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Kalu vs. Obasanjo, The David and The Goliath
By Laolu Akins, Washington, DC, December 29, 2005
OBJ One is a Battle tested General, a man of war. He won exploits in the battlefield of the Biafran war. He also had the enviable role of accepting the surrender of Biafra. From that point on, his military career took a swing to the dizzying heights of the Nigerian military.
Some say he is a man of his word, having held power as a military head of state, and also relinquishing that power to a civilian government in 1979. Some also say he is heavy handed, not hesitating to deal ruthlessly with enemies of every persuasion, both real and imaginary.
By 1999 OBJ was back in the saddle, fully entrenched by what was perceived to be the democratic mandate of the people, and the substantial financial help of a few good friends, one of whom was an ex-military president himself. OBJ's second coming was dramatic, having been yanked out of prison by the forces of democracy, humanity, and God himself.
As the years rolled by, OBJ became more and more heavy handed, beating down youths in Odi, Bayelsa State, prosecuting his self-professed war on corruption, and taking on his Vice President and other perceived enemies including OUK without mercy.
OBJ Yanked away businesses belonging to opponents, threw party chieftains out for questioning him, ruined political careers in the Senate and House of Representatives, and even allowed a PDP thug, and self-confessed election rigger, with more money than brains, to roughen up a state governor, destroying government properties in the process. The thug was rewarded with a position as a party Chieftain, along with a new Oil Block.
These were very low points for the polity. Nigerians were aghast. Some say OBJ's war against corruption is selective, considering that a bona fide convicted thief, Tafa Balogun, stole billions right under OBJ's very nose, for six years running. Balogun walked away with the entire police budget, like it was chicken change. How couldn't OBJ have known?
Now OBJ has put on his amour again, in preparation for 2007, ready to mow down opponents without mercy, in his bid to install a successor, or even himself, if his henchmen can have their way. The showdown will not be pretty, for God himself may intervene, as in the days of old.
Nigeria's next election may be beyond human comprehension, but will OBJ be the Goliath of our times?
OUK The other one is a wiry warrior, all of 45 years of age. He has seen psychological warfare since the age of 12, an age when most boys were still tied to the apron strings of their mother's wrappers.
Those who know OUK well, say he has been a survivor since he could walk. He was trading in Aba's famous Ariaria market before he even finished high school, while attending school at the same time.
OUK has done psychological battle with persons double his age, penetrating circles that ordinary youths only dream about. How else would you explain a University student hanging out with the Vice Chancellor, or hanging out with Army Generals old enough to be his father, all at the age of 21 years.
OUK was born to be a blazer, weaving in and out of danger before people could ask "what happened"? When he went into business, he went into it with a singular devotion. He made millions in petroleum while his peers partied; most of his friends were the scions of highly privileged types. OUK hung in there, eclipsing his peers with a 100 mile radius.
While some persons revered OUK as legendary, others vilified him. Some questioned the source of his wealth, but for those who bothered to check, it was no brain surgery, the petroleum business can make anyone super rich, as long as they got the right opportunities and connections. But the important thing is that OUK managed to exceed people's expectations, by eventually building an international conglomerate.
Still OUK trudged on. In the 1990's, politics beckoned, he sought a seat at the Federal House of Representatives. A gusty move for a man who has never held public office, and an uphill task because he was facing a member of the political elite. Kalu won. He was all of 30 years old.
In 1999 democracy came back. OUK again ran an uphill battle, against a political establishment on its guard. His detractors screamed, they said, "there goes that unqualified young man again, how is he going to do it? Does he have what it takes, indeed does he have the balls." Considering that Eastern Nigeria and Abia State was a bastion of powerful overeducated elites, this was M.I Okpara's domain. This would not be an akara eating contest. In the end OUK won, becoming an executive Governor at 38.
But OUK is not done yet. This time he is going for the big one, the place of the "rock" itself-"Aso Rock", where OBJ holds court, albeit with a heavy hand. The cynics are once again sneering. But consider this, which other Southerner has a passionate following in the North of Nigeria? OUK. Which other Southern can pull, and recently pulled the heaviest political weights in Northern and Southern Nigeria (Buhari, IBB, Ekwueme, Ojukwu, Ukiwe etc) to his doorstep? OUK.
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Who is really Orji Uzor Kalu? , how much is his strength and how far can he go with it??. The more anybody-I mean really anybody!, thinks that he knows him and his strength Worth, the less likely it appears.there is this saying “ the more you look, the less you see”, but OUK is absolutely the opposite – (The less you look the more you see, hears and feels and becomes!)! 2 years ago, French intelligence classified Orji Uzor Kalu as the most popular Politician in Nigeria!!. When the news broke out there was pandemonium in Aso-Rock- I mean how come OUK and not OBJ??!!. Obasanjo who spent 3 weeks of every month oversee, a president and an African peace maker (ouside his domain-nigeria), what of Artikur his vice? An oil billionaire?, what of IBB?, how come ordinary Kalu???? If that report came from French officials, one will dismiss it as coming from maybe Friends of OUK in Paris- but this is from second only to God French intelligent Report!! Seing him addressing and talking to generals Ojukwu, Buhari, IBB, OBJ etc like fellow collegue, it is hard to figure out that He Orji Kalu is not a General not to talk of the fact that he never tested military service!!.
What manner of a Man is OUK? Will he succeed against all odds to become ……..?
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Ohanaeze Ndigbo is making efforts to produce a consensus Igbo candidate for Biafranigerian presidency. What is Orji kalu's standing, if any, in the context of these efforts being made by Ohanaeze? Would Kalu become the worthy consensus candidate (LOL), or would he be affirmed as a loud barking lone ranger, devoid of genuine, hard-earned support base or recognition where it matters most, at home?
Friday, February 10, 2006 Ohanaeze rules out dialogue with North over presidency From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu
THE apex Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has foreclosed a dialogue with the North on the Presidency in 2007.
The organisation hinged its position on the grounds that the North had taken a "belligerent position" on the issue of the Presidency.
It claimed that it would be the turn of the South East to produce the nation's president in 2007.
The Secretary-General of the organisation, Col. Joe Achuzia (rtd), who spoke to The Guardian in Enugu on why the apex organisation had refused to dialogue with the North just as it had done with other zones in the country on the issue of presidency, added that the way northern leaders were going about the matter had defied any reasonable dialogue.
He said: "Over the issue of not dialoguing with the North on 2007 Presidency, the North started on a belligerent note. They have always said, 'the North must have the presidency or else...' Under that condition, how do you approach such a person? As far as we are concerned, we are inflexible over our pursuit come 2007 and we say it is our turn. Equity and justice demand it and when you find that you are in the right direction and your demand is just, there is no need going to beg, you go to beg when you know that justice is not on your side. But it is realisable and we are poised to achieve it".
The secretary-general, who assured that the Igbo would produce a consensus candidate for the position soon, also disclosed that the committees set up by the apex body on the issue would meet in Enugu next week to harmonise efforts so far made on the candidates who would fit into the position.
"Nothing, I repeat, nothing is going to stop our quest for Igbo presidency, not even the crisis we witnessed recently in the organisation. Those things were just public orchestration. The present crop of Ohanaeze is determined to give a sense of belonging and direction to Ndigbo. When we compare what we have achieved in the last two years, you can agree with me that it surpassed that of any other executive of the body put together. We have been able to bring the South South, South West and South East to see themselves as brothers and they have now realised that they have a common destiny. We have gone to the conference to get an additional state among numerous other things.
"Today, we say we want the Presidency and there is no other ethnic group that can lay claim to the position except the South East and that is where we stand," Achuzia said.
On why the Anambra State Chapter executive of Ohanaeze was suspended, he said that the action was taken following the inability of the executive to submit its constitution to the body's highest decision-making organ, 'ime-obi'. He stressed that among the seven Ohanaeze Igbo states, it was Anambra that refused to submit their constitution.
"It is a serious offence and it is only through their constitution that we can ascertain whether they are working in tandem with us or not. We have waited till now to no avail. It is our responsibility to discipline ourselves not outsiders. So we decided to put a caretaker committee to at least help us get a constitution and if in the end the ime-obi feel like returning them, we will return them. They are only on suspension", he added.
___________________ When I heard that those vandals, the nigerian troops, had advanced to Aba. That great Biafran city. It touched my heart; not to forget! Posts: 56 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Gov. Kalu Spits Fire Over 3rd Term: "There Will Be A Revolution If …" BY Sunny Ofili DATE : Sunday, 12 February 2006 Governor Orji Kalu is an enigma. He is many things to many people. He is young, resilient and rich. His rise to political prominence took many by surprise when in 1999 he beat all comers to become the governor of Abia at the age of 39. Now, he is up in arms again over the much talked about third term agenda. He vows complete resistance should president Obasanjo not back down. Hear him, “There will be a revolution.”
He also talked about his presidential ambition and declared, “Mark my word; I will be president of Nigerian in 2007.” Before he became governor in 1999, he had already an enviable business empire. His company, SLOK, has grown into a formidable conglomerate controlling equity holdings in diverse multinationals within and outside Nigeria. The company owns the fast-growing First International Bank (The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, South Africa, Liberia and Botswana), SLOK Airlines registered in 1994, and the SUN Publishing Limited, publishers of the Sun and Soccer Star Newspapers. It has also managed the fastest-growing shipping outfit in the past 10 years.
On the political front, he has engaged in titanic battles with the President of the country, Olusegun Obasanjo and Anthony Anenih – two politicians feared by many politicians for the godlike powers and ruthlessness with opposition. In both battles, he came out unscathed. TON's publisher and editor, Sunny Ofili, pinned Governor Kalu down last Wednesday in his much talked about residence in the exclusive Potomac part of Maryland.
TON: Let us go straight to the point, what is your reaction to the much talked about 3rd term agenda?
Kalu: Third term agenda is no agenda. People should stop promoting it because we are practicing constitutional democracy and if indeed we are practicing democracy, then the Mr. president’s term is up in 2007.He has to quit. This is all about generational change. He has contributed his quota so he has to quit and allow us the new generation to contribute our quota. In the next 10 years or 15 years down the line, I should be quitting also and allow other people to contribute too. Politics is about the people. There is a covenant between us and God and one between us the politicians and the people we rule. We had a covenant in 1999 and renewed it in 2003. We cannot ask God to continue to extend this covenant and moreover, when this type of thing we are talking about happens in Nigeria then African democracy is doomed.
TON: What do you say to your PDP governors who have given a tacit approval to the 3rd term agenda?
Kalu: PDP governors are not Nigerian people. The voting power to alter the constitution still lies in the hands of the Nigerian people and I believe in the powers of the people. PDP governors are only 28 people. Nigerian people can discipline us and Nigeria is a society where everyone must be respected. Nobody is going to talk us into a 3rd term – me and a few others. Nigerians will revolt. It is going to be bloody. It will not be what people are thinking right now, it will be severe. It is not going to be easy for both the PDP governors. They might lose their office too because it is not going to happen in Nigeria.
TON: Are you saying you are not with the other PDP governors in this?
Kalu: No, no, no. I am running for president my self.
TON: Do you not think it will be better to have a united front from the South instead of having multiple candidates that ends up diluting the political base?
Kalu: There is no other candidate from my zone. I am the only candidate right now. Nobody is coming out so this is good for me and good for the nation. It is good for Nigeria. But, mark my words, today is the 8th of February, I promise you I will be president of Nigeria in 2007 because the divine favor is with me and it is what Nigerian people want. We are tied of people who force themselves on us. I am tired and I am sure you are tired too. I am speaking on behalf of the majority of the Nigerian people who have no avenue or opportunity to talk to newspapers and journalists like you. That is it, we are tired!
TON: You are so confident of becoming the president in 2007, what is behind the optimism on your part?
Kalu: Maybe in the future you will see what informs my confidence. I am building allies all over the world and it is going to be a strong coalition. The world is tired of dictatorship in Africa and I am going to be the instrument that will be used to fight dictatorship in Africa.
TON: What experience do you have that makes you think you can be the president of Nigeria? To govern Nigeria, you have to have the ability to build bridges between the North and South.
Kalu: I am very popular in the North. I have had national experience. I was a member of the federal house of representative. I am a two-term governor. A successful business man, I don’t see that other credential that I need. I am very qualified. President Bush was a governor; Bill Clinton was governor of Arkansas while Ronald Reagan was governor of California. , I don’t know what else you are talking about. Abia state is like a mini Nigeria. We have all the elements of the larger Nigeria in Abia state.
TON: You and Vice President Atiku are very good friend. How do you reconcile your candidacy with his?
Kalu: Sure, he is my good friend. I have a lot of good friends including General Buhari and General Babangida. They are all my friends. The vice president is my friend and if they have ambitions they should pursuer their ambition because I am pursuing mine. This is politics and politics can never make me and my friends to quarrel. That is the most important thing here. Because I am civilized and I want them to have a civilized mind like me.
TON: Some have said that you are just making noise that you are indeed a placeholder for a northern candidate. What is your response?
Kalu: What do you mean?
TON: That you are a front for another candidate
Kalu: I don’t understand what you mean by a front. I am running for president and nothing can change that. I will be the president in 2007 you better believe now.
TON: Your optimism knows no bound
Kalu: I am running to win. It is the time of my generation. Amongst all these people you have mentioned, I am the most qualified because I have democratic credentials. I have been in the private sector before and I have all the qualities of power. If anything, I have better credentials than any other candidate out there. So, I don’t know what you are talking about.
TON: How would you rate your performance in Abia state?
Kalu: Very high. Very, very high. We are very close to our people in Abia state this is why it is difficult for all these things happening in the country to happen in Abia state. Like what happened in Oyo state. Once you are within the law no one can do anything to you. What happened to Ladoja is unconstitutional and can never happen in anywhere where there is democracy.
TON: What is the status of the closure of your airline, SLOK?
Kalu: They did not close it but the license was revoked. It is not just the airline, the other of my businesses that need authorization from the federal government were equally affected. So, it is the same thing. I am not complaining. Rome was not built in a day. I was not born with money and the day I am going I am not going to be buried with money.
TON: Do you think the withdrawal of license from your business was politically motivated?
Kalu: You know that yourself. Everyone knows it is politically motivated otherwise they will not be done.
TON: You have talked a lot about constitutional values, why have you not employed constitutional means to have your licenses back?
Kalu: Because I know that the people in the federal government of Nigeria today do not respect the constitution. So if they don’t respect the law what is the need of going to court to waste my time? I have challenged the federal government in the supreme court more than any other state in Nigeria. We have gotten several judgments against the federal government but nobody respect it so why waste my time. But a time shall come when the people will revolt.
TON: You have been accused by the Federal government of creating a parallel police force. What is your response?
Kalu: No, no, no. I have signed a law and the constitution allows me to do it. Go and open the constitution you will see that it allows us to have a vigilante group. That is what we have and it will stay. Nobody is going to change that. Crime is so much that we have no choice. I have never seen such high rate of crime before. This is why I need to create a vigilante group to defend the people. It is my duty to defend them.
TON: Is the vigilante group operational as we speak?
Kalu: No, not yet. They will be in operation very soon. I have not fully determined the role they will play but we are going to discuss with the police to find a role for them. They are not going to work alone. They will work with the Nigerian police.
TON: What is your reaction on the report of Sao Tome/Nigeria JDZ oil scandal?
Kalu: I have no reaction as long as they do what is right. As long as they follow the law and respect the constitution. I have no problem with people do legitimate business and making legitimate profit. I will only be against it if it is against the law. I don’t have idea what they did in Sao Tome, I live in Abia state and I don’t talk about what I do not know. All I know is that seventy percent of the federal government is corrupt so there is no need talking about it.
TON: Back to the issue of the vigilante, that seems to me a direct indictment of the Nigerian Police?
Kalu: This is why I want to be president. I plan to restructure every part aspect of the economy. Everything in Nigeria needs change. From Nipost, Nitel, Police, schools, roads and every single thing in Nigeria needs change. I am the man that has the courage to bring change.
TON: You realize it is always easier said than done?
Kalu: Hold me by my words. Every part of Nigeria will get uninterrupted light twenty four months after I as elected president. You can quote me on that because it will come to pass.
TON: How come you have not been able to do same in Abia state?
Kalu: Because they are laws that give the Federal government a monopoly over these areas and they is nothing the states can do about it. Some people will say why not IPP? But, that is for people who are not businessmen. IPP, IPP, what is IPP? If you do IPP how are you going to transmit it? How do you sell it to the people? Do you have IPPs in America? The people need electricity that is all that matters. What you need are private companies that will generate and distribute power and make profit.
TON: I am aware that you held meeting with high profile US government officials. What were you discussing?
Kalu: Our meeting has nothing to do with my candidacy. I am always discussing with them whenever I am around.
TON: What specifically brought you to the US this time around?
Kalu: I cannot tell you what I discussed with them. They are government officials so disclosing what we discussed might not be fair to them or to me.
TON: A recent news report speculated that you are one of the candidates the US government has screened for backing for the next election in Nigeria. Is this true?
Kalu: I don’t have an idea what you are talking about. I read it just as you read it on the pages of the newspapers. All I know is that I am working hard to be president and I will be president. I do not need the endorsement of the US government. I need the endorsement of the Nigerian people. What I need is the friendship of the United States government.
TON: So, which US government official did you meet with since you arrived?
Kalu: I have met with almost people from all branches of the US government. From the White House, the Senate to the US State department. I am building bridges and making friends.
TON: What do you have to say about the US Intelligence report on Nigeria as relates to the third term issue and Nigeria’s stability?
Kalu: Mr. Negroponte is an intelligent man. He is a prophet of goodwill and we should listen to him. Whether I know or not, he is a prophet of goodwill. He is well-respected in government circus, ambassador per excellence; he knows what he is talking about. He is a messenger of peace.
TON: Are you saying you agree with Negroponte’s report on Nigeria?
Kalu: You do not need Negroponte to tell you that. I have just told you that there will be a revolution if Obasanjo opens his mouth and say that he is going for a 3rd term. People are still keeping quiet because they assume that by 2007 he will leave. That is why people are still keeping quiet. Nigeria will become ungovernable any day he opens his mouth and say I will like to stay beyond 2007.
TON: Is this not all noise? Nigerians will always make noise and chikenout when the time for action comes.
Kalu: That is not true. Nigerians are more sophisticated than before. I want to assure you. We will not allow anybody to do anything that is unconstitutional. If you violate the constitution, we will help you to violate it more. We will not allow you to do it. We will even violate it more. We will cause unimaginable problems. We want to respect the rule of law and be law-abiding. We will cause problem all over Nigeria and make it ungovernable for him.
TON: What if the 3rd term is done by amending the constitution?
Kalu: If the constitution is amended, none of the current serving government officials should benefit from it. You cannot change the goal post when the match is on. If the constitution is amended, let new people come in and enjoin it. Good luck to them. By 2007, it must be bye bye to us. That is what democracy is all about. Those who amend the constitution should not benefit from it.
TON: Have you told the President about your concern on the 3rd term issue?
Kalu: I sit with him all the time and my advice to him is that he should be a Statesman. I have no personal problem with President Obasanjo. We only disagree on issues. I have great respect for his office.
TON: As a friend of the President, have you personally told him your mind?
Kalu: He has not told me that he is running but the thing that is happening and the people you see around him shows that he want to. Let him come out and say he is running or tell us if he is running. He will either earn or lose respect from the Nigerian people. It is either he earns more respect from the Nigerian people or lose more respect. Like president Thabo Mbeki of South Africa has done. He has said do not amend the constitution because I am not running. He is a great man. He is a source of hope for African, a good direction for Africa. No matter how good you are and the job your doing there must be another person who can do you job and even better. This is all about greed. You must hand over to another person and take a rest. I blame my generation who do not know their right. The people 50 years and under make up the larger part of Nigeria’s population. They should come together and say this will not happen and it will not happen. We must move forward and grab power from the old generation. It is for the common good of our people not for me.
TON: You have talked about changes that are mostly cosmetic. What is your position on the Sovereign national conference and the issue of Niger Delta?
Kalu: What Nigerians need is a president that loves Nigeria. Nigerian needs a president that doe not have Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba. Nigerian needs good governance. No face of Itshekiri or Ijaw, Efik or any ethnic coloration. Once we have a good leader all these problems will go away. Nigeria is the richest country in the world outside of the United States. We are supposed to be right there behind the United states not even Japan. People are talking about petrol, petrol; this economy can over $200 billion dollars without petrol. It is just because we have not been able to manage what we have and our leaders have not shown sincerity of purpose.
I am going make Nigerians to have honor. In all ports of entry in the world, Nigerian passports will be respected. Nigeria will be respected among the committee of nations. We are not respected now. Currently, holding Nigerian passport is like being a criminal. I am going to restore hope and faith both in our people in the external world.
TON: What is your relationship now with Anthony Anenih after the initial riff?
Kalu: I have no problem with him. I never had any problem with Anenih. Nobody is God to each other.
TON: How will you solve the Niger Delta problem if you become president?
Kalu: Justice and fairness is the key. With justice and fairness, Niger Delta problem will be resolved. I have to go catch my flight now. I promise you a detailed interview the next time we meet. Last Updated ( Sunday, 12 February 2006 )
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