After weeks of shock over the defection of Chief Peter Obi to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s widow, Bianca, has lambasted the former governor of Anambra State for his actions.
Bianca, who is Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, had told Daily Sun on the eve of the day Obi dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the PDP that the ex-governor would never leave the party believed to be the rallying point for the Igbo because of the vow he made before Ojukwu. Thus when Obi dumped APGA, Bianca was shocked beyond words, as the former governor had reassured her over time that he would remain in APGA and help to sustain the party.
As he left, Obi, oblivious of the “injury” he had caused Bianca, decided to look for an opportunity to placate her and found one last Friday, October 17, which, however, turned to be a shocker also for him.
Obi had trailed Bianca to the Netherlands where she was being honoured by The Voice Newspaper, as the Outstanding Ambassador of Africa, but Bianca declined all the entreaties made by Obi at the event.
The organisers of the award had penciled down Obi to present the award to Bianca but when it became obvious that the ambassador had made up her mind never to have anything to do with him, they quickly drafted an ambassador from the country to do the presentation.
In this exclusive interview with Daily Sun, Bianca looked at the relationship between the late leader of APGA, Ikemba Nnewi, saying Obi had betrayed him, APGA and Ndigbo, even when he was the greatest beneficiary of Ojukwu and APGA influence in Igbo land.
She, therefore, described Obi’s defection to the PDP, as a “betrayal and unimaginable breach of trust,” saying though his exit was a big loss to the party, APGA, nevertheless, would continue to hit successes without him. Excerpts:
Recently, former Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, defected to the PDP, how did you receive this news because you had told us the previous day that he would not quit APGA because of the promise he had made to Ojukwu?
I received the news with shock and disappointment because up till the last moment; Obi kept reassuring me that this would never happen; that it would be over his dead body; that the day he leaves APGA would be the day he quits politics; and most importantly, that he would keep the promise he made to Ojukwu. I had no reason to doubt him. I had become used to unsubstantiated rumours, regarding his defection to the PDP. Even just before the last TAN South East rally in Awka, I spoke with him because I had heard that he would decamp at that event. I had reason to be concerned because he had tendered his resignation letter, as BoT chairman of APGA only the night before the rally, which came as a great surprise to us all. I asked him whether he had any plan to defect to PDP and he told me that his position remained the same; and reiterated the statement that APGA was in his blood.
He kept his word then and so, I had no reason to believe that he would lie on this occasion. I felt that he had enough integrity to keep his promise to Ojukwu because there was no compelling reason for him not to do so.
Everything he is, today, he owes to Ojukwu and APGA. APGA catapulted him literally from obscurity to national prominence. He served two consecutive terms, as governor of Anambra State, a first in the history of the state. This, he achieved under APGA. His decampment is shocking to our party members. He never gave them any indication that he was about to jump ship. Close as I was to him, he did not even have the simple courtesy to inform me of this decision but continued to deceive me up until his defection.
What was this promise that Obi made to your husband, do you think they are or it is weighty enough not to be broken?
Obi swore to Ojukwu, upon his honour, that he would never leave APGA; that he would do all within his power to sustain and advance APGA; in his own words that he would ‘sink or swim’ in APGA. I am glad that today there are living witnesses to attest to this fact.Ojukwu believed him and was convinced beyond doubt that even if there was ever a mass exodus from APGA, Peter Obi would be the last man standing.I recall when Theodore Orji, Governor of Abia State decamped from the PPA to APGA, only to decamp from APGA to the PDP shortly after Ojukwu had welcomed him into APGA, Ojukwu, in his stoic manner, told us all that we should understand that not many politicians in this world had the integrity and loyalty of Peter Obi. Ojukwu used him as a yardstick to measure other politicians because Obi presented himself before him as a disciplined, principled and trustworthy politician, who was fully committed to carrying on his legacy. Any other party member or politician, decamping from APGA is not held to the same standards as Obi. He was fully aware of his responsibilities and what was expected of him.He has dashed the hopes of many, and reduced his prestige to the level of any other ‘food is ready’ politician by this betrayal and unimaginable breach of trust.
What kind of relationship existed between Obi and your husband while he was alive?
It was a father and son relationship. As far as my husband was concerned, Obi was the most fervent devotee of APGA. Though he did not necessarily sanction every decision or approve of some of his actions, no one could ever utter one negative word against Peter Obi in his presence. He would never tolerate that. To Ojukwu, Peter Obi was a combination of the Old Testament Joshua and the New Testament Simon Peter. He was convinced beyond doubt that as far as APGA was concerned, Peter would do everything required to spread its gospel. And why not? Afterall, Obi was the greatest beneficiary of that gospel. Obi, like the biblical Joshua, would carry on from where he left off and take APGA to the Promised Land.That is why, after the people of Anambra State granted his last wish and voted Obi in for his second tenure, as governor, Ojukwu took out congratulatory messages in the newspapers, simply displaying Obi’s picture and just three words: ‘Upon This Rock…’, in tacit affirmation of Obi’s nickname of Okwute, which means ‘Rock’; and in undisguised reference to the biblical Simon Peter whom Christ described as the rock and foundation upon which the church and Christianity would be built. To Ojukwu, Peter Obi was the rock upon which APGA would stand and be propelled to greater heights. According to him, Obi had all it takes to further solidify APGA’s foundation. It is against this backdrop that I maintain that Obi knew he was constrained to respond to a higher calling. He gave his word and, therefore, he was standing on sacred ground; but the tragedy today is that he has sold his birthright and abdicated his legacy. What he has done is akin to desecrating his father’s grave. It is alu (taboo) in Igbo culture. I am deeply pained by this development. How can it be so easy for him to trample upon the legacy of a man, who gave him so much, even sometimes to his (Ojukwu’s) own detriment; a man, who had such high expectations of him.
Ojukwu had such faith in him and placed him upon a grand pedestal, crediting him with so many qualities. He would always say only few politicians in this country had the measure of humility, steadfastness, integrity and courage of Peter Obi. He never anticipated feet of clay. Peter Obi has betrayed not just Ojukwu but also a multitude of APGA party faithful, who trusted and believed in him, toiled night and day to see him succeed; the people of Anambra, who will invariably feel that he used them to fulfill his ambition only to dump them when he felt the need to move on to his own perceived greener pastures, and millions of Ndigbo, who hold Ojukwu in great reverence, subscribe to his philosophy and would not be kindly disposed to a man, who is willing to sacrifice the interests of his people over momentary and fleeting gains when it becomes expedient for him to do so.
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