I think things that are done properly should at any time be commended. And one of such commendable things now is the waiver the PDP national
leadership announced in favour of former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu. First, while Kalu is quite deserving of the waiver, it is also a positive move by the party when
the elections are coming closer and at a time the opposition is doing all it can to snatch any state or constituency it can from the ruling party. I must remind every member of the party in Abia that anyone that loves the party should be part of the duty to work for its progress to retain its leadership in the state.
No gainsaying the fact that the reason the fortune of the party is in serious decline in the state is because the bullies that have seized power like a personal franchise in the state felt threatened by
the presence of those that would correct them, even as they don’t feel a pinch of their conscience to chop off the hands that fed them. Because of personal political gains and the penchant for
stomach-infrastructure politics in Abia, some elders who ordinarily were revered until their shameful outing, ganged up and stormed Abuja to ask the leadership of our party not to re-admit Dr. Kalu. I have never witnessed a worse political drama and ill adventure. But Abia, through the machination of Chief Theodore Orji, the state governor, went that low and banal.
The opposition is coming harder everyday, and whoever has an ear should hear that clearly. The opposition is out to grab states where the ruling party has not
justified the mandate it has. Who doesn’t know that Abia has the worst record in governance? And who doesn’t know that with the unpopularity of the man in power in Abia today, doomed is a candidate he endorses for succession? Governor Orji is an unpopular public office holder and if anyone is in doubt, let him or her go to Aba and see for himself or herself. Like a certain politician
once said, Abia and Aba really stink and the stench reaches the heavens. With such ignominy, the balm that would paper over the mess in the state and the fate of our party is the entry into the centre stage of people of credible standing and popularity. Dr. Kalu, close to eight years after leaving office, fits into that mould. His popularity has not waned,
his following and endearment to the masses still remain. And whoever is in doubt of this should visit his home in his town or in Abuja, Lagos or anywhere he is found. The crowd he still commands around him still outweighs that of the serving governor. That is the test of what the future holds for the party with Kalu back. Moreover, apart from Kalu’s clout the minnows are uncomfortable about, every party lobbies for members to join. So, in an era when parties throw their hands open to welcome even members joining for the first time, at a time
they canvass for followership, who is the person that wishes PDP well that would rather prefer that members are chased away? And in Kalu, it is not just membership, but quality one.
It might not make much sense to be antagonistic to Kalu or feel threatened about his presence
because his large image did not come from nothing. It is a product of his records in and out of office. If Kalu by dint of dedicated leadership and the ability to create relationships built himself into a high tower and worthy example, what anyone that doesn’t want him should do is simple – lead like Kalu led; aggregate and groom people like he does; open channels
of growth and development for the lower class like he did and still does. That is what endears him constantly to the people and that is why his following remains intact as if he were in power. Of course, Kalu remains in the saddle of the power of goodwill and the empire of humanity he built over the years which those that refuse to benefit the masses are sorely afraid of. Therefore, his return to the party, and the lofty decision of the party leadership to grant him waiver to return to the party and contest an elective position is a good step in the right direction.
It is a sign that the party knows how to turn the fortunes of the party around in the state instead of keeping quiet to lose it to the opposition.All real party members from the state also welcome and accept the decision to allow him to be screened in Abuja, consistent with party legal provisions.
And, that position is a clear indictment of the leadership of the party in Abia as a body that has killed openness.
We ask Dr. Kalu to ride on with the decision, justify it by re-inventing the lost virtues of the party that poor leadership has robbed it of in the past years. We look forward to a return of this great party member and leader of the masses to ensure that PDP doesn’t lose Abia. It is, indeed, a smart and timely move.
If a state likely Abia with the capacity for greatness and adequate development is not to remain crawling and tottering in decay, then something radical needs to be done, as long as it is legal, to put the state on its feet.
Abia has seen, tasted and acclimatized in misrule that makes me continually wonder if there would be liberation. Yes, there would be, but not by the same crop of traditional ‘misrulers’ that caused the crises. There is every need for fresh blood in the system because the same people that created the rot can never cleanse it because they lack the capacity.
By Kalu’s return, people of like mind would be attracted back. His return would mean the revival of the fortunes of the party in Abia, and probably that would trigger off an action that would cause many others that are disenchanted with the party’s fate in the state to also return. It is the most assured way to save Abia from bad leadership.
Whatever can be done must be done to save the party from any development that would lead to Theodore Orji handpicking successors because that would make the party losing Abia or entrench
further evil leadership in the state. Beyond party affiliation, the basic is that Abia should be ruled better, and the present crop of people dominating the party in Abia is far from having the capacity to do that.There should be an internal mechanism of change activated in Abia PDP. Kalu coming back will assure the people of that because the turf will now be open for a true democratic contest. So, let’s celebrate this wise move by the PDP national leadership and wish it blossoms and pays the state the right dividends.
.Igbokwe writes from Abuja
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