Vanguard (Lagos)
Chioma Gabriel
6 November 2009
interview
Chief Agunwa Anaekwe was the Third Republic Speaker of House of Representatives and at present, the chairman of the Campaign Organisation of Professor Chukwuma Soludo. He speaks on the forth-coming Anambra election in this encounter.
What would you make of Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu's statement on Anambra election?
Well, Anambra is not different from any other state in Nigeria. We have our own share of problems just as we have our own share of goodness. So, whatever is happening in Anambra State is a product of our way of life. We are very independent minded, we don't want anyone forcing any decision on us. We are very republican and that is why you see all these things. Everybody says his mind but at the end of the day, everything settles and we move ahead.
So, what will you tell all the candidates for election and the people some of whom out of fear are leaving the state for other places?
Really, I would advise our people to calm down and remain law-abiding as they go about their normal businesses. The truth of the matter is that these things we are seeing are bound to happen anytime we are talking about politics.
Politics is a game of competition and rivalry and so a lot of people will take a position that will be in conflict with others and that could heat up the polity but at the end of the day, things will definitely stabilise. Nobody is leaving Anambra State for any other place.
Anambra is politicised just like any other part of the country. You have kidnap pings in Anambra just like you have in other areas. You have armed robbery in the state just like they have in other areas. Our politics is not different from what is happening in other places.
So, it is nothing to be worried about. That is dynamic.
But when unguarded and scary statements are made as the one made by Dim Emeka Ojukwu, the people could 'catch cold'?
Well, Ikemba Nnewi is a great Nigerian and one of our leaders. What you are saying was reported in the papers but I won't want to comment on that based on newspaper reports. I don't know the context under which he said what he said and whether he even said it.
So, let me not say anything on that. What I know however, is that whatever we have to do in Anambra State, we need to do it according to the laws of the land. If we do that, there would be no problems. But if things are done the other way round, there are ways of addressing such injustice and its not something we should lose sleep over. It's normal for people to be worried about the Andy Uba case but whatever came out of it could still be addressed in the Supreme Court.
Don't you think the so many court cases could hamper the election of next year?
I believe election will take place next year and whoever the people of the state want would be elected. I believe the Court of Appeal is responsible and would do the right thing in whatever appeal tabled before it. And when that is done, if any other person wants to respond via a fresh legal process, that person can until the right thing is established. So, I don't think Anambra people should worry so much about these things.
The way things are, kidnapping and political hooliganism used to be different issues but now in the state, it appears they are mixing politics with kidnapping as in the case of Soludo's father.
No. You can't say the kidnap of Pa Soludo is politics.What reason do you have for that? One should not speculate on such serious matters. Many people have been kidnapped in the state and not all of them were gubernatorial candidates of political parties.
So, lets not speculate. I believe its just some hoodlums at work and with time, that would be resolved and our father would come back home, hale and hearty.
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Pa Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in my opinion is the only uncompromised Igbo leader today.May God continue to keep him until we ndigbo breakout from the big net holding us down.
Mazi Uzo Obi
You cannot separate politics in Nigeria from certain malpractices, especially now kidnapping is the norm of the day.One should expect some inglorious political actors to undo their rivalry with the bitter juice of kidnapping to create fear, distract and probably send a threat of some sort to opponent by harvesting close relatives in their hack net.
Those who do not understand the timing of things will always clog the wheel of progress. Why have kidnapping stop elsewhere and yet, the inglorious few still find solace in this barbaric business.
chief Agnnwa is true igbo man but he must leave PDP party this party hate igboland and nigeria as well.they will destroy Anambra state if they have the chance .uba's family and PDP gangstars are destructive ,but thank for great father like CHIEF CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU OJUKWU.the father that saw truth and say it out ,no matter how he says it.our people says truth is bitter.