Recently, one Ikenna Onyekwelu, in his jaundiced article titled ‘NGF reunion versus the broken walls of the South East Governors’ Forum’ published in The Guardian of June 28, 2015, tried to malign and disparage the hard-earned reputation of the immediate past governor of Abia State now representing Abia Central Senatorial District in the red chamber of the National Assembly, Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji.
This so-called Onyekwelu started by portraying the South East Governors’ Forum (SEGF) under T.A. Orji as one that was divided starting from March 9, 2014 when the immediate past governor of Abia emerged as chairman till May 29, 2015 when his tenure ended.
But the truth remains that Orji’s emergence in Enugu as chairman of SEGF was peaceful. Even the national dailies reported how journalists who were present celebrated the emergence of Orji to the amazement of his colleagues. Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, was not present at the meeting.
A discerning mind would easily discover that Onyekwelu desperately wanted to impress and justify the huge money he collected from his paymaster to tarnish the rising profile of Orji. His distorted article clearly portrayed him as one suffering from amnesia. In the article titled ‘NGF reunion versus the broken walls of the South East Governors’ Forum’ published in the Guardian, Onyekwelu portrayed the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) in good light, while he condemned the SEGF under Orji outright. He claimed that Orji’s chairmanship of SEGF was entrenched in crisis. My consolation is that all the political actors are still alive.
Our ‘saint’ Onyekwelu who turned himself to the spokesperson of the NGF, made references to how the Rotimi Amaechi and Jonah Jang factions settled their differences which he said paved way for the election of a new chairman. He also cited the example of Northern Governors’ Forum (NoGF) where a new chairman also emerged.
Hear him: “The coming together of most of the members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on May 18, 2015 in Abuja after its long disruptive squabbles was melodious. Nigerians were excited at the sudden resolution of the bitter acrimony that boiled over during the chairmanship election of that august body exactly two years before.
“The reunion of the governors under their common platform gave Nigerians reasons to cheer and reminisce over the noble place of the NGF in the nation’s socio-political development. So relieved were most citizens that they refused to pay heed to the faint denial by the Jang faction that it was party to “any reconciliation with the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi-led faction.
“But in their wisdom, the departing governors picked the Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, as chairman for one year.
“That was good thinking and it helped to keep the good music on! But while observers enamoured of that refreshing development celebrated the melody of the NGF reunion, governors from the South East wing left a dirge for the broken walls of the South East Governors’ Forum.
“This was so because while members of the Northern Governors’ Forum were moved to emulation by undertaking a smooth handover of the reigns of leadership from the Chief Servant of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, to the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, the last chairman of SEGF hurried to the Senate without discharging similar social burden.”
Onyekwelu, in his warped article, betrayed his hatred for the immediate past governor of Abia, who he called unprintable names.
He wrote: “And with what played out at the twin chambers of the National Assembly, there is every reason to believe that His Excellency Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji, may not find it feasible to hand over the chairmanship of SEGF to Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the governor of Imo State. By geographical location, Imo State is contiguous to Abia.
“Again, it is a historical fact that Governor Anayo Okorocha is the longest serving governor as yet in the South East geo-political zone. There is therefore no political arithmetic that could provide a plausible alibi for the post of Chairman of SEGF not to be transmitted to the Imo State governor.”
I don’t have anything against Okorocha, as he is eminently qualified to head the SEGF. But as one who keenly follows the politics of the South East and its political gladiators, I am convinced that somebody from the Imo government may have employed the services of Onyekwelu to do this dirty job of painting Orji in bad light. I am entitled to my opinion.
As a very close aide of the immediate past governor of Abia, I cannot remember seeing Okorocha at the SEGF meetings in Enugu throughout Orji’s tenure. Even Okorocha’s deputy, who used to represent him at the SEGF meetings, stopped coming when the 2015 campaigns kick-started. But even with Governor Okorocha’s absence, the SEGF under Orji remained united. There was no division of any sort throughout the eventful tenure of Orji.
It’s also not true that the SEGF under Orji tilted along party lines as Onyekwelu wanted readers to swallow hook, line and sinker. As the leader of the SEGF, Orji treated his colleagues, including Okorocha of APC, with respect and dignity. It’s a fact that one of Orji’s greatest strengths is his disarming humility.
Orji, even when Okorocha was so critical of the PDP-led government, displayed maturity by attending the traditional marriage of one of Okorocha’s daughters at his country home at the peak of the 2015 elections. Okorocha, who from his body language was humbled when he saw Orji and his entourage, later wined and dined with his brother governor. Okorocha at the wedding acknowledged the immediate past governor of Abia as ‘Ochendo’ (one who protects life), a name his political admirers call him.
It’s also not true “that Orji was merely being tolerated by the governors of Enugu and Ebonyi, who perceived him as a very slimy character eager to do the bidding of Abuja”. Onyekwelu again lied as Orji enjoyed chummy relationship with all his brother governors.
This devil’s advocate that calls himself Onyekwelu went further to wrongly claim “that the comparative low vote tally secured by former President Goodluck Jonathan in the zone during the March 28 election was in part due to the low acceptability rating of the Chairman of SEGF”.
As the South East Coordinator of the Goodluck/Sambo campaign organisation, Orji never betrayed that trust and confidence reposed in him by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He campaigned massively in all the nooks and crannies of the South East geo-political zone. The people of the South East spoke through their votes. Despite all the dangerous designs to humiliate him politically, Orji at the end of the day triumphed and shamed his detractors who wished him ‘political demise’.
Ikenna Onyekwelu, if truly he exists, should as a matter of urgency apologise to Senator T.A. Orji for portraying him in bad light. Also, Governor Okorocha should reach out to Senator Orji, as nature abhors vacuum. The Ochendo I know will never pay back evil with evil.
• Ajunwa wrote in from Abuja.
