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Democratization Struggle Threatens to Tear APGA, A Nigerian Political Party into Pieces
New York, USA --- Reliable information reaching our office indicate that all may not be well within All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the party that produced Anambra State Governor Peter Obi. Party leaders' undemocratic refusal to hold primary election to give the party members opportunity to elect their candidate for 2010 gubernatorial election is the main problem threatening to plunge the only authentic Igbo party into regrettable crisis. The 2 candidates contesting for Anambra State governorship under All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) party umbrella are current Governor Peter Obi who is seeking re-election and Barrister Emeka Etiaba, the first son of current Deputy Governor, Mrs./Dame Virgy Etiaba. Many believe that current Governor Peter Obi has become so unpopular that he does not want the party primary to take place; instead he wants the party to select and return him un-opposed. But Gov. Obi's idea did not go down well with his best-friend-turned-foe Barrister Emeka Etiaba and lots of his supporters in the party, according to our investigation. Barrister Emeka Etiaba had since formed Emeka Etiaba Campaign Organization and had been preparing and campaigning very seriously, touring every parts of the state and mobilizing his support base in preparation for the party primary in September 2009, as well as in readiness for the main election in 2010. The support his team have been receiving from the grassroots communities and villages they had visited had been overwhelming and very intimidating to his opponents, according to reports. To make matters worst, the leader of APGA party, Chief Dim Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, a former general of the People's Army (defunct, that is), however, a reknown ardent lover of democracy who insists that the crisis-ridden party will hold primary to select a candidate and unify had recently fallen sick and may be recuperating somewhere in United States, according to information. In his absence, some party leadership fearful of Etiaba candidacy and the way his campaign is progressing may have taken advantage of the vacuum created by Chief Ojukwu’s illness and absence and concluded plans to reject loud-democratic-calls to conduct primary election; instead, may have decided to adopt the current Governor Peter Obi as the only candidate. Moreover, there is also information that Barrister Emeka Etiaba may be punished for boldly calling for party primary election, as well as for his campaign activities. Some in the party leadership are accusing him of taking democratization process too serious and hence embarrassing the party, according to information. Information also indicate that, rather than wait for his party to commit what many believe to be undemocratic blunder and challenge the decision in court and eventually overturn it, a very lengthy legal process in Nigeria; Emeka Etiaba, a high-profile attorney, well-known nationally and internationally, and well-versed in litigation of election cases in Nigeria is reportedly already making strategic moves and maneuvers to ensure that he still pursues his and his supporters’ objectives of contesting for the Anambra State governorship election come 2010 on the platform of another political party. Africans In America News Watch investigation reveals that internal leadership crisis in APGA and the possibility that its candidate may not be recognized by INEC, the Nigerian legally constituted electoral body may be another reason compelling serious candidates to consider seeking political offices on the platform of other political parties. Is APGA Anti-Etiaba? Has the APGA Party been Fair to Etiaba Political Family?
While seeking answer to this question our investigative reporters sought opinions of party leaders at the ward to national levels. The findings are astonishing. Barrister Emeka Etiaba, a staunch party member started his campaign in January 2009 when Governor Peter Obi reportedly announced that he does not intend to seek second term in office. Shortly afterwards Gov. appeared to have changed his mind and Chief Victor Umeh, the National Chairman of a faction of the party which Barrister Etiaba and Governor Obi belong in about April 2009 not only declared that there is no vacancy for the party governorship candidacy, but surprisingly instructed the party executives in Anambra State no to welcome Barrister Etiaba’s intent. That notwithstanding, Barrister Etiaba having faith in his APGA party continued to organize his campaign, touring all the 21 local government areas setting up his campaign offices and promoting his party and democratic process. The responses he receives from the masses are not only overwhelming, but clearly intimidating to his immediate party opponents and future opponents from other parties in the general elections scheduled for mid 2010. However, events unfolding from APGA hierarchy at the party headquarters makes the Etiaba campaign headquarters to believe that the party may have concluded plans to expel Barrister Emeka Etiaba and that decision may be announced within a short time. The questions on most people lips include;
The fear of many is that these unfortunate feats that befall Mr. Etiaba today could befall another person tomorrow. Litany of Blackmail and Witch-hunt against Etiaba Family
Nigerian media and internet forums at some times have been awash with what appear to be party and government orchestrated malicious campaign of blackmail and calumny against members of the Etiaba family. Some of the wicked and vicious attacks on the Etiaba most of which have been determined to be false include:
APGA’s Diminishing Democratic Profile and Possibility of Going Extinct
Progressives Grand Alliance party (APGA) has been dogged by internal crisis shortly after the inception of civil rule in Nigeria in 1999. The party has two factions; one led by the founder Chief Chekwas Okorie and another led by Chief Victor Umeh. The courts had at various times recognized both leaders as the legitimate head of the party, but Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) the only legally constituted body to conduct elections in Nigeria recognize Chief Chekwas Okorie as the legitimate head of the party even though the faction led by Chief Victor Umeh has more followership and is said to control the party machinery. Many had expected Governor Peter Obi who is the first and only APGA elected state governor to start in motion peace process to settle the party’s internal crisis, unify and move the party forward towards becoming a major force in Nigeria. But that hope appears to have been dashed. These actions and few other incidents are now raising a lot of question on the future of APGA as a viable political party in Nigeria. People are beginning to wonder even if Chief Victor Umeh and Governor Peter Obi want to undermine democracy, they could have still organized a makeshift primary to give appearance of democracy. Example; even under former President Obasanjo, the Peoples Democratic Party in 2003 organized and 2007 organized primaries which the world knew were shams. At least, they gave lip services to democracy. People are also beginning to question whether these incidents that befall Mr. Etiaba explain why the party had not won any election since Mr. Obi became governor. Under the watchful eye of Mr. Peter Obi as Governor of Anambra State, in 2007, House of Assembly election was held and APGA did not win a seat, not even House of Assembly seat at Agulu where Gov. Obi comes from was worn by APGA. After Governor Obi rightfully declared the election fraudulent, he did not meaningfully support a single candidate at the Election Petition Tribunal. Can the APGA party leaders claim they do not know these facts? If a national chairman of a party is not compelled to act based on these facts, what then had compelled him to do take these actions which is clearly anti-APGA and anti-democratic? These and other incidents are making many to wonder whether Governor Peter Obi and his factional National Chairman Chief Victor Umeh actually want All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to survive and remain a viable political party in Nigeria, or, whether they want the party to implode and explode, disintegrate and become extinct. Reactions from Igbo International Community (Igbo communities worldwide) Our attempts to get some of the key players in Nigeria to speak on record were unsuccessful; in Nigeria officials are generally unwilling to complain or speak on record; they prefer to offer information on condition that their identities must never be revealed. It is unknown whether involvement in corruption has anything to do with this practice. Our investigation, however, reveals that Igbo International Community, meaning people of Igbo descent in various parts of the world, including Igboland in Nigeria are disturbed and totally disenchanted by this development in their homeland; especially, in this time the democratic wind is blowing all over the world, and especially now that almost everyone wants to embrace participatory grassroots democracy as best form of socio-economic and political development. “Development of democracy attracts foreign investment and improve socio-economic developments as well”, argued a very large segment of Igbo international community. Even if Nigeria does not want to democratize, Igbo International Communities want Igboland comprising all the states in eastern Nigeria and satellite settlements to democratize and develop, according to our investigation. The role of legendary corruption in Africa and Nigeria, which US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton commented on recently, on this latest development in one of the leading political parties in Nigeria could not be determined at the time of publishing this report. |
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