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| John Okiyi Kalu |
My dear friend and brother Peter Agba Kalu, I read this article and chuckled. The truth I have always shared with people are coming out to the glory of God.
For the records, my following comment is not an admission that your narrative is totally and factually correct, to the best of my knowledge, but I will only respond to some issues knowing that you are the media aide of our brother Ogah.
1. All Abians and those reading you must now know that the fight against Okezie is not because he is a bad leader or sinned against Uche Ogah or Alex Otti. Every man with a conscience in Abia know that Dr Okezie Ikpeazu is a great human being who is determined to do the greatest good for the greatest number of Abians.
2. You have clearly confirmed my often stated position that indeed Uche Ogah and Alex Otti were closer to Ochendo than Dr Okezie Ikpeazu. Indeed Ogah’s brother was a commissioner in Ochendo’s government and was nominated by Uche Ogah himself. Otti managed Abia’s finances through Diamond bank that had the major Abia State account including the salary account. While at First Bank he did same. He also was a close friend and associate of Ochendo. Unlike Okezie who was a Deputy General Manager of ASEPA reporting to the General Manager who in turn reported to the commissioner for Environment.
3. All through the 7 years of Ochendo that is now being painted as the villain, Ogah and Otti cheered him and never uttered any word in criticism of his administration. Your post will suggest to me that they kept quiet because they were benefiting and still wanted to benefit more. Fair enough.
Please if indeed Ochendo was as bad as painted by his political opponents, what did Ogah or Otti say in criticism? What sort of advice did they offer to him? We will like to read that please.
4. Again, without holding forte for Ochendo, I wish to state that no sane Governor or leader will tell a qualified citizen not to contest for office. It will be absolutely wrong to do so because like my master told me, “politics is ndorodoro ochichi not nyerenyere ochichi”. Simply translated, politics is a struggle for power and power is not given but taken.
5. Frankly I praise your forthrightness in bringing out the fact that Ogah expected to buy his way to the Governorship through Ochendo. I also know about his empowerment vehicles donation, just like I know that after he lost the primaries his thugs started attacking people and seizing the vehicles from them. Was it Ogah that instructed them to do that? If yes, it was wrong because acts of genuine philanthropy should not be reversed for any reason at all. Sincerely, I liked Ogah because I believed he was a genuine philanthropist and I have said that to you in private. I also told you that if Okezie was not running I would have voted Ogah rather than Otti who never built or donated even a classroom block to Abians.
But now this your post has opened my eyes to see that all that was done for politics as against altruistic philanthropy. Thanks my brother.
6. There are more than 100,000 Abians that will like to be Governor. Not all of them can be Governor. Ochendo is not supposed to tell any of them not to contest because Abia does not belong to him. I was shocked that you expected Ochendo to tell Uche not to contest. My brother, that is not how you lead or play politics. Unless you are telling us that Uche definitely entered into a written agreement with Ogah to sell the Governorship seat to him in exchange for all those things you listed. If that be the case, I will encourage you to publish the agreement and also advice Ogah to sue Ochendo for breach of “business of Governorship” agreement.
7. In power struggles you approach and lobby whoever can help you get an edge. While Ogah and Otti were lobbying Ochendo, Okezie was within his rights to lobby Ochendo’s son or wife for support based on his “on the ground” understanding of Abia’s politics. If indeed Okezie realized that Ochendo’s son had more political latitude than his father and lobbied him more extensively using his record of service and qualification what exactly is wrong with that? Are we to blame him for having a better understanding of our local politics?
Haba Peter! Do you know that because people know that you and I are close they come to me when they need something from you? Depending on what it is they might determine that I can convince you more than they can if they approach directly. Is there anything wrong with that?
8. You did not argue that Uche won the primaries and Ochendo overturned it. Rather the fact we both know is that Okezie Ikpeazu, PHD, won the primaries and Ochendo supported him. It is safe to say that if Uche or Otti had won Ochendo would have backed the person. True or false?
9. Abia charter of equity exists. You know that and I know that. I will hand a copy to you if you wish to read it. Confirm and I will send it to you. Even if for the sake of argument, it does not exist, as is the case with Enugu and Anambra States of Igbo land, 2 out of 3 Senatorial zones in Abia have produced Governors leaving behind Abia south. Peter, as a fellow campaigner for equity to Ndigbo in Nigeria through zoning, do you honestly believe that it is morally right for power to continue to elude them? Meanwhile even our sister states of Anambra and Enugu ensured equity with the emergence of Aguleri and Nsukka born governors. Do you, Peter Agba Kalu, actually think that Soludo was less qualified or stupid to accept the Anambra result and move on? Compare him to Ogah and Otti and see how terrible our so called people are: unrestrained political greed even against collective good of Abians. For your information, the same constitution that permitted every citizen to run for political office also emphasized “federal character” as a means of achieving equitable power distribution. If Ochendo had told Ogah not to contest he would have breached his constitutional right. But then Ochendo was morally and politically right to listen to the superior presentation made on equity by many Abia elders and common citizens like me. For emphasis, he does not own Abia and cannot give what is not his to his “son” regardless of the relationship between them.
10. For the records again, I spoke with two Abia founding fathers personally and they told me they insisted that Ochendo must deliver power to Abia South. Both men are still alive and one of them told me he likes Uche Ogah but told him to please wait till after Abia South and run. I recorded the man but deliberately refused to publish the interview because of common good and the need to allow him and others call Uche to order and end the bleeding of Abia because of political selfishness. I was also at Umuahia when hundreds of thousands of Abia South people stormed Govt house to insist that Ochendo must back their son, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu. Do you want the video? They were led by Sir Emma Adaelu and Senator Adolphus Wabara. Remind me of the counter March by Ogah’s people please. Or they just sat at home and waited for Ogah to buy the Governorship?
In summary, Peter, deliver this message from me to Sampson Uche Ogah: It is not everything a man can do that he should do.
He is young and by 2023 he will still be in his early 50s. For the sake of peace and progress of Abia he should sheathe his sword and withdraw his defense team from that appeal court immediately and tell the world he is doing that for the sake of Abia and the need to support Okezie Ikpeazu who did not wrong him in anyway.
If he toes that path people like me will stand up in 2023 and support him. He and Otti should strengthen Okezie’s leadership hand and not constitute themselves into obstacles to peace and development of ABIA. In 2023 the two of them can face off and Abians will choose based on who we think have contributed more to our development.
But mark this my dear brother, if Ogah chooses to defend his case up to the Supreme Court he will SURELY LOSE against Okezie. We both know that the man paid his tax (in fact they were deducted without his consent even) and entering information contained in an official document issued by those who should issue it DOES NOT constitute false information anywhere in this WORLD. There is presumption of genuineness once you obtain a document from those who should give and you are obliged to enter whatever information that is contained therein in all official documents you fill. That is why you confidently parade your degree certificates and international passport given to you by those who should give. You also fill data from them in all official documents without fear of being accused of giving false information. True or false?
Finally, Peter, tell Ogah that God is with Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as an ever present help. Running to APC chieftains will not solve this problem. It is difficult to bribe Supreme Court judges because those men are more interested in legacy than money. Whoever is promising him that he will do blablabla is misleading him. Let him sit with Okezie and decide on going forward plan since he apparently does not have confidence in Abia elders and leaders, given what you wrote. It must be clear to him that once this matter gets to the Supreme Court and he loses his political career will end from there. That is realpolitiks.
Our dear state is suffering and we need to re-steer it to the path of progress. Common folks are unnecessarily paying the price for these power struggles even though most of them don’t know the real cost of all these distractions. Faulks road reconstruction contract has been stalled alongside PH road, all because of this distraction.
You have made the point that Uche’s problem is Ochendo. I know that Otti’s people also claimed that Ochendo is their problem. If indeed Ochendo wronged any of his “sons”, it is evil for them to unleash the anger on innocent Governor Ikpeazu and Abians asking for peace and development. Let them take on Ochendo directly and I can bet you that he will floor them.
Have a great weekend and please tell Ogah’s goons to stop making threatening phone calls to Okezie’s supporters. I know Uche is ordinarily a peaceful person, though inordinate quest for power can change good men, they are messing up in his name. What we have is a brotherly conflict and victory means no Abia life is lost,
Thank you sir.
JOK 6/8:16
RE: Abia 2015; Blame Ochendo not Ogah
My dear friend and brother Peter Agba Kalu, I read this article and chuckled. The truth I have always shared with people are coming out to the glory of God.
For the records, my following comment is not an admission that your narrative is totally and factually correct, to the best of my knowledge, but I will only respond to some issues knowing that you are the media aide of our brother Ogah.
1. All Abians and those reading you must now know that the fight against Okezie is not because he is a bad leader or sinned against Uche Ogah or Alex Otti. Every man with a conscience in Abia know that Dr Okezie Ikpeazu is a great human being who is determined to do the greatest good for the greatest number of Abians.
2. You have clearly confirmed my often stated position that indeed Uche Ogah and Alex Otti were closer to Ochendo than Dr Okezie Ikpeazu. Indeed Ogah’s brother was a commissioner in Ochendo’s government and was nominated by Uche Ogah himself. Otti managed Abia’s finances through Diamond bank that had the major Abia State account including the salary account. While at First Bank he did same. He also was a close friend and associate of Ochendo. Unlike Okezie who was a Deputy General Manager of ASEPA reporting to the General Manager who in turn reported to the commissioner for Environment.
3. All through the 7 years of Ochendo that is now being painted as the villain, Ogah and Otti cheered him and never uttered any word in criticism of his administration. Your post will suggest to me that they kept quiet because they were benefiting and still wanted to benefit more. Fair enough. Please if indeed Ochendo was as bad as painted by his political opponents, what did Ogah or Otti say in criticism? What sort of advice did they offer to him? We will like to read that please.
4. Again without holding forte for Ochendo, I wish to state that no sane Governor or leader will tell a qualified citizen not to contest for office. It will be absolutely wrong to do so because like my master told me, “politics is ndorodoro ochichi not nyerenyere ochichi”. Simply translated, politics is a struggle for power and power is not given but taken.
5. Frankly I praise your forthrightness in bringing out the fact that Ogah expected to buy his way to the Governorship through Ochendo. I also know about his empowerment vehicles donation, just like I know that after he lost the primaries his thugs started attacking people and seizing the vehicles from them. Was it Ogah that instructed them to do that? If yes, it was wrong because acts of genuine philanthropy should not be reversed for any reason at all. Sincerely, I liked Ogag because o believed he was a genuine philanthropist and I have said that to you in private. I also told you that if Okezie was not running I would have voted Ogah rather than Otti who never built or donated even a classroom block to Abians. But now this your post has opened my eyes to see that all that was done for politics as against altruistic philanthropy. Thanks my brother.
6. There are more than 100k Abians that will like to be Governor. Not all of them can be Governor. Ochendo is not supposed to tell any of them not to contest because Abia does not belong to him. I was shocked that you expected Ochendo to tell Uche not to contest. My brother, that is not how you lead or okay politics. Unless you are telling us that Uche definitely entered into an agreement with Ogah to sell the Governorship seat to him in exchange for all those things you listed. If that be the case, I will encourage you to publish the agreement and also advice Ogah to sue Ochendo for breach of “business of Governorship” agreement.
7. In power struggles you approach and lobby whoever can help you get an edge. While Ogah and Otti were lobbying Ochendo, Okezie was within his right to lobby Ochendo’s son or wife for support based on his on the ground understanding of Abia’s politics. If indeed Okezie realized that Ochendo’s son had more political latitude than his father and lobbied him more extensively using his record of service and qualification what exactly is wrong with that? Are we to blame him for having a better understanding of our local politics?
Haba Peter! Do you know that because people know that you and I are close they come to me when they need something from you? Depending on what it is they might determine that I can convince you more than they can if they approach directly. Is there anything wrong with that?
8. You did not argue that Uche won the primaries and Ochendo overturned it. Rather the fact we both know is that Okezie Ikpeazu, PHD, won the primaries and Ochendo supported him. It is safe to say that if Uche or Otti had won Ochendo would have backed the person. True or false?
9. Abia charter of equity exists. You know that and I know that. I will hand a copy to you if you wish to read it. Confirm and I will send it to you. Even if for the sake of argument it does not exist, as is the case with Enugu and Anambra States of Igbo land, 2 out of 3 Senatorial zones in Abia have produced Governors leaving behind Abia south. Peter, as a fellow campaigner for equity to Ndigbo in Nigeria through zoning, do you honestly believe that it is morally right for power to continue to elude them? Meanwhile even our sister states of Anambra and Enugu ensured equity with the emergence of an Aguleri and Nsukka governors. Do you, Peter Agba Kalu, actually think that Soludo was less qualified or stupid to accept the Anambra result and move on? Compare him to Ogah and Otti and see how terrible out so called people are: unrestrained political greed even against collective good of Abians. For your information, the same constitution that permitted every citizen to run for political office also emphasized “federal character” as a means of achieving equitable power distribution. If Ochendo had told Ogah not to contest he would have breached his constitutional right but then Ochendo was morally and politically right to listen to the superior presentation made on equity by many Abia elders and common citizens like me. For emphasis, he does not own Abia and cannot give what is not his to his “son” regardless of the relationship between them.
>
> 10. For the records again, I spoke with two Abia founding fathers personally and they told me they insisted that Ochendo must deliver power to Abia South. Both men are still alive and one of them told me he likes Uche Ogah but told him to please wait till after Abia South and run. I recorded the man but deliberately refused to publish the interview because of common good and the need to allow him and others call Uche to order and end the bleeding of Abia because of political selfishness. I was also at Umuahia when hundreds of thousands of Abia South people stormed Govt house to insist that Ochendo must back their son, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu. Do you want the video? They were led by Sir Enna Adaelu and Senator Adolphus Wabara. Remind me of the counter March by Ogah’s people please. Or they just sat at home and waited for Ogah to buy the Governorship?
In summary, Peter, deliver this message from me to Sampson Uche Ogah: It is not everything a man can do that he should do.
He is young and by 2023 he will still be in his early 50s. For the sake of peace and progress of Abia he should sheathe his sword and withdraw his defense team from that appeal court immediately and tell the world he is doing that for the sake of Abia and the need to support Okezie Ikpeazu who did not wrong him in anyway.
>
> If he toes that line people like me will stand up in 2023 and support him. He and Otti should strengthen Okezie’s leadership hand and not constitute themselves into obstacle to peace and development of ABIA. In 2023 the two of them can face off and Abians will choose based on who we think have contributed more to our development.
But mark this my dear brother, if Ogah chooses to defend his case up to the Supreme Court he will SURELY LOSE against Okezie. We both know that the man paid his tax (in fact they were deducted without his consent even) and entering information contained in an official document issued by those who should issue it DOES NOT constitute false information anywhere in this WORLD. There is presumption of genuineness once you obtain a document from those who should give and you are obliged to enter whatever information that is contained therein in all official documents you fill. That is why you confidently parade your degree certificates and international passport given to you by those who should give. You also fill data from them in all official documents without fear of being accused of giving false information. True or false?
Finally, Peter, tell Ogah that God is with Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as an ever present help. Running to APC chieftains will not solve this problem. It is difficult to bribe Supreme Court judges because those men are more interested in legacy than money. Whoever is promising him that he will do blablabla is misleading him. Let him sit with Okezie and decide on going forward plan since he apparently does not have confidence in Abia elders and leaders, given what you wrote. It must be clear to him that once this matter gets to the Supreme Court and he loses his political career will end from there. That is realpolitiks.
Our dear state is suffering and we need to re-steer it to the path of progress. Common folks are unnecessarily paying the price for these power struggles even though most of them don’t know the real cost of all these distractions. Faulks road reconstruction contract has been stalled alongside PH road, all because of this distraction.
You have made the point that Uche’s problem is Ochendo. I know that Otti’s people also claimed that Ochendo is their problem. If indeed Ochendo wronged any of his “sons”, it is evil for them to unleash the anger on innocent Governor Ikpeazu and Abians asking for peace and development. Let them take on Ochendo directly and I can bet you that he will floor them.
Have a great weekend and please tell Ogah’s goons to stop making threatening phone calls to Okezie’s supporters. I know Uche is ordinarily a peaceful person, though inordinate quest for power can change good men, they are messing up in his name. What we have is a brotherly conflict and victory means no Abia life is lost,
Thank you sir.
