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Kalu, PDP And Crude Justice
Vanguard (Lagos)
OPINION
April 23, 2004
Abdullahi Danlada

.......All those sheltering under a weak tree in a hurricane will discover at the end that they will be consumed eventually by the fall of that tree.

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Returning to Oyaje’s story
By Dimgba Igwe [ dimgba@sunnewsonline.com ]
Wednesday, May 5, 2004



Opinion Index
It did not make the front page of the newspapers. It is no more news, so to say. For one, it is not about some anonymous PDP chieftains threatening Governor Orji Kalu, hoping against hope that that would force him to commit the ultimate political and moral suicide of apologising to Anthony Anenih as ordered by the party. It is not about politicians exchanging brick-bats—their usual stock-in-trade. It is not about the latest political mantra: The schemings for 2007. For Nigerian editors, these are surefire front-pagers. And certainly, it is not about the mass action which is now ultimately crushed under the jackboot and reduced to mass inaction. Poor Balarabe Musa and company! It is not about sharing money, the revolt of angry senators and then sharing of more money.
These are all front page makers. What is not worthy of front page mention is the fate of one Davies Oyaje, the mystery young man who shocked many of us when he confessed to a well attended press conference that he was lured to kill Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu by Chief Tony Anenih.
His ordeal in the hands of the police should be food for thought to those who think that Oyaje’s allegations were total fabrications or that the young man was simply insane. According to Keyamo’s recent statement to the press, Oyaje is now subjected to gruesome torture by the police, despite his recanting. He is now chained to a spot in horrifying solitary confinement.
"He passes urine and excrement on the same spot. He is fed once every two days with very small and non-nutritious meal. He told me that the police authorities told him that they were given orders by Chief Anenih not to allow him live to tell his story."
Did Anenih indeed give such an order? Is it in his capacity as the former boss of the present IGP or merely as "the leader" whose word is the law? Which story is Oyaje not supposed to be allowed to live to tell since he had recanted his allegations, according to the police? Is there a story behind the story still waiting to be told? It seems the whole truth has not been told about this matter, after all. And the problem with truth is that like smoke, it often refuses to be buried quietly. Keyamo’s statement is reviving the irksome Oyaje story which we thought is buried and forgotten.
Keyamo, being faithful to his client, had gone to Abuja to see Oyaje. But, according to him, police denied him access to either the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the case or the Inspector General of Police who took up the case in the first place when the Lagos State Police Command could have handled the matter.
Since April 4, a Sunday, when Oyaje’s story broke, it was doomed from the start. If you know anything about how the news business is being conducted in these days of anomie, then you would have known why Oyaje’s story was doomed from the start. It lacked the necessary political correctness required to draw attention. By manner of speaking, Oyaje committed a sacrilege, a political sacrilege. He was speaking evil of a demi-god, a man his overawed partymen reverently call "the leader".
So, from the word go, Oyaje and Keyamo faced an uphill task trying to draw media attention to their satanic story. True or false, the reality is that you don’t speak evil of "the leader".
First, there was a press conference by the irrepressible activist, Keyamo. There he presented the young man, Davies Oyaje, to the media with an affidavit containing his allegations. The media were fully represented—the print and electronic. Then, Oyaje told his spell-binding story and fielded questions freely.
To call it an earth-shaking allegation was an under-statement. When our daily editor, Femi Adesina, alerted me about the story, I felt it was serious enough to drive straight to the office and read it for myself. And I invited Mike Awoyinfa, too. Did we believe Oyaje’s story at that point? We felt that was not the point—it was not for us to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the story at that point. It was a press conference story backed with a sworn affidavit. Our duty is to report and for the public to decide what to believe. That we did, adding of course, the reaction of Anenih. The rest was left for the police to investigate.
The following day, much of the national media didn’t report a word of the Oyaje story. In other words, it didn’t happen at all! A few that tried to report it, reduced it to a one or two column affair and basically turned the story upside down. One newspaper, in fact, reported Anenih’s reaction first before the story itself!
We later heard what happened. The Anenih side was on the phone with many of the editors till late into the night making sure the Oyaje story was killed. And so many complied, as usual. I have been hearing about "Anenih editors" as a joke, but I now appreciate how it works. Speak no evil of "the leader"! Incidentally, it was the desperation to kill the story more than the story itself, that made me begin to think seriously about the substance of the story, after all.
The police soon joined in the drama. The police brass hurriedly processed Oyaje’s allegations in what looked like an instant coffee machine and successfully extracted a retraction from him. A hasty press conference that featured mainly government media, especially the electronic media, was convened to announce Oyaje’s retraction with glee and then later, faxed their statement to the general media. That was when the media moved in on the Oyaje story—to report the retraction and interview Keyamo to boot.
The police promised to charge him to court, but that was the last that was heard of him. Since then, his fate had remained in limbo. The media moved on to other things. Unfortunately, we are back to Oyaje’s story.
Can the police please speak up on this matter. Why is a simple matter of false information at worse, being treated as a case of high treason? Why has Oyaje not been charged to court since April 4 that he was taken into police custody? Why is he still being detained? Is Oyaje’s endless detention part of the young man’s democracy dividends? Is the police hiding something that they are afraid he may expose if he is free?
Once again, the police is forcing me to think again about Oyaje’s allegations and his alleged recanting? Is there something in Oyaje’s story after all that somebody is determined to silence? Of course, I would never have dared to indulge in such heretical imagination if the police had not constrained me to re-examine what they told the public about Oyaje.
So blame the police, not me!

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Anenih met Terry Waya, never threatened him –Gana
By JOE OBI, Abuja
Wednesday, May 5, 2004

National Index
Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs and former Information and National Orientation Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana Tuesday, agreed that although PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih did infact meet Chief Terry Waya, but he never threatened him.
Waya had in a detailed interview last Saturday told Daily Sun that Anenih pointed a finger at him and said "Is that the boy?" Waya said that by that statement, Anenih were planning some evil against him for his insistence that the former Minister should account for the over N300 billion allegedly voted for road rehabilitation which he said were apparently not executed.
"First. Chief Anenih is capable of doing anything. I believe and still believe that he threatened Dr Kalu. I, myself, Anenih accosted me at the Benin airport and threatened to deal with me. I flew into Benin in company of Chief Tom Ikimi," Waya told Daily Sun.

He added, "At the Airport were governors Donald Duke, Lucky Igbinedion, James Ibori, Peter Odili. We landed almost at the same time and then announcement was made for our taking off.
"Chief Anenih saw me. He moved close to me and pointed his finger at me and said: Is that the boy? I don't know whatever he meant by that. If he is man enough, let him come out and deny that he did not accost me at Benin airport."

But briefing journalists in Abuja Tuesday, Gana said Anenih meant no evil, when he remarked "Is that the boy?" after initial introductions.
"I think Chief Anenih is very, very unfortunate. The other day, another gentleman (Waya) met at the Benin Airport, Chief Anenih went with some governors for a funeral and they were now coming to the airport and then, Terry Waya landed together with one or two other friends and when they came down, that was the first time that Chief Anenih was meeting Terry Waya."

"When I was a minister in the Federal Executive Council, you remember there was this party in London (Owambe party) which many people spoke about it but he had never met him. So the governor of Edo State was saying ah, this is our friend, Terry Waya and Anenih said ah, is that the boy?
"But you see, Terry Waya now interpreted that to be a threat, but it wasn't a threat, how can that be a threat," Gana asked rhetorically.

Gana, who said it was quite unfortunate that such misinterpretation could occur, also spoke about the planned zonal tour by embers of the PDP Board of Trustees.

The political Adviser, who said he was speaking in his capacity as secretary of the BOT, disclosed that the zonal tour, billed to commence in the South-South on May 7, would end in the South West zone on June 19.
During the tour, Gana said members of the Board would hold interactive sessions with party and opinion leaders in the area.

"The purpose of the proposed tour is not only for the new chairman to meet governors and party leaders at zonal and state levels, but also to provide the opportunity for interactive sessions on party discipline and the need for PDP government and credible elections for the sustenance of democracy as well as electoral reforms would be discussed to perform for excellently as to make democracy attractive," Gana declared.
He said other central themes to be addressed during the tours include party solidarity, cohesion and reconciliation. Others are effective service delivery to the people and maintenance of peace and security in the country.
He further said issues bordering on the need to ensure free face and credible elections as the basis for the sustenance of democracy as well as electoral reforms would be discussed.

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Originally posted by Ogechi Odili:
Orji Kalu Apologizes to PDP over Anenih. Next, Kalu will apolgize to Anenih. Then, he will apologize to Obasanjo. Remember, he already apologized for the war. And, you say that fool is not brain-dead. LOL!

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Why I Apologised to Anenih, By Kalu
From Omon-Julius Onabu in Benin-City

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Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State yesterday explained that he accepted to apologize to the Acting Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, not necessarily out of a sense of guilt.

Kalu said he undertook the action of burying the hatchet as a gesture of his profound respect for the Benin monarch, Omo N'Oba Erediauwa, and the traditional institution in a bid to advance the cause of democracy in Nigeria.

The governor, who, Wednesday night, embraced Anenih at the palace of the Benin monarch in a rare emotional exhibition of reconciliation, paid a courtesy call on his Edo State counterpart, Chief Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion yesterday.

Kalu, who noted that Abia and Edo states "have a lot in common", said that he responded positively to the invitation of the Oba of Benin "in the interest of peace and good governance in the country, because I believe in the need for Nigerians to continue fighting for the country and for the people in the true spirit of democracy."

He said that he regarded the words of the Oba of Benin more or less as law he has to obey when Erediauwa asked him to apologize to Anenih.

Kalu, who joked that he might return in 2007 as a local government chairman or even a councilor, stated:

"I decided to embrace the channel of peace and reconciliation by accepting to apologize to Chief Anenih not because I felt I was wrong but because the Oba of Benin, whose invitation brought me to Benin, decreed so. And, indeed, I consider the words of the Benin monarch as decree or law, which I must accept and adhere to.

"So, when the Oba told me 'you are the younger one, go and apologize' I took it and said, 'Your Majesty!'

"It is a well known fact that this was a matter that lasted for months and our party, the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) tried very hard but could not resolve it; but the Oba settled the matter within a space of time of just about two hours. I hope and I'm believing God that it will be permanent."

He said that he would always be grateful to Igbinedion, as he highly appreciated the special role played by the Edo State governor in resolving the dispute that had hitherto defied all entreaties from a cross section of Nigerian leaders.

Responding, Igbinedion said he would always stand for peace because "peace might be expensive, but war is costly", and commended Kalu for his "sense of responsibility and maturity" in deciding to bury the hatchet and extend a hand of fellowship to Anenih.

Igbinedion said he thanked God as well as all the parties involved in the reconciliation process for the happy outcome of Wednesday evening meeting.

Kalu had, a couple of months ago accused Anenih of threatening to kill him, an allegation that was denied by the former works minister.

In an open letter to President Olusegun Obasanjo, published in virtually all the national newspapers, Kalu had alleged that his Deputy, Dr. Chima Nwafor, told him that during a discussion with Anenih, the PDP board chairman threatened to kill him(Kalu) because of his criticism of his tenure as Works minister.

Kalu, while maintaining that he resolved to raise alarm following the spate of politically motivated killings across the country, also made insinuations that the former South South leader of the PDP, Chief A.K. Dikibo may have been a victim of politically motivated assassination.

Though, Anenih initially maintained silence over the allegations, he later denied ever issuing such a threat against Kalu throughout his discussions with Nwafor at the airport. Anenih consequently instituted a libel suit against the governor.

The issue, however, assumed a dramatic twist when Nwafor agreed that he had discussions with Anenih at the airport but denied ever telling Kalu that Anenih said he was going to kill him.

In a bid to resolve the crisis, the PDP leadership waded into the matter and set-up a committee to investigate the allegation against its board chairman.

The committee, at the end of its work, absolved Anenih and recommended that Kalu should tender apology to the party and Anenih.

Kalu, however, agreed to apologise to the party but vowed not to apologise to Anenih.

Igbinedion also yesterday noted that democracy in Nigeria was still bedeviled by many teething problems and carpeted the Federal Government and public figures "who should know better" than frequently casting aspersions on the integrity of state governors over fiscal practices.

He vowed that "deductions from local government allocations will continue as long as they are statutory and legal deductions, like deductions towards pension and even stipends or allowances to traditional rulers."

"Close to N18 billion has been deducted by the Federal Government from allocations to Edo State since 1999" without any explanation or justification, Igbinedion said adding that the Federal Government was apparently more culpable in fiscal indiscipline than the states.

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Impeachment: Nwafor, Abia Deputy Gov, offers to step down

By Uche Nwosu

Special Correspondent, Umuahia



Embattled Deputy Governor of Abia State, Dr. Chima Nwafor, has indicated his readiness to vacate office “if there is a just cause for stepping aside.”

Nwafor’s offer followed the submissions made by 19 of his witnesses that the state would boil if he was impeached by the state House of Assembly.

Nwafor, who was reacting to question referring him to the alleged claim by his witnesses by the State House of Assembly lawyer, Mr. Don Owerregbulam, said for peace to reign he was “prepared to go only on a just cause.”

Testifying before the panel investigating the allegations of official misconduct against him on Thursday, the deputy governor said he loves Abia State and was prepared to make any sacrifice for peace to reign in the state.

Owerregbulam had told the seven-man panel that 19 of the defence witnesses had claimed that the state would boil if the number two citizen was removed from office by the House.

Said Owerregbulam in the cross-examination:

Owerregbulam: Do you love Abia State?

Nwafor: Yes, I do.

Owerregbulem: 19 of the witnesses that testified brought by your counsel affirmed that the state would boil if you were impeached. Will you then make the sacrifice to avoid this by vacating your political position?

Nwafor: I will only make sacrifice on just cause and only if necessary.

However, the House of Assembly lawyer has prayed the panel to summon the Director Protocol (DP) to identify two aides of the deputy governor that claimed that they were present during the solidarity visit made to the governor by the members of the House of Assembly.

According to him, the aides were not present at the visit.

Meanwhile, counsel to the Deputy Governor, Elder Chibuike Nwokenkwu, also urged the panel to reject the application because the House has closed its case since July 22.

Nwokenkwu contended that if the panel re-opens the case, it would make prejudice of the proceedings.

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Sowore Omoyele. Monday, March 7, 2005
SOMOYELE@aol.com. New York, USA

INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR KALU OF ABIA STATE
- MY POSITION AS THE INTERVIEWER

Since the beginning of last week, I have been inundated with varying requests regarding my interview with Gov. Kalu of Abia State which was conducted via telephone at his Maryland home on Thursday January 29th 2005 in the interview he had opened up to me about many issues regarding his relationship with President Obasanjo and the state of the Nigerian nation.

It has become very important here to reiterate that I indeed conducted a very frank interview with Gov. Orji Kalu on the said date and the outcome of the interview was that which was published on Nigeriaworld.com and also partially by the Guardian newspapers in Nigeria, amongst other publications around the globe that have requested permission from me to reproduce the interview. In the said interview, the Governor in his characteristic self did say a lot of things which in some cases were new about the way he felt about President Obasanjo and the way and manner he had carried out governance in Nigeria since coming to power in 1999.

Let me make it clear that in interviewing him I was not out to polish his image or leave any stone unturned so that the real truth can be told about the situation of things in Nigeria. In this regard, I asked him a lot of hard but fair questions about himself. I was also empathically clear to him that I was not doing the interview as a journalist only but mostly as an activist who believes firmly in the cause of justice for all Nigerians regardless of ethnicity, religion or class.

He thanked me after the interview and gave me all his telephone numbers ranging from his house in London and cell phone number in Nigeria in addition to his office and official residence in Umuahia, Abia State. Shortly after we concluded the interview, he called me back to ask more about my background, WHICH I REITERATED TO HIM AGAIN AND ASK HIM TO DO HIS RESEARCH ABOUT ME. HE SAID THAT HE WAS DOING IT BECAUSE; HE WOULD WANT US TO BE GOOD "FRIENDS" FROM NOW ON! And that he thinks I can be of help in his presidential bid.

To these overtures, I responded that my friendship with anyone is predicated upon my conviction that they will be doing the right things for our country Nigeria and that as for his presidential bid, I have no interest in working for anyone, infarct I made it clear that I am more in support of a revolution in Nigeria. He laughed it off and said Nigerians are cowardly people and therefore there can never be a revolution. Five minutes after hanging up with him, I received another call from a fellow named "Zobee" with a Maryland number, he said he wanted to be sure that I am a journalist and that he also wants to know which newspaper I worked for, I asked him how many journalist he knew and he just laughed and I reiterated to him that though I have taken to writing for the African magazine since year 2001, I will be publishing this interview by different means and most importantly through the independent media.
In the background, Gov. Kalu told him, that I already told him who I was and we ended the conversation like that.

After publishing the interview, now in more than seven countries around the world, I received a deluge of enquiries from readers who ultimately loved it. Also, I received e-mails from some others who raised new questions for the Governor, especially concerning the rigging of the elections for his brother in Abia state. As I contemplated a follow up with the Governor, I received the news of my father's death and had to return back to Nigeria suddenly for the burial. As I was returning back from Nigeria, I put a call to the Governor so as to follow up on some new questions raised by the interview. He picked up the phone, and at first he denied ever knowing who I was, I insisted that he knew me and then he said "hey you are the guy who said I called Obasanjo a killer, ol boy, you know say, as a Christian I will never call anyone a killer, now my parents are now worried about the interview and I just can't remember saying such things". I quickly reminded him about all the things he said and he said to me that he himself hadn't read the interview. I told him, that I had called him because of allegations of election rigging against him. He said, well I am in Ilorin at General Adisa's burial and I can't talk now. I asked him if he was denying the interview and he said, "no", but that he was worried about the way his family was taking it! He immediately proposed that I come to Umuahia the next day by air, I told him that I have no business visiting him, since I don't patronize public office holders. And that I think with due respect he's a wimp and a flip-flopper, who can't hold any strong positions for a long period of time and I wondered if that is just his natural style. He repeated to me that he has two parents who worry too much about his safety. Quoting him: " Ol' boy, you know this country now it is not easy to stand for the truth". He then started acting in a way that sounded desperate to me, he asked if he could have someone meet me in Lagos before I depart, I declined and said that I don't meet with proxies and in any case we don't have any reasons to meet. I knew the game too well and I left on that note. I was to read as I returned back to the US that he denied ever knowing me or doing any interview with me.

It is amazing that as he was denying the interview, the presidential spokesperson was also announcing to State House correspondents that the Governor has written an apology letter denouncing the interview. He was quoted as calling me all kinds of name and accusing me of all types of things, but I have no intention of joining issues with him. As an activist and recently veering into journalism, I was not surprised that Governor Kalu denied ever granting me an interview, in my introduction to the interview I had said that I wasn't trusting of public office holders in Nigeria. In my view, they have zero credibility and Governor Kalu is not any exception.

I have taken the pain to explain to the reading public my interaction with the governor, because the interview has become very popular both at home and abroad. It is interesting that rather than receive requests for a rejoinder I have been inundated with requests to reproduce the interview everywhere. The other dimension has been a developing pattern of threats, harassments and "warnings" by some characters from within and without the security agencies on my person since the Governor denied the interview. Expectedly these threats have come from a few groups and individuals who have taken it upon themselves to defend Governor Kalu by any means necessary. Some of them have shamelessly adduced ethnic coloration to the interview.

I would like to restate here without any fear or fervor that I am undeterred by such threats, this may sound like a cliché, but the reality of my life is that I do not worry about human security in my type of career. My first duty as an activist is to discharge my responsibility of speaking truth to power on behalf of our oppressed people fearlessly and courageously in a manner that is fair and just, I am wholly convinced that this interview fulfills that important condition.

I therefore stand by the content of the interview granted me by Governor Kalu 100%. I will continue to work assiduously to help liberate our motherland (Nigeria) from internal colonialists with the hope that someday Nigerians can have a fresh lease of life with or without me. I am convinced that the tenure of the conscienceless power in Nigeria will very soon draw to perfidious end!

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