Ekwueme upbeat about Peter Obi’s support to Obaze, PDP’s candidate

ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU's interview with former Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme was unique and extraordinary. I set out to call the brother HRH Igwe Prof Laz Ekwueme but ended up calling the Ide of Aguata.

I told him, there was so much on the news that I wanted to pick appointment to clear. He consented. On the interview date, this transpired:

The interview went thus:

Why would you be supporting Obiano when your daughter is a deputy Governorship candidate of your party?

What I said was that our governor is just about to finish his first term which will end in February and the logical thing will be for the North to have the governorship slot for another four years so that it will complete the two terms of eight years after which the governorship will now come back to the South for another stretch of eight years. I gave example with my party that the PDP aspirants came from the North and today the candidate is from North.

I wouldn’t want to be drawn into partisan politics because I am now a statesman. But I have no apologies supporting the zoning formula not necessarily that I supported Obiano against my daughter as insinuated. Obiano is our Governor and every responsible citizen must support his Governor. If my daughter, Chidi a seasoned lawyer and Mr Oseloka Obaze, a Diplomat Par Excellence emerges in weeks to come as our Governor, we all shall support them too.   

But today, I appreciate all the efforts by everybody to ensure PDP my party bounces back in Anambra state. The PDP Governorship candidate and a good friend of my family, Mr Obaze swept me off my feet with his choice of my daughter. And the greatest, he assured me was that he is contesting for just one term in office. But when I read the news and speak with some friends , everybody kept on saying Peter Obi this , Peter Obi that. But even if it is Peter Obi, he deserves my blessing for being a wise one by insisting that North completes its circle rather than selfish? The only thing remaining is to appease my son and in law, Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah and any other aggrieved member in PDP, whatever the cost, PDP must not go into the election divided even by one inch.

I will appeal to Obaze to ensure each person who contested with him is reconciled with the party and together PDP would match out to recover its glory in the state. I would be the greatest beneficiary because the same Peter Obi dealt with us in Anambra politics by sacking us from power in the last 11 years or so.

And your daughter is in the race….?

(cuts in …….) Now that my daughter is the picture and there is an election and in line with the 1995 constitution which Abacha prepared, governorship should rotate among the three senatorial districts in the state, just as the presidency of Nigeria should rotate between North and South. I am happy that Obaze would go for one term and the Governorship would return to Anambra South senatorial zone my zone. Obaze shall restore the glory of PDP in my life time.

My joy is that Obaze is from North and Obiano as well as Nwoye is from the North but among the three , Obiano has a right for a second term either he wins or he loses, but Obaze has made it an issue that he is going for a one term ticket just to restore what he called lost glory and restore confidence in the polity about Anambra North people.

The master stroke now is the Obaze formula that he is going for one term. And PDP as a family is uniting and once the unification is sealed, APGA and APC as well as PPA and UPP would wait for next four years when it would come to Anambra South.

Are you satisfied with the campaign that is ongoing now?

I detest the name calling and insults ongoing and those who support such are not politicians but touts. So many lies have been heaped on the former Governor , Obi without him replying anybody in the same gutter language, unknown to them that whatever they think they know in politics, Obi is a Maradona there. I respect him. For Obiano he should use his achievements in office to campaign but I am not sure there are other things he did aside the N20 million and N40Million projects to communities in the state. That was not a good feat for a Governor who intends to be re-elected. So many communities are in crisis induced by the state Government including Oko, my community.

Someone called into a Radio program of the ABS on Saturday morning and said Obiano has done nothing in Owerre Ezukala and he is praying he returns for a second term so he could do something for them but the moderators reminded him that Obiano has done N20Million project in his community. That was an indictment on the APGA government because if the only project people should talk about was the recent community choose a project to mobilize the traditional rulers and the Presidents General, then Obiano may be in for serious trouble.

In my private discussion with some of my guests, they would claim Obiano isn’t doing anything, but propaganda and outright lies but in public I shudder hearing same people saying Obiano is the best and he would return. This is pure hypocrisy on the part of our politicians.

I am not happy that so many people in Obiano’s appointment and political structure are already sabotaging him, even though I am now praying that PDP wins not APGA, APC or PPA as well as UPP because Anambra is PDP state. APC is good and even our son Godwin Ezeemo is better but in politics, you desire yours to be in power. Mark my words, this election would not be rigged and it determines who wins 2019 Presidential election. INEC must give Anmabra a free and fair poll. It won’t be an easy fight with Peter Obi. He knows the game better, hence he mobilized everybody to support him for 8 years.

Obaze’s strong confirmation that he has only 4 years and the South shall take over is the clincher. I believe Obaze and he is a member of my party with my daughter as his running mate, what do you expect me to do and if you are in my shoes would you abandon your daughter especially when the candidate assured he is going for one term in office?

Thanks Your Excellency for this opportunity and I woke up smiling over the rare opportunity with the former Nigeria’s Vice President. His encounter with me in my dream land was memorable.

This is unbelievable, but it happened in the dream land. And I am searching for Ide now to speak to me for real. Has Obiano heard this?

Interview with Ekwueme is the Cornucopia column of ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU , Editor Authority Newspaper, South East and Publisher of www.odogwublog.com and could be reached on 08060750240 and email [email protected]