In 2013, while working with Elombah News media, owned by Daniel Elombah who is my first online media boss, as its star writer, we told Peter Obi who was Governor then not to make the mistake of bringing Willie Obiano as his successor. He drafted me into supporting Obi for President under the PDP and even when he left, where we all got involved till last week.
Elombah is a personal friend of Peter Obi. We had investigated Obiano and found him wanting. But Obi would not listen to us. Obiano was in Houston, USA sipping champagne by his swimming pool after leaving Fidelity Bank as ED, when Okwute as we call Peter Obi picked his phone and directed him to come immediately and take over from him.
Elombah and I kicked against it but Obi’s mind was made up. We began to expose Obiano that Anambrians won’t make the mistake of following Peter Obi decision.
I personally authored them, including a N5 billion agreement Obiano made with the then APGA Party Chairman to get the party support. After the expose, Obiano and APGA took one full page in five newspapers to refute the story and threatened to sue me. I dared them. You can Google Fejiro Oliver and Obiano/APGA.
APGA is Ojukwu’s party and Anambra people love anything Ojukwu hence no matter our expose, they were blind, couple with the fact that there was no social media awareness then like now.
Obiano was forced on Anambra.
And his true color showed. He began to govern recklessly and started dealing with Peter Obi. How Okwute who’s a thoroughbred Pyrate who believes in bringing the best as we are all groomed to be did not know that Obiano was a wrong choice, did no investigation on him made such mistake remains his biggest secret regret.
We are faced with such scenarios again where investigation has proven that most of those elected under LP as lawmakers are not worthy in character. Most of them were voted in by mistake last week and the electorates there just realised their foolery.
I’m most concerned about the drive where Igbos in the East are particular that LP must take over governorship in their zone, an attitude which is the fear that the party is gradually turning into a regional party.
How do one consider a LP in Ebonyi State where the PDP guy is obviously the best?
We have to stop this mob action of politics and not limit labor. That we all supported Obi using the Obidients movement do not mean that any candidate under LP will sail.
We have to differentiate between Obidients and Labor Party. They are two separate entities and must be distinguished. The mistake Obi made in bringing a woeful successor should not be repeated in States like Enugu. The best has to go.
This is where I love Deltans who were able to know that we go for competent and not party. That the APC in the state could win Two Senatorial seat despite its supporters voting Obi as President is a testament to us as a people that we cannot be moved by sentiments.
The LP candidate, my friend who won Uvwie/Sapele/Okpe was declared winner by the EO after calls were made by the DSP Ovie Omo-Agege when I told him about the move by Evelyn Oboro to cancel Uvwie. That’s what it means to play politics of transparency.
LP won its first Governor seat through Mimiko in Ondo State and it was not localised. Those in the East must not localise or make it tribal it else it won’t fly beyond the region henceforth.
A word is enough for the wise.
By Fejiro Oliver
