This is happening for the first time in nearly two decades, that people contesting election on APGA’s platform have jettisoned Ojukwu’s picture as a credible campaign tool.
There are clear indications that the All Progressives Grand Alliance- APGA, might be bent on moving on without the memories of Ojukwu, the face of the party, and the singular reason APGA lays claim to being an “Igbo party”. Perhaps, APGA is ready and willing to test its relevance and strength in the field, without any benefit to its acclaimed identity wrapped around Ojukwu.
During his swearing-in ceremony that became dramatic, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo went through a long list of Southeast statesmen and former leaders, pouring encomium. But in all, not a mention of Ojukwu. Although, it is difficult to not arrive at the conclusion that it was a deliberate decision by the Governor, but one must admit that error is a fundamental part of life until a pattern is ascertained. Therefore, subsequently, have events in the past eight months of Governor Soludo’s administration pointed to a pattern or a one-off error? Well, what can be observed here is a pattern that leaves us only with the position that APGA and its current leadership are deliberately moving on without Ojukwu.
Over the years, the Ojukwu memorial lecture series at Anambra State University now Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu University, was always held around his birthday in November. This year, that lecture did not hold. This would be the first time in many years the lecture failed to hold. It is not clear why. But apparently, the organisers failed to secure the necessary political nods, usually secured in terms of funding. This can be interpreted to mean that the funds needed for the event were not made available by the school management and by extension, the state government.
Following the same recognized pattern, something rather strange is happening around Anambra State at the moment. Throughout the state, not a single billboard or poster of APGA candidates with the picture of Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. Instead, you would see pictures of the candidate and that of the governor, with the symbolic APGA cock. This is happening for the first time in nearly two decades, that people contesting election on APGA’s platform have jettisoned Ojukwu’s picture as a credible campaign tool. Only a few years back, nearly all political parties lay claim to Ojukwu’s pictures in their own right and used same on posters and billboards. Where APGA is going with this recent development is clear. It seems there is now a new consciousness that APGA can do without Ojukwu. May be, this is what is being put to test. What the outcome will be can only be revealed by time, when the first set of election results are out in about the next 75 days.
Every keen observer would recall that APGA uniform with Ojukwu’s picture is now in extinction, except for the old uniforms. No new APGA uniform has Ojukwu’s pictures.
However, it is not known if this is a political manuscript of the current government. The fact however remains that Ojukwu, Biafra, and corollary are part of the Igbo history and cannot be erased. Even to date, many Igbo people are still under the firm influence of Ojukwu and would therefore identify with his political brand, which APGA has epitomised all along. Notwithstanding, there are questions as to the Biafra war and they resonate to date. One such question is if the war was necessary in the first place. Ojukwu himself answered this question and once said during an interview that the war was not necessary. Perhaps, he moved on even before his death. Yet, Biafra and all it represents remain the most touchy event in Nigeria’s Southeast modern history. Till date, it is still the single most important event that is shaping the growing concerns of today, in the Southeast region.
There might be no doubt that APGA requires rebranding. After all, if Bola Tinubu could transform AD into a regional political party, from where he and his team launched a formidable alliance that gave them national political power under the APC; why can’t APGA do the same? Why did Peter Obi not do the same? Why did Obiano not do the same? Perhaps, Soludo wants something different. Only time will tell what lies ahead with this obvious distance willfully being created between APGA and Ojukwu.
