South-East
42
BEATS
NEW TELEGRAPH ON SUNDAY
JULY 6, 2014
Anambra: Obi’s ministerial nomination tears PDP apart
Uwakwe Abugu Awka
T
he controversy over the nomination of immediate governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, for a ministerial appointment continued to rage last week as supporters and opponents of the move tackled one another in a war of words. Some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state are said to have been opposed to the move by the presidency to appoint Obi to replace sacked Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, a reason the move has not been actualised, contrary to two separate hints by Jonathan that the former governor would become a member of the Federal Executive Council. Whereas some stakeholders who reacted to the controversy called for the dissolution of Mr. Ken Emeakayi-led state executive committee of PDP in Anambra state for recommending Obi who is a foremost leader of All Progressives Grand Alliance, the state PDP chairman rose to the defence of his executive and said there was no controversy at all. “There is no controversy brewing anywhere except in the imagination of Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe and his co-travellers, who think the only way to be appointed as minister is by sponsoring frivolous petitions with fictitious names claiming to be PDP chieftains from Anambra state,” Emeakayi said in a text message to New Telegraph on Sunday. However, some stakeholders told our correspondent in separate interviews that they were the dissolution of Emeakayi’s executive for ‘anti-party activities’.
Obi
They are a former deputy speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly and former Commissioner for Lands in the state, Hon. Kenneth Enenmuo; and a chairmanship aspirant in Awka North council area during the last local council election in the state, Chief Jude Nwokolo. Enenmuo, who claimed to be the current PDP state deputy chairman by virtue of a court judgment, and Nwokolo blamed President Goodluck Jonathan for contributing
to the woes of the party in the state, as the former deputy speaker pointedly said, “Mr. President has not been fair to the PDP in Anambra state and he should be told this.” But Emeakayi who responded to the attacks traced the process that led to his emergence as the chairman of PDP in the state, saying that in all the circumstances, including affidavits deposed to by Enenmuo himself, the former deputy speaker was not a member of the State Executive Committee
Nnobi awakes in faraway America
V
irtually every town in Anambra State, both the big and small, holds a national convention in America at least once every two years, except for Nnobi. It ended penultimate weekend when indigenes of Nnobi gathered at Sheraton Gateway Airport Hotel in Atlanta, United States for what was essentially their first national convention in the U.S. With a theme built around reawakening Nnobi, home of Idemili shrine, sons and daughters of Nnobi from all parts of America, trooped in to lay the foundation of Nnobi Union North America (NUNA). Nnobi is a historical town in Idemili South, Anambra State. The occasion was graced by His Royal Highness Igwe Nick Obi, the Omenyili Nnobi. Also present were renowned plastic surgeon, Prof. Ferdinand Ofodile. At the session, Ofodile presented a grass roots based road map to provide healthcare to Nnobi people at home. His plan aims at reducing unnecessary deaths. The plan, which NUNA hopes to pursue, involves the deployment of healthcare workers to provide basic preventative health screening for Nnobi people. For those suffering from chronic illnesses like diabetics, high blood
pressure, arthritics and others, the healthcare workers will provide assistance with the maintenance of these illnesses. Nnobi doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals abroad will implement trainings for home health workers in First Aid, CPR and other life saving techniques. NUNA endorsed the proposal and will mobilise to bring it into fruition. A former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Prof. Chuka O. G. Obah, also presented a paper on 'Harnessing the Past to build the Future'. In the paper, he demonstrated the importance of preserving the history of Nnobi. He outlined the path to the establishment of Nnobi Archives. The project will document the oral history of Nnobi for generations unborn. It will also collect and preserve important historical artifacts that gave Nnobi its prominent role in all of Idemili. Obah also proposed the building of a permanent location for the achieves within the palace of Igwe Nnobi. NUNA plans to gather resources needed to begin the work of documenting Nnobi history. Last year, Nnobi people in Atlanta partnered ASA-USA to sponsor a successful medical mission to Nnobi. The convention
agreed to undertake more of such missions. They also agreed to work towards securing the resources to embark on medical missions independent of ASA-USA. At Saturday's Gala Night, bestselling gospel singer, Gozie Okeke, who is also from Nnobi, performed for Nnobi people and their guests from Atlanta area and beyond. He used a mixture of gospel songs and highlife music to tell the Nnobi story and to expand on the universally accepted belief that Nnobi is a holy land. The Igwe Nnobi expanded on the same theme of Nnobi as a holy land in his keynote address to the participants. The king used the same forum to lay to rest any lingering questions about who really is the fully certified Igwe Nnobi when he presented copies of his government certifications as well as court judgments in his favour. The gathering also approved a constitution for the union. The constitution is structured to withstand the flaws that typically cause conflicts in Nigerian organization in the Diaspora. It empowers the membership and limits the power of the executives to take unilateral actions without the approval of the membership. It also estab-
not to talk of being his deputy. According to him, Hon. Emma Mbamalu is the current deputy chairman of PDP in Anambra State. Emeakayi defended the nomination of the former governor, saying it was taken “after wide consultations with stakeholders within the party.” But the party boss stated, “I can tell you categorically that Anambra SWC of PDP under my chairmanship after extensive consultations with relevant organs of the party and in the exercise of its constitutional duties recommended to Mr. President and leader of the party, our nomination of Mr. Peter Obi for appointment as minister. “So, the decision to nominate Obi was that of the State Working Committee of the party as constituted and the decision is contained in the minutes of the SWC and the minutes were signed by authorised signatories and the letter conveying this decision was signed by chairman and secretary respectively,” he clarified, saying the allegation that he took the decision alone was untrue. He also would not countenance the query as to why he did not nominate a PDP chieftain, maintaining that even Oduah was not recommended by PDP. He asked the aggrieved PDP faithful whether the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, believed to serving an Ndigbo slot in the FEC was recommended by the PDP of her Delta State home base. Moreover, he posited that his SWC had the discretion to recommend anybody from Anambra State for that position and that the constitution of the country did not state that it must be a PDP or APGA member or leader that would be given that recommendation. lishes a board of trustees made of seasoned Nnobi professionals with leadership skills to play advisory role to the young organisation. During the event, the following individuals were elected as interim executives of the union for two years: President: Charles Ezeoranu of California; Vice-President: Mbanefo Eruchalu of Florida; Secretary: Rev. Okechukwu Okagbue of Michigan; Assistant Secretary: Mrs. Ifeoma Udogwu of New York; Financial Secretary: Bob Eruchalu of Georgia; Treasurer: Sylvester Egbochue of Georgia; PRO: Peter Ezekwenna of Maryland; Provost: Emma Ezeenyi of Florida; while Prof. Ferdinand Ofodile, Prof. Chuka O.G. Obah and Clement Emeka Okpala were named members of the Board of Trustees. Several Nnobi people in North America used the convention as a family vacation. They brought their whole family to Atlanta and gave the children an opportunity to meet the custodian of the customs and traditions of Nnobi in the person of Igwe Nnobi and his cabinet members present. The audience agreed that the choice of venue for the next convention would soon be determined. But among Nnobi people in North America, there is the satisfaction that the jinx holding them from joining other towns in holding their convention has been broken.