of elite consensus that was the root cause of the crisis we witnessed in the immediate days before the April 2007 general election. We are still living with that crisis. It is the crisis of confidence among the political class and no society makes progress under such an atmosphere.”
“So, we are saying we want to aggregate under the PDP to consolidate the gains we have made collectively in the last two years. It could have been any other party. But today, the reality on ground is that the PDP offers the most robust accommodation to provide service to the good people of Imo State.”
we want to harness are in the PDP”.
With the Imo State House of Assembly that is 99 per cent PDP having passed a resolution inviting him to return to the PDP and the vast majority of the Imo elite and stakeholders having done the same, the governor said he had no option than to answer their calls.
He explained that he consulted the wider spectrum of Imo stakeholders and people before arriving at the decision to move back to the PDP.
He declared: “It is the Imo people who have decided that this political realignment must take place. With the event of Saturday, we have redefined politics in Imo State the way our people desire.”
He threw more light on why he returned to PDP saying, “It is the Ecclesiastes that said there is time for everything under the sun. I agree and I believe that now is the time to take hard and courageous decisions to secure as well as ensure the political stability, economic progress, peace and unity in Imo State. Therefore, the action I have taken in re-joining PDP is clearly beyond politics. Again, our service to the good people of Imo should not be unduly subjected to the whims and caprices of politics and politicians. The struggle for political power should in no way impede our march towards giving Imo an economy and creating the much needed jobs for our teeming unemployed youths.”
The governor said: “Since Imo is not an island unto itself, we should be able to find synergy with the rest of the country. Again, it happens that over 90 per cent of the states of the federation are PDP. More importantly, we want to be able to fully share in the vision of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.”
On whether he had weighed the legal implications of his crossover to the PDP especially against the backdrop of a threat by the National Leader and Chairman, Board of Trustees of PPA, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, to drag him to court, he said he was not losing sleep about it.
His words: “We are in a serious business. Politics is not a market place. We have had other governors in this dispensation who crossed to other parties. Dr. Kalu himself left the PDP which elected him in 1999 and 2003 to form PPA. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar left the PDP to run for election under the Action Congress. He was challenged and you know the ruling of the courts on that matter.
Ohakim,s Defection Not A Surprise -APGA
ReplyDeleteBy Michael Jegede, Reporter, Lagos
Unlike the Progressive People,s Alliance (PPA) that was shocked by the defection of Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Umeh said his party was not surprised by the development.
In an interview with Saturday Independent, Umeh, who said that the whole truth about the 2007 governorship elections in Imo State would soon come to the fore, stated that former President Olusegun Obasanjo,s comments have shown that Ohakim,s victory was arranged.
The APGA helmsman described the Imo governor as a gentleman, who was honest enough to keep his promise of returning to the PDP having been rigged into office by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) thereby denying the real winner, Martin Agbaso, the opportunity of piloting the affairs of the state.
His words: ,,To us in APGA, we have always known that one day the truth shall be told about what happened in Imo State on April 14, 2007, when APGA,s candidate Martins Agbaso won the election and Obasanjo directed that it should be cancelled through Maurice Iwu because they did not want APGA to govern the state. We tried to fight it out at that point but nobody listened to us. On April 28, Ohakim was rigged into office in another election designed for them to achieve their aim of bringing Ohakim at all cost based on their arrangement as disclosed by Obasanjo.,,
Umeh likened the latest development in Imo to what happened with Chris Ngige in Anambra State in 2003, saying Ngige was being haunted because he failed to keep his promise.
,,Like what happened in Anambra State in 2003, when Dr. Chris Ngige went to the shrine and swore to an oath to be loyal and subservient to his godfathers, only for him to run out and begin to disturb the peace of the state that culminated in the mayhem of November 2004, when public buildings and a lot of property was destroyed, Ohakim also had a pact with some forces within the PDP,,, Umeh averred.