I have in the past worked closely with all of you and you know my belief about our zone working together. I assure you that we will continue to work even closer as a team in the interest of our people.
“Regarding your visit let me assure you that I heard your passionate requests and that your journey would not be in vain but in the best interest of our people.
“The issue of joining a national party is not about happenings in APGA, but because of the need to be a competitor and not a spectator in national affairs. I hereby join the PDP.”
With those words, former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, as the beautiful bride, said “I do” to the request by South East Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, who were in his Onitsha home on Tuesday, October 7 to bring him finally into their fold.
Obi worked for several years for the PDP from within the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) while serving as two term Governor.
It would have smacked of disrespect if he had refused the request from the calibre of people who came to his home to beg him to join the PDP. I would have been taken aback if he did otherwise.
But do we need anybody to tell us that what happened at Obi’s residence, which his aide termed a carnival, was typical of the way the man does his things; to make it look like everybody came to beg him.
One of the greatest politicians in the South East today in the mastery of the game of politics is Peter Obi, despite the fact he claims, like many others, that he is more of a technocrat/trader, nay businessman, than a politician.
While he was Governor under APGA, he deployed those rare characteristics to tame political opponents in the PDP to achieve results. Many PDP stalwarts would tell you he is ruthless, selfish, wicked, and plays Machiavellian politics.
Until October 7, few doubted that Obi was loyal to APGA which brought him into political limelight. Few also were ready to swear to an oath that he was not instrumental to the many years of crisis in APGA under his watch, with little done to grow the party.
I have lost count of the times he told everyone that he would not join another party after leaving office. In fact, he said he would quit politics to face his business and attend to family.
But who would have been surprised at Obi’s defection to the PDP with that galaxy of politicians before him in his home who knew he was not a stranger in their midst?
Since he formalised his membership of the PDP, he has been explaining his action to those who hold him in high esteem, particularly APGA members who weathered the rain and the sunshine during his campaign and that of his successor, Willie Obiano.
While Obi thinks there is nothing wrong with APGA and that his defection to the PDP has nothing to do with APGA, the explanation from his aide, Valentine Obienyen, suggests deep disagreement between Obi and the leadership of APGA.
“There is nothing wrong with APGA and my joining the PDP has nothing to do with APGA. I enjoy a cordial relationship with Willie Obiano and the government is doing well.
“I will continue to support him in building a better Anambra State for the good of the children of the state,” Obi said, adding that he left APGA to get fully involved in the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.”
But Obienyen acknowledged that though his principal promised not to quit APGA, he had to because he was not wanted.
“Did he leave APGA? He did not, he was not wanted. Since he left office, how many APGA functions were he invited to? Just last week, I was passing with him through Owerri and we saw many vehicles going for an APGA function/rally with APGA inscriptions,” Obienyen explained.
“It took him phone calls to ascertain that APGA was doing a mega rally in Owerri.
“Since he left office, how many in APGA’s hierarchy have called him on the phone or visited him? Do you have to be killed before you realise that you are not wanted?
“Did you see the array of PDP members that visited him and the kind words appreciative of his character and personal rectitude? Let Ndi na anyu ya nsi n’isi choo onye ozo ha ga na anyu ya bu nsi (those who have been defecating on Obi’s head should look for another person).”
I supported Obi during his tenure because he demystified government business and showed high level understanding of the political dynamics of our country standing on a tripod, despite the ruse of one Nigeria.
He was never ashamed of saying that the South West has its own party, the North has its, and that the east ought to have its too, hence he saw himself as an unrepentant member of APGA.
The “love” Obi has for APGA was the reason he was said to have once sworn that he would not join another political party after leaving office.
The concern of those who have related closely with him is that they will now see him as another Nigerian politician who lies to achieve personal gains. Before his defection, many pointed to him as someone who thought differently from the pack.
I am worried that Obi has willingly walked into the net of strange political bed fellows to ensure that Jonathan is re-elected. Using that line of story to hoodwink his supporters makes us more suspicious of political leaders.
A few months ago, an attempt by Jonathan to appoint Obi minister was thwarted by the PDP wolfs in Anambra who said he did not belong to the party. We also heard of Jonathan trying to use him to ease out Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), even though Obi denied having interest in the job when Okey Ikechukwu bounced it off him.
I do not believe that Obi is desperate to pick any political appointment from Jonathan and that the condition for that is to defect to the PDP. But we must reconcile his denial of interest in an Abuja job with what he told supporters, which he has now reneged on.
The hallmark of integrity is truth and holding firmly to one’s belief regardless of pressure.
Deep down Obi’s heart he knows he has been supporting Jonathan since his days in APGA, perhaps better than those in the PDP. The same goes for Governors Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and Adams Oshiomhole (Edo).
The relationship of the trio with Jonathan is a matter for another day.
It is incredible that Obi now PDP member, wants to support his successor, an APGA member from his party PDP without running foul of the rules of PDP on anti-party activity.
