Anambra Solidarity Youth Movement Attacks Chief Victor Umeh's Interviews

ANAMBRA SOLIDARITY YOUTH MOVEMENT

Headquarters:14 Igwebuike crescent, Awka, Anambra State.

GSM:08187865899, 08080348702

Re: VICTOR UMEH’S INTERVIEWS.

       We of the above youth movement have been following the rantings and rancours emanating from the de-robed National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh (Ohamadike of Nigeria). 

We note therefore, that this power-thirsty chairman has the penchant to always pay the press for interviews and in such session , he as usual rattles and twaddle. We recall it was his interview of February 20, 2012 in the ‘Daily Sun’ that set the stage for these hassles and hostilities in the party. Wherein he attacked and disparaged the persons of the erstwhile governor of Anambra State and now the leader of the party, Mr Peter Obi, CON; and the propelling figure /chairman, APGA stakeholders forum, Chief (Hon) Sylvester Nwobu Alor.

       Really, it may not worth it recounting the lines in the said interview, but suffice it to say he used unprintable and despicable languages on the above duo. The debacle and discontent that followed thereafter, are convictions that his tirades and taunts were ill-advised and ill-timed. Yet like a leopard that doesn’t change its spots, he was at it again. In his ‘Daily Sun’ of April28, 2014 talks, he exploded and made some extravagant and explosive remarks all mired in self-adulation and egotism. He talked about his indispensable and irrevocable relevance in APGA, his achievements, belief in rule of law, the new chairman, Maxi Okwu etc. we intend to tackle his raised issues in tows.

       Agreeably, chief Umeh is an issue in APGA. However, it remains arguable if his attachment to the party has propelled or retarded the course of the party. Indeed, his loquacious mien and manner have woven the toga of notoriety around his person and APGA has attracted a huge baggage consequently. As noted above his loud-mouth and twaddle in the interviews are evident exposures of his proclivity to belligerency. He has an issue with virtually anybody that matter in the party and hitherto, embarked on an ill-fated summary suspension and expulsion of some of the foundation members. Expectedly, this move was thwarted and torpedoed.

       Till date, the grave allegation of mismanagement and misappropriation leveled against this chief has not been addressed nor quashed. It is a common knowledge that this chairman stifled and usurped the duties of the party’s accountant, treasurer, cashier, auditor thus helping himself bounteously and corruptly with the party’s fund and which remains the central issue as per the litigations/loss of confidence on him by the stakeholders and financiers.

       Obviously, his clichéd attachment to rule of law is a delusion and deception of the unparalled dimension. Sitting tight in office and parading oneself as the chairman of the party even when the court has severally ruled otherwise is akin to a despotic disposition and certainly, a contempt of court. Occupying an office for 11years for an 8year tenure/term and with a plethora of allegations of corruption that quakes the foundation of such office is unequivocally a mockery of this solemn rule of law. More so, employing debasing and derogatory terms on the trial judge, Hon. Justice Kafarati and rubbishing his integrity on the pages of newspaper because his verdict never favoured you is simply callous and malicious. No matter one’s grouse, rule of law rules that petition to superior judicial authority suffices in cases of perceived provable unfairness. Attacking a judicial officer that dutifully discharged his task on the pages of Newspaper is truly futile and puerile. Only the National Judicial Council (NJC) is vested with the powers to reprimand, sanction and suspend erring judge and never a humiliated litigant in a dispute.

       Empirically, APGA has remained relevant and rich in Anambra state which serves as its flagship. Recent explanations and exposures as pertaining to this current tussle in the party have revealed that the personages, pedigree and clouts of the troika of Ikemba Ojukwu, Gov. Peter Obi and Chief (Hon) Nwobu Alor provided the needed fillip and fortune that culminated into the party’s engaging and enviable posture in the state. Ikemba availed his rich cult followership, while Gov. Obi through his legendary legal leaps sustained this brand. Nwobu Alor it was who nudged this super performer called Mr Peter Obi to run for election and who also cerebrally coordinated the first ever gubernatorial contest of the party in the state.

       As a matter of fact, APGA’s recent landslide victory in the state that translated in the inauguration of Chief Willie Obiano as the governor of the state was essentially made possible through the sterling, super and sparkling performances of Gov. Obi while in office. Evidently, throughout the electioneering campaigns it was Gov. Obi’s influence that made the mark and not that ‘sky-bound’ cap with its baggage of ineptitude. The ‘party chairman’ with its big cap was at the time accused of stampeding the party’s flag bearer, Obiano(as he w as the called) into signing a covenant with him for a selfish end if he (Obiano) succeeded at the polls. Consequently, the out-gone governor at the inauguration ground and in the full glare of the camera emphatically enjoined the newly sworn-in governor to jettison any real or purported agreement/ covenant, reiterating that his pact was only with the good people of the state who elected him to power, short and simple!

       Again, this power-thirsty chairman, Chief Victor Umeh has systematically disorganized and destabilized the party structure with his recalcitrant, autocratic, arrogant and despotic demeanour, and APGA’s fortune and followership aside in Anambra have dipped to an all time low. For instance, in the present dispensation, no senator of the federation comes under the APGA umbrella. Too, the party’s membership in the federal house has abysmally gone down to a pitiable three even with the huge resources availed by the party’s backbone and who incidentally is now the party’s leader, Mr Peter Obi, CON. Similarly, in the states houses of assembly, APGA has not fared fine. We are of the opinion that a decent ‘party chairman’ would have resigned honourably in the face of these abysmal anomalies resulting from an inefficient and ineffective party leadership under his watch, instead of clinging to power to add to its woes like Gen. Abacha of infamy.

       Furthermore, we the youths in Anambra are constrained to question his attack on chief Maxi Okwu who currently and with a judicial pronouncement sits atop the affairs of APGA. Chief Okwu was accused of struggling to take over APGA only to collect Jeeps from Gov. Obiano to inscribe ‘APGA National Chairman 1,2,3,4 etc’ on them. What a preposterous and puerile thought! Maxi Okwu should rather be applauded for saving APGA at that turbulent period. Truly, if Okwu had not appeared on the scene at the heat of that squabble and steadied the storms, we are of the firm belief APGA would have been decimated, and probably, no Gov. Obiano would have emerged there from. More so, it’s not mandatory that a new chairman must adopt his (Umeh) trade mark glamour and ostentation/convoy in running the party. Okwu by his Spartan antecedents shall not toe the same line of profligacy, after all, Gov. Obi was frugal and faithful all through his tenure and NDI ANAMBRA are better off for it. And trying to pitch Ojukwu’s memory against Maxi Okwu on a phantom accusation of labeling Ojukwu as an extremist is evoking a cheap sentiment and propaganda. Ikemba Ojukwu remains a colossus, a rallying and a revered figure of all Igbos including chief Maxi Okwu, who by adding premium and salvaging APGA at its most trying period is sustaining this rich legacy of Ikemba.

       In  conclusion, public service is any body’s take, if Victor Umeh wants to test waters come 2015 using the senate platform, he is free to do so but bragging he’s been begged by a nondescript youth to contest is the height of deception, delusion and deceit. Of course, it’s the same refrain by incompetent persons. No refined youth would elect to identify let alone support a queer character that suddenly amassed a quantum wealth in questionable circumstances and which never benefitted any youth even from his rural village. More so, if performing and popular  candidates like Prof Dora Akunyili, Sen.(Dr.) Joy Emordi, Chief Chuma Nzeribe etc all failed in their bids because of Umeh’s clueless and clownish leadership in APGA, I wonder what awaits this scandalized and destabilized ‘Lord of manor’ if he dares a dance in 2015. Agreeably, Chief Victor Umeh remains a confused factor/issue in APGA , for his loquacious leaning has never added any  premium nor patronage to APGA, QED!

       Finally, in view of the foregoing issues, we the youths in Anambra state make the following resolutions:-

*As a matter of urgent importance and demand, we resolve that Chief Umeh(Ohamadike of Nigeria) should cease parading himself as the chairman of APGA in any garb, since the subsisting court order that ousted him is still current and certain. That is the eye of Rule of law.

*Since his relationship and PR with the foundation members and most other stakeholders are now at the lowest ebb as shown with the legion of litigations, let him step aside and partner with chief Maxi Okwu who fate has entrusted with the destiny of APGA to steer and to navigate. Let him follow the hand writing on the wall.

*All the issues/ allegations bordering on his mismanagement and misappropriation of the party’s fund must as a matter of courtesy is satisfactorily addressed by him to retain his integrity and drop the attendant baggage.

*Too, integrity and dignity are Siamese twins that translate to success and never over-ambition. let Umeh work on his person and Public Relations before that proposed plunge in 2015, otherwise that outing certainly would turn out to be his waterloo and ‘Tsunami’. The electorates are now wiser.

*Press interviews are decent platforms to educate and enlighten, but in Umeh’s case it has turned out to be avenues to bark, attack and hack. His loquacious manner is simply at variance with a public office holder and surely distaste for any electorate/constituent.

       If these points are hearkened by chief Umeh, the Anambra Solidarity Youth Movement assuredly shall partner with and avail him the needed platform to reposition himself and APGA shall be better for it.

JOHN MADUEKWE, esq.

(Coordinator)