ANAMBRA STATE ELECTION: APGA HAS FAILED OJUKWU, BIAFRANS CAN NOT BE CAJOLED

ANAMBRA STATE ELECTION: APGA HAS FAILED OJUKWU, BIAFRANS CAN NOT BE CAJOLED

By Prince Ugochukwu Olisakwe
For family writers Press

Late Chief Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu who hailed from Nnewi in Anambra state Biafraland was the founder of All Progressive Grand Alliance ( APGA). He instituted this political party to project the Igbo consciousness and agenda to the fore of the Nigerian affair due to the failure of the war in the 60s, in a bid to make Biafrans relevant in the Nigerian project. His vission and mission was to make sure Hausa Fulani does not take over Biafra territory to continue enslaving and subjugating Biafrans.

Prior to the war, Biafrans were massacred in different parts of Northern Nigeria and their lifeless bodies sent back to the land which aggravated the people of Biafra and the then Eastern Nigerian governor Late Col. Ojukwu declared Biafra after the killings continued till 1967. War ensued and ended in 1970. When the war ended he went on exile. After 13 years on exile, the federal government of Nigeria under president Shehu Aliyu Usman Shagari granted an official pardon to Odumegwu-Ojukwu and opened the road for a triumphant return in 1982. Ojukwu came from Ivory Coast back to Nigeria, but still have the Biafra restoration agenda as most needed project to be accomplished. That was when he formed a political party (All Progressive Grand Alliance -APGA).

His foray into politics was disappointing to many who wanted him to stay above the fray. He wanted to further Biafra project politically, but all his efforts to get to the Nigerian senate and presidency was thwarted by some Igbo elites with the help of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo. Still, Ojukwu never accepted any form of defeat because he believed that he cannot be defeated and he tried again but failed.
The then ruling party, NPN, rigged him out of the senate seat, which was purportedly lost to a relatively not too popular state commissioner in the then governor Jim Nwobodo's cabinet called Dr. Edwin Onwudiwe.

The second Republic was truncated on 31st December, 1983 by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, supported by General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and Brigadier Sani Abacha. The junta arrested Ojukwu and incarcerated him at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, Lagos, alongside most prominent politicians of that era. Having never been charged with any crimes, he was unconditionally released from detention on 1st October, 1984.


Dim Odumegwu-Ojukwu continued to play major roles in the advancement of the Igbo nation in a democratic Nigeria, but when it became glaring how fraudulent the Nigerian election could be, he quoated thus:  "As a committed democrat, every single day under an un-elected government hurts me.The citizens of this country are mature enough to make their own choices, just as they have the right to make their own mistakes".


After the gruesome war of attrition and heinous crimes that was perpetrated against Biafrans, Ikemba Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu insisted and formed APGA, yes, he did it because he never believed  that Biafrans will ever be treated equal as Nigerians. He did it because he was advised to follow it up through democratical way, little did he know that Nigerians are daft when it comes to democracy and he did not also know that he was dealing with animals in human form, who shout democracy but are bereft of the rudiments and ingredients of democracy.

After his ordeal in Buhari's prison, Ojukwu had played a significant role in Nigeria's return to democracy since 1999 (the fourth Republic). He had contested as presidential candidate of his party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) all in a bid to bringing the Biafra plight cum question to the pinnacle of the Nigerian affair. Before he became incapacitated due to illness his dream for a better life for Biafrans remained unflinched. But the question here is "were his dreams for a better Biafra achieved? Since after his departure, have those he left behind with a dream of Biafra agenda ever politically further the cause?

If Ojukwu had been alive today, he would have not been mute to the heinous crimes and unwarranted butchery of Biafran youths by the Nigerian military in any guise. But here, Biafran youths have been killed and maimed, yet the caretakers of supposedly political party with Biafra consciousness are issuing threats here and there to the already wounded Biafrans and disowning their own.


Since the political party he instituted is no longer seeing to the purpose it was established, the Biafran youths have made a decision to follow a true leader who incidentally is the leader of Indigenous People Of Biafra Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who have also shown he is never like others. The highest killing of Biafran youths was recorded  in Nkpor Anambra state, during 30th May, 2016 Biafra Heroes Remembrance Day. Just recently, the incumbent governor of Anambra state Chief Willie Obiano went to Abuja, stood before the panel of enquiry instituted by the Nigerian military  investigating the killings of May 30th, 2016 and completely denied that no youths were killed, even when there are pictorial and video evidences to buttress and substantiate the claims. This is the height on injustice to ones own people.


Just like Ojukwu was betrayed by his own people from furthering this dreams for a better Biafra, so, many have now sprouted to destroy, betray and scuttle what Mazi Nnamdi Kanu the leader of IPOB tends to achieve or actualize all in a bid to please their counterparts up North.


It is no doubt that these political gladiators are not representing the electorates or poor masses that queued under the harsh and unfriendly weather to vote them into office only to be used as sacrificial lambs on the alter of politics. We have completely lost faith in Nigerian politics hence the need to boycott all Nigerian activities including election. The leader of Indigenous People Of Biafra Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has issued a directive demanding Biafrans to Sit At Home on 18th November 2017, slated for Anambra state gubernatorial election in order to boost and further send a strong message to powers that be, in Nigeria and the world at large, of Biafrans outright rejection of the Nigerian project. Now all these corrupt politicians are having sleepless nights and have been dancing naked in public, as many have resorted to issuing press statements disowning and rejecting Kanu and IPOB for contradicting and having different views with them with regard to political issues in Nigeria.
Why should we go out there to cast our vote for selfish and inconsiderate people? We are taking back our mandate by not electing any politician. They can no longer ride on our back to reach the pinnacle of political offices in Nigeria. That is why we are saying no more election in Biafraland starting with Anambra state guber.

It is crystal clear that we cannot get freedom through our present political elites who are much concerned of their political future for personal aggrandizement, leaving the poor masses in abject poverty and penury.  IPOB is not a political party and can never align self with any Nigerian political party or politicians alike. Therefore, the directive has been given to boycott election and must be carried out to the later.

#NoElectionInAnambraState
#BiafraReferendumNow
#FreeBiafra

Edited by Ebere Okolie
For Family Writers Press