As Dr. Alex Otti kicks of governorship campaign in Abia State to begin the restoration of a battered economic entity which hold of the projected regional rise of the south eastern Nigeria, the imminent and close-by presidency of Mr. Peter Obi of the labour party evidently comes to the fore as the two phenomena are intertwined and shares the same umbilical cord.
Dr Otti who is not only billed to campaign in Abia State, has the public mandate to extend tentacles of his appeal activities for the labour party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi to the larger expanse of the south east and south south Nigeria to ensure a victory that has been ordained by God Almighty through the massively unequivocal support of nearly ninety percent of all Nigeria both at home and in diaspora. Most recently, the Alaigbo Development Foundation headed by Prof. Uzodimma Nwala has declared full support for the Peter Obi presidency while People’s Democratic Party (PDP) major political structure In Abia State has also declared total allegiance to the Alex Otti’s campaign in the state with its seventeen local government bases according to its Director of contacts and mobilization Comrade Ike Martins Adighibe in an interview with newsmen on Thursday 6 October 2022.
But come to critically think of it, why would Nigeria not vote overwhelmingly for these two extra-ordinary candidates with equally extra-ordinary background of public performance spanning meritorious careers which carries nothing short of admiration and awe?
If a nation that invested billions of dollars in the 1970s and 1980s to develop its steel technology and industry, automobile manufacturing and assembly plants, aluminium extrusion and melting industries and space technology exploit can today shamelessly showcase the fact that non of these industries or sectors are currently identifiable or even verifiable, then that country can be conveniently and comfortably be labelled a failed state. Remember Peugeot Automobile Kaduna, Steyr Motor Company Bauchi, Anamco Emene Enugu, etc. What of Delta Steel company Aladja, Ajaokuta Steel Company etc. But Innoson Motor Company Nnewi is owned and operated by just one man.
Yet the operators of such political and economic entity and system still shamelessly walk around freely defending their disgraceful performances and actions which is the reason why the youths have risen up to, by every possible and available means necessary, effect a positive change and ensure their collective survival even to the extremities of becoming self-made soldiers to actualize such dreams, moreso, now that even the use of the supposed cheap services of rail travel obviously hands Nigerians over to terrorists who reduce fellow countrymen on a slaughter slab of human butchery, while the federal and state authorities observe with glee in their presumed queer entertainment. There is also the shame of non availability of serviceable air travel facilities as the country’s aircrafts are not maintained even to the degree that foreign nations and governments warn their citizens and national visiting or working in Nigeria to, if possible, cut off the use of flying in Nigeria’s airplanes even though the country has no national carrier up-till now.
Above all, it is crucial to critically consider the reality that the entire land space of Northern Nigeria is currently unsafe for humans of any specie. The indigenous peoples and other inhabitants of that great region currently has no place called home in the true sense of it due to incessant violent disturbances of terrorists, bandits, assassins, common murderers and other urchins on the prowl. A situation like this must be arrested, controlled and normalcy restored for all Nigerians and foreigners who exist and do businesses in this part of the world just like it used to be. This is one of the central reasons of the Peter Obi candidacy, because larger Nigeria cannot afford a total loss of its northern parts if it must become a truly great nation. The peace must return, the wealth must be developed, human capital must be enhanced, increased and tapped, wealth must be created and developed, hope must replace despair, better life must replace horrifying deaths, mansions and skyscrapers must replace shanties and dungeons, havens must replace hovens and many more, because that is the true destiny of Northern Nigeria instead of man-made poverty and human degradation inherent in the systems of the present criminal oligarchy of its ruling class of bandits who must be chased out at all costs no matter the consequences.
Elections campaign has started and public and national debates by the candidates will be taking place randomly for the voting masses and stakeholders to assess the capacity and capability of candidates. This will obviously reveal more to the general public and determine who occupies Aso Rock Villa and various state houses in state capitals since it is now clear that it is no longer business as usual as Nigerians and the world at large are watching Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) whose duty is to deliver a completely acceptable elections results without the slightest trace of ambiguity, else Nigeria burns to blazes and the officers and workers of that agency becomes the first set of exemplary victims of the great inferno to come. God forbid!
Speaking with Zain Asher on CNN Mr. Peter Obi has convinced the entire world about the urgency of the Nigerian case and the entire universe is now watching the country’s every move or step. We can’t get a better deal than that. Come to think of it, Peter Obi is just a tip of the iceberg in what will become of a future Nigeria when you remember that the country parades a fine array of celebral superstars with public leadership appeal in the persons of Obi’s running mate, Datti Yusuf Baba, even Ngozi Okonjo Iwealas, Alex Ottis, Bath Nnajis, Pat Utomis, Charles Soludos, Tony Elumelus, Enerst Ndukwes, Jim Ovias, Lawrence Osa Fianas, Dillibe Onyemas, Chris Abanis, Henry Imasekahs, Lawson Omokodions, Ted Iweres, Frank Nnejis, Nduka Obiaigbenas, Innocent ‘Innoson Motors’Chukwuma’s , Ibe Kachikwus, Allen Onyemas, Prof. Kingseley Moghalus, just to mention but a negligible few even before we proceed to list out exceptionally extraordinary leadership personalities from the Northern region of Nigeria who all share the same traits and qualities of our resplendent senator Datti Yusuf Baba of Obidient movement.
what about a beautiful array of brilliant people and leaders from the South- Western axis of Nigeria? Can we afford to continue in this mess?
Now the Nigerians movie industry-Nollywood has unequivocally endorsed Peter Obi as the next president of Nigeria, it brings with it the entire star power and appeal inherent thereto, influencing voting patterns and voters turnout which will definitely put INEC on their toes even when that agency has continued to invalidate available voters registration records claiming all sorts of reasons and sighting no sound arguments even though from the onset during the voters registration exercises it (INEC) stopped registration of eligible voters in the South-Eastern and South-Southern Nigeria with the flimsy excuse of insecurity of IPOB activities which was a clearly false pretense to disenfranchise voters from that part of the country while still registering voters in volatile North-East, North-West and North Central part of the country. In any case voters registration exercise is and remains a continuous process in civilized countries which never stops for any reason, election or no election.
Why have Nigeria not stopped the issuance of National Identity Number (NIN)?, why is the country still issuing Bank Verification Numbers (BVN)? why are Nigerians still being issued with international passports? Why is it that Nigerians are still obtaining their drivers licences and other important document? Remember, Professor Ben Nwabueze, Nigerian celebrated constitutional lawyer once informed us in his essay, ‘Nature and Forms of Election rigging’ published in the Guardian newspaper, inter alia, “ An election contest in which the result is not determined by the votes lawfully cast for the contestants but by fraudulent manipulation is a mockery of the very idea of a competition. And without a free competition for power, politics loses its essence. It is part of the terrible things about election rigging that, once successfully employed by a political party to get itself into power the tendency is for the party, rather than give it up and thereby risk defeat at future elections, to try to perfect its forms and techniques to a point where it becomes entrenched as part of the political culture, thereby excluding altogether the chances of elections ever being conducted in a free and fair manner. Election rigging is a tragic aberration more for what it portends for the future than for the harm it has done to the past and present” on quote.
But voters cards must be stopped so that Nigerians can be disenfranchised from voting and freely choosing their leaders so that the criminal mafia can continue with its underworld operations tagged ‘governance’ ala freestyle.
As the million man marches continue in Nigerian cities by independent organizations and supporters in Obi’s support, Comrade C.K. Igara, Chairman of Labour Party in Abia State enjoins all Nigerians most especially Mr. Peter Obi’s supporter and Dr. Alex Otti’s faithfuls to exercise caution and a high sense of responsibility in their actions and statements in order to ensure a smooth and peaceful transition of government through the forthcoming elections. Speaking in his office in Umuahia, Comrade Igara assured Nigerian and Abia State resident In particular that the Labour Party of Nigeria has packaged a total change of the former mess called governance and sued for patience and tolerance from all stakeholders in the Nigerian project in the interest of all, moreso, now that elections campaign has started.
In all however, there was a country and there can still be a country again because Nigeria needs not perish at this perilous crossroads as a word is enough for the wise.
Dr. Charles Chinekezi is a chartered management professor (C.M.P.) of the Nigerian Institute of Management Victoria Island, Lagos Nigeria.