“Ha, hmm, don’t let us expose and disgrace ourselves o!”
-By Aja N. Aja, Esq, Abuja.
The quote above sums up the approach, attitude and psychology of Prince Emeka Obasi in what is obviously a hatchet job he executed on behalf of His Excellency, T.A. Orji, the Executive Governor of Abia State. However, that is quite belated as the horse had already bolted before that declaration of hesitancy. If anything, he the Umuahia Prince ended up exposing the ugly side to the personality whose battle he sought to fight by giving us a rare insight into the hazy antecedents and shadiness of character of T.A.
I think it is appropriate to establish my credentials (or the lack of it) here. I saw OUK in person for the first time in my second year at the Abia State University, Uturu on the occasion of his donating a bus to the Students Union. I recall vividly that he rode to the university with his visitors in a coaster bus, which attracted my curiosity and subsequent admiration. Then came the 2007 general elections where he prevailed in what was a David~Goliath scenario as the then President was committed to having his party man take over from OUK. Incidentally, that same election saw OUK pulling a rabbit out of a hat by springing the incumbent Governor from the clutches of the law at the last minute to be sworn in. I am a good fan of David and so my sympathy and support naturally found refuge in Orji Uzor Kalu. Since then, I have been tracking any news concerning him.
I had to state my stake in the matter to accord with precedent because Prince Emeka did so. First, he claimed to know the facts of the matter well because he actually served under the OUK administration; then he dropped the clincher: his intervention was actuated by loyalty to cultural kinship rather than an abiding and superior duty to the truth. It is obvious that I do not have as much insider information as Mr Obasi does about what transpired between the combatants and I am sure he can do better than what he has served us.
We are still interested in the specific role an Administrative Secretary of INEC played to earn the rewards of being made a “partner” to a governor. Was that an elliptic way of saying he manipulated the electoral process one way or another to ensure that OUK was returned elected? That may be a tad too simplistic to suggest his purported tweaking of the system was vital because Orji was riding on a wave of personal accomplishments and popularity then.
Remember he secured the PDP ticket without any contribution you’re your dede? But since you speak for your dede in this instance, was that a vicarious, even if tortuous, admission that your principal abused his position and desecrated the basic ethics of the public service. Does it not suggest that contrary to your weak efforts to smear the character of OUK as a serial cheat and traitor, he is actually a promise keeper? I mean, having won the elections, he could have reneged on his alleged partnership with T.A. but still went ahead to not only make him the Chief of Staff but also ease him to the current position against all odds. Time does not run against crimes of the nature you impute against your dede and it is hoped the relevant authorities will do the needful. At least you have no immunity that will keep you from spilling what you know. Abia people deserve to know from where this rain that is drenching them today started so that they may articulate how to seek warmth.
It is my humble view that your attempts to muddle the waters by bringing OUK’s mother and siblings into the fray have rather dented your credibility and reduced the value of whatever you say now for the simple reason that you never saw anything wrong with the purported arrangement you now deprecate when you served. In fact, you spoke volubly for the same system you are now motivated to attack. And when you bestrode the information ministry, Reality Organisation was all the rage on BCA day in, day out. You either never saw anything wrong with that or was just too timid and weak to do something about it. Your point that OUK is not on friendly terms with some notable Abians just goes to the root of the matter: OUK belongs to the people and not to a restricted gaggle of pseudo elite. The cobblers and shoemakers in Ariaria love him as much as the market women in Uturu do. Same for the civil servants in Umuahia, the cyclists in Ngwaland and the retirees in Arochukwu.
It is a known fact that both OUK and T.A. Orji walking down any street in Abia will summon huge crowds but for different reasons: while OUK will get tired shaking hands and hugging appreciative Abians, T.A. will be dodging from stones and sachet water packs raining down from those who have come to experience a new low from an uncreative and unforgiving demagogue who will fade into a shameful anonymity soon after leaving office unlike Orji Uzor Kalu who keeps waxing stronger in business and politics as a man after the people’s heart. You will serve humanity better by learning the secrets of business longevity from the Master Strategist so as to preserve your media anthill than seek to batter a rhino to submission with such flailing talents.
By the way, wetin Orji Uzor do T.A. self?
By Aja N. Aja, Esq, Abuja.
