Frankly, there were some missing links and several hidden truths in the article. It is a public knowledge that all the acclaimed successes that brought Chief Orji Uzor Kalu to limelight was more of undertaking and the handi-work of his mother who used her earlier contacts in government circle, especially during the military era to project him. Not that Kalu has been or was outstanding in his endeavours per se.
His emergence as Governor of Abia State in 1999 was not without the assistance of his successor, Governor Theodore Orji who was then an administrative secretary at National Electoral Commission (NECON) where he played a vital role in ensuring that the road was clear for him against overwhelming forces against his candidature.
It is now obvious that outside the corridor of power, people like him has nothing much to offer the society. Even as acclaimed master strategist, Nigerians have not seen his input either in the economy or politics of the country since he lost out of power equation, both at his state and national level.
Against the postulation by Mbadiwe that Kalu went into political hibernation and orphanage after being betrayed by his erstwhile trusted protégés, nobody betrayed him rather it was Kalu that betrayed the people, especially those that assisted him in the rainy day.
If not, how would one explain that the now dead party, Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) which was formed by Kalu and others in 2006 with two states Abia and Imo under its control after 2007 general election were lost to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before 2011 general elections, due to Kalu’s political shenanigan.
That single political incident was enough evidence and eye opener for the Igbos to know what the man who has decided to use his false crusade on Igbo Presidency to re-launch himself back into political relevance ahead 2015 is up to. But unfortunately for him and his allies, their political tricks were old and out-dated and cannot help his political fortunes and that of the Igbos in 2015 rather it will complicate it.
Have Nigerians forgotten that PPA and ACN were both registered as political parties in 2006 with ACN winning only Lagos State in 2007 general election? But today with Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s political sagacity, ACN is in control of five states in south-west and one in South-south zone and has remained the most vibrant opposition party in the country today.
It is obvious that Kalu’s lack of political vision and the quest to build a political dynasty at expense of the people without a solid foundation led to his political failure after 2007 general election. It was due to his overbearing attitude that somebody like the former Governor of Cross River State, Chief Clement Ebri in 2010 suddenly and angrily resigned his chairmanship position of PPA at a time his leadership has repositioned the party as a strong opposition party.
If truly Kalu meant well for Igbo Presidency in 2015, what stopped him from nurturing the political platform he had before now in preparation for the realization of the dream? Has he forgotten that political power is not given on a platter of gold or through noise making?
It was Kalu who hurriedly took PPA in 2007 to join the Government of National Unity (GNU) of late President Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar Adua-led government for what he would selfishly benefit from the deal alongside his family. Before Yar Adua’s demise, he was one of those calling the shots in the Presidency hiding under the guise of (GNU) without considering the interest of the Igbos or the need for Igbo Presidency in 2011 or 2015.
From all indications, it is crystal clear that Kalu has no political relevance now to champion the quest for Igbo Presidency in 2015. This is because, apart from having no political structure on ground to even win any election in his home state Abia, his sudden campaign for Igbo Presidency in 2015 appears to be suspicious and at the same time a smokescreen to seek political relevance and rehabilitation again.
So, there is urgent need for the Igbos to be wary of his latest antics via aggressive and grandstanding campaign, before it alters political calculation and equation for the zone ahead 2015. This is why no prominent Igbo person has lent his support or identify with him since he started the charade.
Besides, where was Kalu during the last Igbo Day Celebration in Asaba where the issue of Igbo Presidency 2015 and other issues affecting the Igbos were discussed by the people of the zone? Or is Kalu working at crossroad with the people he claimed to have been championing their cause?
As Mbadiwe rightly said, Kalu had always made mistakes in translating his vision into reality by being too aggressive and abrasive in approach. Obviously, a leopard can hardly change its colour, so Kalu is at it again, but this time without a vision to be transformed into reality, but has only one aim which is looking for political relevance and rehabilitation that is almost impossible for him to realise.
According to Mbadiwe, Kalu’s argument is predicated on the assumption that the issue of rotational presidency is a settled one. But apart from Mbadiwe’s analysis on how Kalu breached rotational presidency in the past due to his inordinate ambition and politics of domineering, lets take a look at his support for such breach in his state for selfish political reasons.
After being governor of the state for two terms, Kalu was succeeded by Governor Theodore Orji from Abia Central Senatorial zone, because Kalu hails from Abia North zone. But because of his political differences with Orji ahead of 2011 general election, Kalu provided all the needed support for Orji’s impeached deputy, Comrade Chris Akomas from Abia South zone who was his party, PPA governorship candidate in the state during 2011 general election to dislodge Orji from office and alter the political equation in the state as rotation of power among the three zones in the state.
Some people from the Abia South zone were incited against Governor Orji who was seeking for second term in office. It took the political understanding and wisdom of the people of the state to vote wisely for Orji in 2011 knowing full well that Kalu was on political vendetta mission against Orji for liberating the state.
No wonder Kalu was also humiliated in the 2011 Abia North Senatorial election by Comrade Uche Chukwumerije and his younger brother suffered the same fate in Aba North/South Federal Constituency election.
This is because our people knew him and his people very and will never give them chance for any political abracadabra neither in the state nor in the country. It was for the same reason he got the baptism of fire from my people when he recently visited my village, Abriba in Ohafia Council Area of Abia State for a burial, but was allegedly booed by my people for the role he played as a governor by plunging the community into crisis for years in his forceful attempt to imposed a wrong person on my people as the traditional ruler of the community.
If not for the timely intervention of his successor, Governor Orji in the crisis which has returned peace in the community, I wonder what would have given Kalu the courage to step into the community by now.
I learnt that he has been freely moving in and out of the state without any molestation unlike during his tenure as governor, when the state was always in front burner for political crisis because of his aggressiveness and flair for creating political tensions in a bid to subdue his political enemies at all cost. I know that if the opposite is the case now, I don’t think Kalu will allow Governor Orji into the state without molestation.
Finally the quest for Igbo Presidency in 2015 goes beyond failed politicians using the project to seek for political relevance and make unnecessary noise, rather it demands constructive engagements, consultations and dialogue as being done by the South-east governors, leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other prominent Igbo sons and daughters both at home and abroad.
So it goes beyond one-man show or rabblerousing to avoid the mistake of the past.
Dr. Caleb Uwammadu, a management consultant and co-ordinator Igbo Presidency 2015 Networks wrote from Toronto, Canada.
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