Obi to Bianca: I Fulfilled Promises Made To Ojukwu

      

Nigerian’s Ambassador to Spain and widow of the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, two days ago expressed disappointment that former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

But Obi has replied Bianca , explaining why he dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), adding that he fulfilled all promises made to Ojukwu.

In an interview published by Daily Sun on Monday, Mrs. Ojukwu, admitted that Obi  “made immense contributions to APGA,” adding that she remained “proud of his achievements, as governor of Anambra State,” but said the former governor’s “exit diminishes us, and many of his supporters and grassroots crusaders are disappointed and demoralised.”

She also described Obi’s defection to PDP as betrayal of the late Biafran leader, who, she said, had such great hope in that he would always stand by APGA.

Reacting yesterday, Obi said since Bianca was not a frivolous person, her “comments must be taken seriously, moreso, when he was the wife of his leader.”

He stated however, that loyalty to a cause does not change with a change of platform, stressing that there has not been any change of principles on his part.

He added that his response would be his last on the matter, as he wants to channel his time and energy alongside other well-meaning Igbo to work for the re-election campaign of President Goodluck Jonathan and the place of Ndigbo in Nigerian politics, Obi stated: “Of all those who have spoken, and who will continue to speak, on the issue of my leaving APGA, only Bianca spoke with sincerity. She does not fall into the class of those who are now displaying dated video clippings and presenting matters out of context for political reasons, without appreciating the sacrifice put into building the house they are now destroying.”

Admitting that Mrs. Ojukwu gave an accurate account of his exchanges with the late Ojukwu, who called him once and asked if he would leave APGA, when the Abia Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, left the party, Obi said: “I wish to reiterate that I am still loyal to our great leader, in terms of what serves the interests of our people and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Everyone knows today that APGA is not what it used to be. My assurance to our great leader did not imply that I would be loyal to a platform that some people have resolved to turn into an empty shell without an inner core of shared values. I remain faithful to those values and   principles our great leader asked me to stand by and defend.”

Obi said time would reveal, “whether the APGA of today is still propagating the late leader’s core principles,” adding that he had seen enough of violation of what APGA stood for, and therefore, cannot continue to stay in a place, which had departed from the original course and where clearly, he was not wanted.

“Despite all overtures for me to leave APGA when I was Governor, I did not give in but served out my term under APGA and handed over to an APGA Governor,” he said.

On his relationship with Ojukwu, Obi said he kept his promise to the APGA leader and finished as the party’s governor as well as helped to enthrone another APGA governor.

The former governor recalled that he stayed with Ojukwu throughout his trying period and intervened in all possible ways to ensure that he was given a burial befitting for a leader and a hero.

He stated: “According to Mrs Ojukwu, our political father, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Ndi Anambra and Nigerians believed I was humble, hard working, honest, good mannered, among others and that I delivered on good governance. These were not primarily because of the political party I belonged, but because of my belief that we must build a better society for our children.”

Obi said Ojukwu had advised him to continue supporting Jonathan for reasons the late APGA leader made clear to him. He admitted discussing with Mrs. Ojukwu about APGA, pointing out that the last time they talked was when he held a closed-door meeting with the leadership of the party with four venerated persons from Anambra State, after which he told Mrs. Ojukwu that based on what transpired at the meeting, he had had enough and needed to move on.

According to him, “like my leader and political father, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who was bitterly criticised for ignoring the Zik-led Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) to join the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) where he felt the interests of Ndigbo and the nation would be better served, I have moved out of a political party, which, in my own opinion, had derailed. I have moved on to a place my contributions towards proper representation of our people would have the level of impact that would make Ikemba rejoice in his grave.” 

Governor Obi said that her Excellency, Ambassador  Bianca Ojukwu, whom he holds in high esteem  would later be in a position to judge the propriety or otherwise of  recent  developments in the party and his actions. He concluded that time will judge all “our actions accordingly.”