Pages

Monday, January 18, 2016

A FOOLISH ATTEMPT BY A GOAT TO BARK AND BITE





By Chief Victor Umeh

 Watching Valentine Obienyem, the psychologically harassed, thoroughly depressed, visibly restless and ever-sweating hanger-on of Mr. Peter Obi combine the roles of an ADC, Orderly, Messenger, Washerman, Houseboy, Shoeshiner and other sundry and doggy odd jobs; one is often choked with pity which gives way to sadness and repugnance, even to the point of throwing up. That is why it is with great reluctance that one is joining issues with him.

 In other words, Val does not need to be dignified with a response whenever he raves like a lunatic in Nigerian Newspapers. He knows where he rightly belongs: the back side of mansions where eavesdropping and hearsay are the favorite pastimes. He is not privy to execute discussions and decisions. There is no way he can be in a meeting with me, the Ohamadike 1 of Igboland, Chief Willie Obiano and Mr. Peter Obi. He may be permitted to serve drinks and thereafter fly out of the window. Why Mr. Peter Obi has not called him to order is very baffling. He has badly damaged whatever is left of Obi’s reputation and goodwill. He has alienated Obi’s friend from him. When the going was good, I severally advised Obi to fire him, but Obi would not listen.

 In his latest outing (Daily Sun, 24th November 2014) Valentine had the effrontery, the shameless boldness to stand up to me, the revered Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). The Ogbunigwe of Nigeria. I must state immediately that I am a Chief and that I am eminently capable and dangerously equipped to defend myself, physically, metaphysically, spiritually, whatever. However, I will not allow myself to do that. Ohamadike is too elevated, too sophisticated, too polished, too dignified to descend to the level of a certain errand boy and begin to exchange words with him. Ohamadike will not indulge Val in such luxury. Val is just like an overfed bird, who after a hefty meal decided to challenge his god to a wrestling contest.

 In the said interview, Obienyem was asked what informed his boss, Mr. Peter Obi leaving APGA, hear the saucy and cheeky man, among others he said: “Look at what is happening in APGA today, one man Chief Victor Umeh is the beginning and end of the party. The decision of my boss to leave the party was a great one. We note with happiness that he fulfilled his promise to Ojukwu and handed over to an APGA government. Besides the fact that he has also widened his horizon and placed him in a vantage platform where he would serve the people of Anambra State, Ndigbo and Nigeria from the centre as he has been doing and dreaming on expanding”. Rubbish. To start with, I, Chief Victor Umeh is neither the beginning nor the end of APGA. APGA is one of the most disciplined, organized and well-structured parties in Nigeria with my exalted self as the National Chairman. I have no dual roles or responsibilities. My only crime is that I am very energetic, charismatic, effulgent, accessible, courageous, and intelligent and up to par. I leave to the billings of that office. I have never prevented anyone from performing his duties in the party and no officer of the party has ever complained that Chief Victor Umeh obstructed him from performing his or her legitimate duties.

 On whether Peter Obi fulfilled his promise to Ojukwu or not. This is not the forum for that, the day Peter Obi will be taken up, this matter will be dissected, and Peter Obi’s hypocrisy will be exposed. But suffice it to say that even the wife of the late Ezeigbo confirmed it in one of her recent interviews that Peter Obi vowed to Ezeigbo that nothing would ever make him leave APGA. That Peter Obi told her (Bianca) that over his dead body would he leave APGA. So, what is small boy Valentine talking about? And the point that Peter Obi joined P.D.P to serve Anambra and Nigeria is complete balderdash and nonsensical nonsense. Truth is that he was deceived. He was made to believe that as soon as he decamps, he would be made a Minister in view of the fact that some Ministers would resign to pursue their political aspirations. Apart from that, he imagined that the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan so much loves him and could possibly position him to be his successor. It was a matter of self-interest and parochial reasoning. Now anyone can take a bet. Peter Obi will neither be appointed a Minister nor made to succeed Jonathan. At best, he could be South-East Co-ordinator of TAN working under the big-for-nothing Dr. Ifeanyi Uba. He is now politically stranded because he never expected this backlash. Within the P.D.P. circle, he is not trusted; the general feeling is that if he could do this to a party that labored for him for over 10 years, what else can’t he do.

 For us to have a better picture of the man Valentine Obienyem is hopping and panting after, let us take a recent view from a man who has known him for over 30 years, a Legal Luminary and Traditional Prime-Minister of Nnewi in the person of Barr. Ofili Nwosu, hear him: “Let nobody be deceived his (Peter Obi) defection to P.D.P is a non-issue. He is trying to protect something. He is giving the impression that P.D.P stakeholders came to beg him. If Peter Obi is what he paints himself to be…. on the day of that declaration, half of APGA faithful would have flooded that place. Look at Governor Miniko’s experience. By Peter’s action, he has called Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Ikemba Nnewi, Dike Di Oramma Ndigbo, Amuma n’ Egbeigwe Biafra, Odenigbo Ngwo, Ezeigbogburugburu, the General of the People’s Army a fool. Evil that men do live after them”. He wrote this in article titled: Peter Obi, A Soul In Bondage. (Vintage Saturday, November 22, 2014).

 Back to that impetuous young man called Valentine, let us take a look at another of his hogwash reasoning, hear him: “If he cared for APGA’s growth, how would he remain the Chairman of the party and yet be vying for Senatorial seat?. If this is not the highest exemplification of greed and selfishness, I wonder what is”? How can the small Valentine be talking to me like that? Can puny Val now sit down to be tutored? In the first place, there is nowhere in the Electoral Law where it is forbidden that by holding a party office, you cannot contest election. The position I am holding is not a Government appointive position which requires me to resign before contesting. Even Governors, Senators and others who are on elective positions do not resign before they contest. Rt. Hon. Edwin Umeezeoke was the Chairman of ANPP while at the same time the Vice-Presidential candidate of the same party. Pastor Chris Okotie is the Chairman of the Fresh Democratic Party as well as the Presidential candidate. In 2007, Chief Felix Modebelu from Nnewi was the National Chairman of Liberal Party of Nigeria as well as the Anambra State Gubernatorial candidate, one could go on and on citing instances. So it has not offended any part of the Electoral Law if Chief Victor Umeh decides to serve out his tenure.
 In any case, since when has Val become an Electoral Umpire who decides who and on what ground one should contest election. Since when did goats begin to bark and bite? What gave Obienyem the audacity and temerity to face Ohamadike, Udu, Ekwekekwe, Oku, which I am based on titles given to me by communities, including his own community of Agulu?

 Val Obienyem is not somebody I should be crossing words with. I am one of Val’s Benefactors, When he presented his book on Ojukwu to the public in 2006, I gave him N100, 000. Is this how to re-pay me? Now that he is satiated, his first instinct is to chop off the fingers that fed him. He should know that he cannot do that with me as my fingers are iron.
 Lastly, let us understand that goats neither bark nor bite, it is not in their nature. They can only bleat. Dogs bark and sometimes bite. When important personalities like myself and others are discussing germane national and international issues, a certain Val Obienyem should steer clear; he should not foul the atmosphere with his odorous fart in the hope of attracting attention. And this is a warning to Val, any pim from him again, I will expose him. If he thinks his bic is hot, mine is hotter.

 Chief Victor Umeh, National Chairman, APGA, Ohamadike

No comments: