Thursday, 20 June 2013
Wednesday, 19 June 2013
Anambra Liberation Grand Alliance Launched
Anambra Liberation Grand Alliance for Tony Nwoye,
a fellowship of Progressives desiring Positive changes in Anambra state has been launched recently. The group made up of concerned citizens of Anambra state cutting across different professional groups,Youths,Market women, Businessmen, captains of industry, civil servants and students amongst others joined other movements mobilizing support for the emergency of Hon Tony Nwoye as the next Governor of Anambra state. It should be noted that groups like Anambra Coalition of Professionals, Anambra Youths Amalgamated, The Anambra Initiative, Anambra Residents in Sweden, Anambra Coalition on Electoral Reform, National Association of Nigerian students and Concerned Women of Anambra State amongst others have previously endorsed support for Hon tony Nwoye.
In a Telephone Chat with Pharm Ikeagwuonwu Klinsmann, the co-ordinator of Anambra Liberation Grand Alliance in Northern Europe, the group emphasized that other candidates were given due consideration by the Governing Council of ALGA before a consensus was reached to give full support to Hon Tony Nwoye. In his words WE CANNOT AFFORD TO SIT ON THE SIDELINES ANY LONGER
Hon Klinsmann insisted that Anambra State has suffered a lot through failed leadership and since democracy is a collective responsibility, there is an increasing need for people of good minds to come together and initiate a process that will enthrone the required positive transformation in the state. While addressing members of the group in Awka penultimate Sunday, Mazi Orjika C.C the Director of Mobilisation noted that Integrity,Selflessness,tested leadership, Honesty and God fearing stands out Tony Nwoye amongst other contestants and believe that Hon Tony Nwoye governance will change the present status quo of developmental sluggishness in the state into a beautiful symphony of Peace and grass- root development in the state
Anambra Liberation Grand Alliance takes awerness to the Next Level
In her bid to reach out to the grass-roots and give voices to the electorate especially to those left out and left behind by the present administration in Anambra State,the Anambra Liberation Grand Alliance launched her Facebook and Blog sites respectively last week.
Anambrarians can follow us on Facebook on TONY NWOYE FOR GOVERNOR.The blog site can be found on www.anambraliberationgrandalliance.blogspot.se.
The Blog site is user friendly and identifiable features like post and comments boxes have been added to ensure freedom of information.Users can also follow posts and conversations through the RSS feeds that has been included in the blog.Our twitter page and website will be launched in the coming weeks
Sunday, 16 June 2013
Anambra Residents in Sweden Endorses Hon Tony Nwoye for Governor
Anambra State Residents in Sweden under the umbrella of UMU ANAMBRA has thrown their weight behind the Governorship Aspiration of Hon Tony Nwoye
Speaking at a Forum organized by the group in Malmo,Southern Sweden,a founding member of the group Chief Wilson Obiora (Agu Nnobi) remarked that Anambra State has gone through series of Political evolutions since the creation of the state and in spite of the huge enormous human and economic capital in the state,she has not thus been blessed with a sound leader that will effect the heavily desired changes in the state
Speaking further on the group decision to back Hon Tony Nwoye,Chief Wilson obiora noted that Hon Tony nwoyes wide experience in Leadership will be needed to bear on the economic,political and social changes required to reclaim the state back to its past glory as a pace-setter in infrasteuctural and economic development in Nigeria
Speaking at a Forum organized by the group in Malmo,Southern Sweden,a founding member of the group Chief Wilson Obiora (Agu Nnobi) remarked that Anambra State has gone through series of Political evolutions since the creation of the state and in spite of the huge enormous human and economic capital in the state,she has not thus been blessed with a sound leader that will effect the heavily desired changes in the state
Speaking further on the group decision to back Hon Tony Nwoye,Chief Wilson obiora noted that Hon Tony nwoyes wide experience in Leadership will be needed to bear on the economic,political and social changes required to reclaim the state back to its past glory as a pace-setter in infrasteuctural and economic development in Nigeria
Anambra State Is Not For Sale-NALC
Anambra State Is Not For Sale-NALC
By Okey Mbonu and Ingrid Megan
The coming 2013/2014 governorship election in Anambra State, Nigeria; should serve as a test-case for the Nigerian general election coming in 2015. NALC’s mission is to ensure good governance in every state in Nigeria, and in Nigeria as whole.
Pursuant to the extensive background NALC members bring in their various professional fields, NALC will deploy all possible human and material resources, to research sources in or outside Nigeria, in vetting candidates for political office, especially in the imminent election for Governor of Anambra State.
Why the Anambra 2014 Election Matters
Anambra State bills herself as the “Light of The Nation”; however that cliché should be no idle talk; because in the annals of Nigerian or modern African history, few communities in Africa today, rival Anambra State, in the sheer number of distinguished and universally acclaimed personalities Anambra has produced in the arts, the sciences, and commerce.
Thus, we are referring to the Anambra that has produced persons of excellence such as; the world-renowned Chinua Achebe, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Kenneth Dike, Nwafor Orizu, Chike Obi, Emeka Anyaoku, Alex Ekwueme, Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu; and a host of other notables, both living and dead. This is not a state that should thrive on mediocrity. The next Governor of Anambra must be able to carry a mantle that is worthy of this state.
The Gubernatorial Candidates
Whereas any person could meet the ordinary qualification to run for Governor of Anambra state; however, let it be clear, that mediocrity, and the flaunting of ill-gotten wealth; should not be the standard for a mandate, to run a state of such enviable pedigree.
In the rumblings leading to this election, we have heard politicians brag about how much money they make or plan to spend to win Anambra state. We have also heard about “Governor wanna-be’s” who host parties for traditional rulers, and hand them fistfuls of cash, to take home as political mobilization. We are not impressed by these practices.
To the people of Anambra, we say if someone freely hands you monetary gifts, take it, because he may be returning your money to you. But on no accounts should Anambrarians sell their conscience, integrity, and their children’s future, on the altar of mediocrity, or to persons with questionable backgrounds, whose mission may be to replay their dubious activities, inside the Anambra Government House.
Setting Anambra on the Right Path
Since this is NALC’s maiden Media Release, we have vigorously commenced our research and analysis; and we will continuously enlighten Anambrarians worldwide, so that they can make the right choice in this election, instead of selling their children’s future to a bandit.
We will monitor all announced gubernatorial candidates, and rigorously research their background and reputation, to ascertain their suitability to serve as Anambra’s number one citizen.
Anambra Guber: Candidate Imposition, PDP Albatross, Says Nwoye
Anambra Guber: Candidate Imposition, PDP Albatross, Says Nwoye
Former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State
and now a governorship aspirant on the party’s platform, Comrade Tony
Nwoye, has identified imposition of candidates during elections against
the wishes of the people as the sole reason PDP has performed abysmally
in the governorship election conducted in the state since 2003.
The first and only time the party produced the governor of the state
was at the inception of civil democracy in 1999 when Dr.Chinwoke
Mbadinuju was overwhelmingly elected under the party’s platform as the
state governor.
But speaking weekend at the PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Awka, the
Anambra State capital, Nwoye, who is a former president of the
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) publicly declared his
aspiration to serve the state as governor after the incumbent, Mr. Peter
Obi.
He declared that PDP had been losing the governorship and other
elective positions in the state since 2003 because candidates put
forward for election by the party were products of imposition who never
won the primaries in the field.
He cited the February 10, 2010 governorship election in the state in
which the Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam’s panel appointed by the
party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to conduct the chapter’s
primaries with a view to picking a candidate to fly its flag, changed
the result of the primaries against the wish of the people.
He said that even when efforts were made to reverse the anomaly, the
PDP rebuffed it and imposed Prof. Chukwuma Soludo on the party as its
candidate, adding that although Soludo had sound pedigree behind him,
that ill- feelings and bad blood which trailed the decision led to
protest votes against his candidature as other aspirants who felt short
changed dispersed to other parties to fly their flags in the election.
The party, he said, is now aware of the effects of imposing candidates
on the people and had brought same to the knowledge of President
Goodluck Jonathan whom he also said had ordered it’s NWC to conduct
free and fair primaries in the state chapter of PDP prior to the
governorship election expected to hold in December.
“Imposition is a thing of the past. Tickets will no longer be given in
Abuja. There will now be primaries election where three delegates from
each of the 326 wards in the state will elect the party’s flag bearer
and whoever that wins will get the respect and support of other
contestants and the party,” he said.
Nwoye said his motivation to serve the state as governor was inspired
by a burning desire to create jobs, wealth and curb what he described as
the alarming unemployment rate among the state’s youths which he
identified as the major source of insecurity and kidnapping.
Towards this end, he said an agency that will solely be saddled with
the responsibility of creating jobs for the unemployed through skill
acquisition and soft loan for unemployed school leavers and graduates as
well as women would be created.
He also said that while provision of infrastructure like roads, water
and health care remain an obligation of any elected government to the
people, he would also, if given the chance to fly the party flag and win
the governorship election, ensure the upliftment of Awka to a
befitting capital city and provide adequate security, while urging the
supporters of the party to keep faith with himGIVE FAITH A FIGHTING CHANCE……..And I died in Maiduguri……A MINORITY REPORT
GIVE FAITH A FIGHTING CHANCE……..And I died in Maiduguri……A MINORITY REPORT
“If we continue to teach our children about toleranceand intolerance instead of good and evil, we will end up with tolerance ofevil.” …Dennis Prager
For the past few months, I have received hundreds o fcalls from Nigeria and Europe asking about my opinions and antecedents of Hon Tony Nwoye, the Man who will be Governor of Anambra State. I however made myreservations as I was constrained by both time and space due to my Master’s thesis Project defense. I have been relieved the last 24 hours; I felt the time is now ripe for me to throw more lights on this subject matter
My name is IKEAGWUONWU CHINEDU ALEXANDER KLINSMANN and this is my Minority Report
When I got admission to Study Pharmacy at the University of Nigeria in the fall of 1999, like every student at that time, I was filled with the Nigerian dream, a dream deeply rooted in the ideals of our founding fathers, to uphold the labors of our heroes past and to leave Nigeria better than I met her. It is with such enthusiasm and hope for a brighter tomorrow that ushered me into the Prestigious Lion’s Den that was the University of Nigeria. Like most of us living at Ziks Flat Hostel between 1999 and 2000, playing football formed most of our extra curricula activities after school.Haven been a games prefect at my high school at Nnewi, I devoted most of my activities after school to playing football at the Ziks Flat Arena
I had never been a Politician and never directly been involved in Politics before 1999, so I was a novice as one can say in issues of Political matters. But a certain event in 1999 at Ziks flat changed the course of my life forever. Few years before we got admitted to UNN,there was a crisis and military students were drafted into UNN from across the country by the then Vice-Chancellor to help restore order at the lion’s den and typical of men in uniform,these guys refused to leave at the end of the day and instead formed a nucleus of bullies, stampeding fresh students, intimidating students from all manners and those who were courageous enough to talk were branded cultists and recommended for disciplinary measures and possible expulsion by the school management.It was in this kwashiokored status quo that we got admitted into the University of Nigeria. When the time for Students Union Election came, some students came out to contest for elective positions at the Ziks Flat hostel of the University of Nigeria,Nsukka Campus(I was not interested and I didn’t contest) ,by the insistence of the military students, UN-uniformed students were disqualified from contesting on no serious grounds. Nobody talked of course for the fear of the Military men. When I came back from Nnewi,I heard what happened, I felt bad and insisted that nobody should be disenfranchised without constitutional ground,I made bold my intention to speak with the Hostel supervisors. I took it up with the supervisors and the leader of the Military men at Ziks flat, at first,they were surprised that I was not afraid to bring up the matter and were angry when they were told that I was not even contesting election and how the hell should I talk when those who were contesting chickened out.
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” ― Elie Wiesel
I was punished and kicked around but that experience was a turning point in my life towards Students leadership and Politics. When other students heard what happened, the news made me a local champion amongst some of my friends that heard the incident and in the following few months, the students at the Ziks flats hostels revolted and chased the military men out of Ziks flat.
Following my experience and courage at Ziks Flat, I Was invited by the then EASTERN YOUTHS FORUM led by Dr Nnanna Onuoha to participate at the Ideology class of EYF.With my vibrancy at the ideology class;I was nominated to contest for the Dir of Sports of the Students Union. It should be noted that my background as a practicing Christian and the ideology of Love, Peace, respect for human rights, intellectual argument against injustice formed the greater part of my Political thinking of 2001 when I Contested for the Dir of Sports of the Students Union.Being so naive of what politics was, this ideology saw my downfall at the Manifesto day at the G.S Building of UNN.In other words, I was not even allowed to be voted for barely 24 hrs to the voting. My ideology saw me campaigning within all ethical standards in politics while my opponents haven seen they have lost out even before the first vote went underground and made some unethical calculations that midwifed my disqualification 24 hrs to the election. It was on this failure that I got nominated again by the Eastern Youths Forum to contest for the Dir of Sports of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), an event that was to change my life again
It should be recalled that all these time, I have never met Hon Tony Nwoye in my life. It so happens that the National Convention of NANS was holding at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus(UNEC),where Hon Tony Nwoye was the Speaker of the Students Union House of Representatives. And as we were destined to meet each other by stroke of fate, an event occurred within the Political big weights of UNN.The Constitution of NANS was read to all the contestants from UNN and the constitution stipulated that each school must present a Candidate to represent the school and it so happens that University of Nigeria had multiple candidates and I was the least of all the candidates.In an election where a former Students Union President,a former Senate President of UNN and other political heavyweights were contesting. The odds fell against poor me, who just lost election at the lowest level of the students Union, with no history, no antecedents and no charisma to step down by force for others. I felt bad and refused to step down,insisting that I must be given a fair hearing. The question I was being asked was WHO WILL YOU DISPLACE BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND THE SENATOR? Poor me, I felt bad but stood my ground and the situation developed to an inferno with D rNnanna Onuoha insisting that there must be a referendum. It was in the midst of this confusion that I got a note that Tony Nwoye,the Speaker of the Students Union UNEC wants to see me ,that I should go immediately to see him behind the congress hall.
When I went outside, with an expectation to see a man with blazer suit or agbada, typical of the affluence that goes with men in his position at that time in the students movement, I was surprised to see a young man,very humble and cheerful, the kind of Humility I saw also in him years later,a humility unprecedented in Political movement in Nigeria. He introduced himself as Tony Okechukwu Nwoye and the first question he asked me was if I have eaten,I told him I was fine. He started by telling me that he has watched the happenings in our camp from a distance because he had an interest. I then asked what that interest might be. He said I was the reason for that interest because my interest was clashing against his own interest and has sent people to our camp to get information for him that will ensure that I fail at the election. To that I told him good luck.He then said he has not finished, he continued that he was impressed by my stand not to step down for anybody, that I have equal rights to contest that election as any other person inside the congress hall.That it will be to his interest if I do not contest as that will enable his own candidate win but his conscience will not spare him if I am stampeded out of the contest by force. While I was going back, he said that he wishes me the best in the UNN Congress but I should also bear in mind that he has a candidate in the person of DR Chunas Anachuna for the same position but whoever wins between us will have his full support and solidarity. He told me what to do at the referendum ,gave me his blessings and bade me good luck.Off to the charged UNN Congress hall I went, a referendum was called, we presented our manifestos and with the advice I got from Tony Nwoye,I floored all the heavy weights including former senate president and his contemporary SUG president, I sent them to the canvas and the lowly rated inexperienced Klinsmann won UNN Nomination and the Congress scattered (This event was detailed more in a report by Pharm Ikolysis and Pharm Donpaul in a Report addressed to Prof Ginigeme Mbanefo titled EYF AND THE REST…HOW THE WEST WAS WON)..The following day, the NANS Election was scuttled and declared inconclusive and off to the University of Maiduguri we sailed, WHERE I DIED…..
“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable...Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
I arrived University of Maiduguri with so much energy,confidence,a confidence deeply rooted in the belief that good will always prevail over evil and with hope that with human ingenuity ,sincerity of purpose and a little honesty,there is no limit to what is achievable in Politics and Leadership.Unfortunately,I was wrong. So Pathetic was the case that within th epolitical space of Students unionism, Nepotism, jingoism, mediocrity and political bitterness had finally found its way from Abuja to a microcosm as Students Activism. The very group that has been ascribed as the leaders of tomorrow and by a twist of unfortunate incidents in the National Polity, the psychic of the Students leaders became militarized.Gbemism,sell out of struggles, patriotism,disunity, betrayal,accusations and suspicion was hovering around NANS by the time our PTF 1414 arrived Borno State for the NANS Convention .Considering the critical nature of the Maiduguri Convention and the unfortunate incidence at Enugu where Students from ESUT were accused of scuttling Enugu Convention and with an information of a reprisal attack against students from Zone B,the odds was against South Eastern Nigeria students from Zone B as a result of which many of our ranks and file who were contesting election suddenly developed cold feet and stepped down. There was confusion in Enugu,Imo state,Anamabra and Ebonyi states as regards to the forth coming Maiduguri convention and the fate of the Igbo Nation. Tony nwoye although not even contesting any election but as a leader, took it upon himself to travel across some states convincing us to go to Maiduguri. It was with such renewed confidence that some of us decided to take a shot at the convention and in the words of Hon Dr Ikpegbu Ekele Fundamentalist before we left Nsukka.LET IT BE KNOWN THAT A CALL TO DUTY IS A CALL TO SACRIFICE AND IF WE FAIL TO RETURN HOME FROM MAIDUGURI,LET ONE OF OUR HANDS BE CUT OFF AND SENT HOME TO BE BURIED IN IGBOLAND AS THE HAND OF A GREAT MAN.
I met Tony and a few of the Youth leaders from my constituency South-Eastern Nigeria from the moment we started our campaign in Maiduguri and he was the only person amongst all that stood with us till the end in truth,sincerity and honesty, even when he was not supposed to as he had no obligations to support us and was not contesting but he took it upon himself to be knocking at every doors, building and restructuring a broken alliance to ensure an Igbo man goes home from Maiduguri with at least a ticket from the National Executive Council. As the odds started falling against us from different angles, I still remembered Hon Tony Nwoye shouting from the back of the Convention Hall that IT IS ONLY AT THE POINT WHERE WE ARE HARDEST HIT THAT WE SHALL NEVER GIVEN UP. But we started falling, Hon Tony Uche Ezekwelu was the first to fall, Hon Nathan Oguike followed,ESUT with all their machinery was bundled out,UNIZIK Fell,IMSU fell,UNEC fell,FUTO followed suit and yet we decided to STAND and FIGHT. In the ensuing confusion and having slim hope of Victory for myself and the entire South East,I was nominated to the Convention Floor for an Election that I was dead on arrival.I lost confidence in myself but who wouldn’t?, with such a madness and in a Convention that has defied decorum, charged and ready to explode. A Convention that has personally supervised the fall of institutions like FUTO, ESUT and UNEC,I will need a miracle to survive such a Convention.
At the heat of that moment .Then I was called up the second time in less than twenty seconds and my feet has never moved to respond to an election that took me almost two days journey to attend, it was then that I heard the voice...KLINSMANN,PLEASE GIVE FAITH A FIGHTING CHANCE, when I looked back,I saw Tony Nwoye dragging himself from behind and pushing us from UNN to climb the Convention floor, such a display of bravely from Tony Nwoye made us to begin to push forward and as should be anticipated, some of my students were beaten up and thrown out of the window,Pharm Ugwuanyi Ikolysis lost a tooth in the process, Pharm Uchegbusi Donpaul has a scare in his right hand till today.From a distance I still heared Tonys voice echoing through my ears condemning the brutality of the scenario and when it was my turn to share the faith of Pharm Donpaul and Pharm Ikolysis,I was not only thrown out of the window, I was receiving blows on my faces from every corners before I blacked out. I woke up moments later inside our school vehicle on the highway heading East to Nsukka
When I opened my eyes, I took a decision I was done with Politics. When we arrived UNN, I made effort to see Hon Tony Nwoye to register my displeasure at the way Politics is being played at the national level and to thank him for everything and wish him farewell. When I finished with my baggage of grievances, he looked at me suspiciously for some minute sand then asked me a one million dollar question that I am yet to answer today.His question was IF YOU DECIDE NOW TO BACK OUT,DO YOU THINK THOSE GUYS THAT THROW YOU OUT WILL ALSO BACK OUT FROM POLITICS.IF YOU BACK OUT AND FINALLY FOUND OUT THAT THEY DIDN’T BACK OUT AND THEY HAPPENED TO BECOME GOVERNORS,MINISTERS OR POSSIBLY CHAIRMEN OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARASTATALS,WHAT KIND OF LAWS DO YOU THINK THEY WILL BE MAKING AND WHAT MADE YOU THINK THOSE LAWS WILL NOT AFFECT YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN NEGATIVELY?
He told me he has sacrificed more than most of us just for this very reason that he wants a Nigeria in which people should have equal rights and opportunities, a country where competence will be celebrated instead of mediocrity and a country that will rise beyond Bigotry. He finally concluded by reminding me of this maxim that WHEN THE INTELLECTUAL IN A SYSTEM CHOOSES THE PATH OF POLITICAL PASSIVITY,THE SPACE BECOMES OPEN FOR MEDIOCRES TO BECOME PHILOSOPHERS. He made me understand that if all I wanted in politics was all about me and myself only, then I have failed,that Politics is never about me but for those left out and left behind in every society and for those that feel invisible to their leaders and policy makers,that we have a responsibility through our individual actions to offer hope and usher integrity in the political space in Nigeria. That when we only struggle,campaign and live only for ourselves, then we must have lived in vain but when we struggle, live and fight for others then we live forever in their hearts.Then I realized I have been selfish through my political inclinations thinking about myself while neglecting my responsibilities as a leader. I died a Political death in Maiduguri and God through Hon tony Nwoyes speech gave me a second chance to pursue public interest with courage, to speak for greater justice and compassion, to call for responsibility and to be selfless in my service to humanity especially to the people I represent
I have been with Hon Tony nwoye throughout the trying periods,in this quest to make Nigeria better than we found it.It was not easy and a lot of sacrifices were made along the road but in humility and clearance of purpose,Tony has overcame all these odds through these years. I stood and saw a humble man I met as the speaker of the SUG House of Representatives rose to become NANS President, PDP Chairman of Anambra State, Board member of Several Federal Government Parastatals, Advisory membership of International bodies, Federal House of Representatives etc and now Anambra State Governorship Aspirant. I saw a man rose from humble beginnings, passed through multiple leadership positions,gave his all to ensure a better deal for the people he represents
From the first day I met and walked with Hon Tony Nwoye from 2000 till today, he has never changed in humility, wisdom and desire to enthrone positive changes whenever necessary.
As the state Governorship election is fast approaching,encouraging responsibility is not a search for scapegoats, it is a call to conscience.Anambra State need leaders once again. We all know about the crisis emanating from Anambra state on a daily basis. We know about Insecurity, we know that our kids are dropping out of school, we know that people are being stampeded from voicing out their constitutional rightful opinions on a daily basis, we have seen how our schools have been outsourced to institutions that over charge and under perform as government refused to take responsibility for its funding, we have seen fees sky rocketing and the less privileged being denied various legitimate rights and Anambra state government paying no attention to them, it is unfortunate that the good people of Anambra state are being forced to pass through these unfortunate ordeals, it is everything our founding fathers were afraid of and everything our constitution was designed to prevent. The welfare of each of us is dependent upon the welfare of all of us.
AN INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE
The most important tasks of a democracy are done by everyone.ANAMBRA NEED LEADERS ONCE AGAIN. Let us make choices that our children will be proud of. Are we in this election for the personal gains we expect or are we in this election for a collective good?Are we in this election because of the Cars, Bags of Rice, Motor cycles, Brown envelops and goodies being currently dispensed by money bags in Anambra State?Are you in this election on political, cultural and religious affiliations, in case we have not noticed,Anambra state has been so deceived in the past based on these affiliations, will you be deceived once again?. Are you in this election because of the billions, Hilux Buses, Black jeeps and other affluence being displayed on the streets of Anambra State? Those candidates of your choices,on what reasonable, ethical and intellectual grounds are you supporting them?Are you selling your conscience for a pot of porridge? Have you asked the source of the billions being brandished around, have you been given detailed information of the humble beginnings and antecedents of those you are voting for,What leadership positions have they held in the past that qualifies them for a position as sensitive as the Governorship of Anambra state?.
ANAMBRA NEED LEADERS ONCE AGAIN
Hon Tony Nwoye started his political career fighting for youths and students neglected and rendered invisible by Government. Through humility, sacrifices and hard work, he passed through various leadership positions,acquired experience in leadership and over the years built responsibility, competence and integrity. Hon Tony Nwoye is the Biblical Joshua that will take us all to the Promised Land in Anambra state
Let us give Faith a Fighting Chance…THIS IS MY MINORITY REPORT
Hon Pharm IKEAGWUONWU CHINEDU ALEXANDER KLINSMANN
B.Pharm (Nig). MPH(Sweden). MPSN. MFIP
OHAMADIKE UMUDIOKA DUNUKOFIA
“If we continue to teach our children about toleranceand intolerance instead of good and evil, we will end up with tolerance ofevil.” …Dennis Prager
For the past few months, I have received hundreds o fcalls from Nigeria and Europe asking about my opinions and antecedents of Hon Tony Nwoye, the Man who will be Governor of Anambra State. I however made myreservations as I was constrained by both time and space due to my Master’s thesis Project defense. I have been relieved the last 24 hours; I felt the time is now ripe for me to throw more lights on this subject matter
My name is IKEAGWUONWU CHINEDU ALEXANDER KLINSMANN and this is my Minority Report
When I got admission to Study Pharmacy at the University of Nigeria in the fall of 1999, like every student at that time, I was filled with the Nigerian dream, a dream deeply rooted in the ideals of our founding fathers, to uphold the labors of our heroes past and to leave Nigeria better than I met her. It is with such enthusiasm and hope for a brighter tomorrow that ushered me into the Prestigious Lion’s Den that was the University of Nigeria. Like most of us living at Ziks Flat Hostel between 1999 and 2000, playing football formed most of our extra curricula activities after school.Haven been a games prefect at my high school at Nnewi, I devoted most of my activities after school to playing football at the Ziks Flat Arena
I had never been a Politician and never directly been involved in Politics before 1999, so I was a novice as one can say in issues of Political matters. But a certain event in 1999 at Ziks flat changed the course of my life forever. Few years before we got admitted to UNN,there was a crisis and military students were drafted into UNN from across the country by the then Vice-Chancellor to help restore order at the lion’s den and typical of men in uniform,these guys refused to leave at the end of the day and instead formed a nucleus of bullies, stampeding fresh students, intimidating students from all manners and those who were courageous enough to talk were branded cultists and recommended for disciplinary measures and possible expulsion by the school management.It was in this kwashiokored status quo that we got admitted into the University of Nigeria. When the time for Students Union Election came, some students came out to contest for elective positions at the Ziks Flat hostel of the University of Nigeria,Nsukka Campus(I was not interested and I didn’t contest) ,by the insistence of the military students, UN-uniformed students were disqualified from contesting on no serious grounds. Nobody talked of course for the fear of the Military men. When I came back from Nnewi,I heard what happened, I felt bad and insisted that nobody should be disenfranchised without constitutional ground,I made bold my intention to speak with the Hostel supervisors. I took it up with the supervisors and the leader of the Military men at Ziks flat, at first,they were surprised that I was not afraid to bring up the matter and were angry when they were told that I was not even contesting election and how the hell should I talk when those who were contesting chickened out.
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” ― Elie Wiesel
I was punished and kicked around but that experience was a turning point in my life towards Students leadership and Politics. When other students heard what happened, the news made me a local champion amongst some of my friends that heard the incident and in the following few months, the students at the Ziks flats hostels revolted and chased the military men out of Ziks flat.
Following my experience and courage at Ziks Flat, I Was invited by the then EASTERN YOUTHS FORUM led by Dr Nnanna Onuoha to participate at the Ideology class of EYF.With my vibrancy at the ideology class;I was nominated to contest for the Dir of Sports of the Students Union. It should be noted that my background as a practicing Christian and the ideology of Love, Peace, respect for human rights, intellectual argument against injustice formed the greater part of my Political thinking of 2001 when I Contested for the Dir of Sports of the Students Union.Being so naive of what politics was, this ideology saw my downfall at the Manifesto day at the G.S Building of UNN.In other words, I was not even allowed to be voted for barely 24 hrs to the voting. My ideology saw me campaigning within all ethical standards in politics while my opponents haven seen they have lost out even before the first vote went underground and made some unethical calculations that midwifed my disqualification 24 hrs to the election. It was on this failure that I got nominated again by the Eastern Youths Forum to contest for the Dir of Sports of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), an event that was to change my life again
It should be recalled that all these time, I have never met Hon Tony Nwoye in my life. It so happens that the National Convention of NANS was holding at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus(UNEC),where Hon Tony Nwoye was the Speaker of the Students Union House of Representatives. And as we were destined to meet each other by stroke of fate, an event occurred within the Political big weights of UNN.The Constitution of NANS was read to all the contestants from UNN and the constitution stipulated that each school must present a Candidate to represent the school and it so happens that University of Nigeria had multiple candidates and I was the least of all the candidates.In an election where a former Students Union President,a former Senate President of UNN and other political heavyweights were contesting. The odds fell against poor me, who just lost election at the lowest level of the students Union, with no history, no antecedents and no charisma to step down by force for others. I felt bad and refused to step down,insisting that I must be given a fair hearing. The question I was being asked was WHO WILL YOU DISPLACE BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND THE SENATOR? Poor me, I felt bad but stood my ground and the situation developed to an inferno with D rNnanna Onuoha insisting that there must be a referendum. It was in the midst of this confusion that I got a note that Tony Nwoye,the Speaker of the Students Union UNEC wants to see me ,that I should go immediately to see him behind the congress hall.
When I went outside, with an expectation to see a man with blazer suit or agbada, typical of the affluence that goes with men in his position at that time in the students movement, I was surprised to see a young man,very humble and cheerful, the kind of Humility I saw also in him years later,a humility unprecedented in Political movement in Nigeria. He introduced himself as Tony Okechukwu Nwoye and the first question he asked me was if I have eaten,I told him I was fine. He started by telling me that he has watched the happenings in our camp from a distance because he had an interest. I then asked what that interest might be. He said I was the reason for that interest because my interest was clashing against his own interest and has sent people to our camp to get information for him that will ensure that I fail at the election. To that I told him good luck.He then said he has not finished, he continued that he was impressed by my stand not to step down for anybody, that I have equal rights to contest that election as any other person inside the congress hall.That it will be to his interest if I do not contest as that will enable his own candidate win but his conscience will not spare him if I am stampeded out of the contest by force. While I was going back, he said that he wishes me the best in the UNN Congress but I should also bear in mind that he has a candidate in the person of DR Chunas Anachuna for the same position but whoever wins between us will have his full support and solidarity. He told me what to do at the referendum ,gave me his blessings and bade me good luck.Off to the charged UNN Congress hall I went, a referendum was called, we presented our manifestos and with the advice I got from Tony Nwoye,I floored all the heavy weights including former senate president and his contemporary SUG president, I sent them to the canvas and the lowly rated inexperienced Klinsmann won UNN Nomination and the Congress scattered (This event was detailed more in a report by Pharm Ikolysis and Pharm Donpaul in a Report addressed to Prof Ginigeme Mbanefo titled EYF AND THE REST…HOW THE WEST WAS WON)..The following day, the NANS Election was scuttled and declared inconclusive and off to the University of Maiduguri we sailed, WHERE I DIED…..
“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable...Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
I arrived University of Maiduguri with so much energy,confidence,a confidence deeply rooted in the belief that good will always prevail over evil and with hope that with human ingenuity ,sincerity of purpose and a little honesty,there is no limit to what is achievable in Politics and Leadership.Unfortunately,I was wrong. So Pathetic was the case that within th epolitical space of Students unionism, Nepotism, jingoism, mediocrity and political bitterness had finally found its way from Abuja to a microcosm as Students Activism. The very group that has been ascribed as the leaders of tomorrow and by a twist of unfortunate incidents in the National Polity, the psychic of the Students leaders became militarized.Gbemism,sell out of struggles, patriotism,disunity, betrayal,accusations and suspicion was hovering around NANS by the time our PTF 1414 arrived Borno State for the NANS Convention .Considering the critical nature of the Maiduguri Convention and the unfortunate incidence at Enugu where Students from ESUT were accused of scuttling Enugu Convention and with an information of a reprisal attack against students from Zone B,the odds was against South Eastern Nigeria students from Zone B as a result of which many of our ranks and file who were contesting election suddenly developed cold feet and stepped down. There was confusion in Enugu,Imo state,Anamabra and Ebonyi states as regards to the forth coming Maiduguri convention and the fate of the Igbo Nation. Tony nwoye although not even contesting any election but as a leader, took it upon himself to travel across some states convincing us to go to Maiduguri. It was with such renewed confidence that some of us decided to take a shot at the convention and in the words of Hon Dr Ikpegbu Ekele Fundamentalist before we left Nsukka.LET IT BE KNOWN THAT A CALL TO DUTY IS A CALL TO SACRIFICE AND IF WE FAIL TO RETURN HOME FROM MAIDUGURI,LET ONE OF OUR HANDS BE CUT OFF AND SENT HOME TO BE BURIED IN IGBOLAND AS THE HAND OF A GREAT MAN.
I met Tony and a few of the Youth leaders from my constituency South-Eastern Nigeria from the moment we started our campaign in Maiduguri and he was the only person amongst all that stood with us till the end in truth,sincerity and honesty, even when he was not supposed to as he had no obligations to support us and was not contesting but he took it upon himself to be knocking at every doors, building and restructuring a broken alliance to ensure an Igbo man goes home from Maiduguri with at least a ticket from the National Executive Council. As the odds started falling against us from different angles, I still remembered Hon Tony Nwoye shouting from the back of the Convention Hall that IT IS ONLY AT THE POINT WHERE WE ARE HARDEST HIT THAT WE SHALL NEVER GIVEN UP. But we started falling, Hon Tony Uche Ezekwelu was the first to fall, Hon Nathan Oguike followed,ESUT with all their machinery was bundled out,UNIZIK Fell,IMSU fell,UNEC fell,FUTO followed suit and yet we decided to STAND and FIGHT. In the ensuing confusion and having slim hope of Victory for myself and the entire South East,I was nominated to the Convention Floor for an Election that I was dead on arrival.I lost confidence in myself but who wouldn’t?, with such a madness and in a Convention that has defied decorum, charged and ready to explode. A Convention that has personally supervised the fall of institutions like FUTO, ESUT and UNEC,I will need a miracle to survive such a Convention.
At the heat of that moment .Then I was called up the second time in less than twenty seconds and my feet has never moved to respond to an election that took me almost two days journey to attend, it was then that I heard the voice...KLINSMANN,PLEASE GIVE FAITH A FIGHTING CHANCE, when I looked back,I saw Tony Nwoye dragging himself from behind and pushing us from UNN to climb the Convention floor, such a display of bravely from Tony Nwoye made us to begin to push forward and as should be anticipated, some of my students were beaten up and thrown out of the window,Pharm Ugwuanyi Ikolysis lost a tooth in the process, Pharm Uchegbusi Donpaul has a scare in his right hand till today.From a distance I still heared Tonys voice echoing through my ears condemning the brutality of the scenario and when it was my turn to share the faith of Pharm Donpaul and Pharm Ikolysis,I was not only thrown out of the window, I was receiving blows on my faces from every corners before I blacked out. I woke up moments later inside our school vehicle on the highway heading East to Nsukka
When I opened my eyes, I took a decision I was done with Politics. When we arrived UNN, I made effort to see Hon Tony Nwoye to register my displeasure at the way Politics is being played at the national level and to thank him for everything and wish him farewell. When I finished with my baggage of grievances, he looked at me suspiciously for some minute sand then asked me a one million dollar question that I am yet to answer today.His question was IF YOU DECIDE NOW TO BACK OUT,DO YOU THINK THOSE GUYS THAT THROW YOU OUT WILL ALSO BACK OUT FROM POLITICS.IF YOU BACK OUT AND FINALLY FOUND OUT THAT THEY DIDN’T BACK OUT AND THEY HAPPENED TO BECOME GOVERNORS,MINISTERS OR POSSIBLY CHAIRMEN OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARASTATALS,WHAT KIND OF LAWS DO YOU THINK THEY WILL BE MAKING AND WHAT MADE YOU THINK THOSE LAWS WILL NOT AFFECT YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN NEGATIVELY?
He told me he has sacrificed more than most of us just for this very reason that he wants a Nigeria in which people should have equal rights and opportunities, a country where competence will be celebrated instead of mediocrity and a country that will rise beyond Bigotry. He finally concluded by reminding me of this maxim that WHEN THE INTELLECTUAL IN A SYSTEM CHOOSES THE PATH OF POLITICAL PASSIVITY,THE SPACE BECOMES OPEN FOR MEDIOCRES TO BECOME PHILOSOPHERS. He made me understand that if all I wanted in politics was all about me and myself only, then I have failed,that Politics is never about me but for those left out and left behind in every society and for those that feel invisible to their leaders and policy makers,that we have a responsibility through our individual actions to offer hope and usher integrity in the political space in Nigeria. That when we only struggle,campaign and live only for ourselves, then we must have lived in vain but when we struggle, live and fight for others then we live forever in their hearts.Then I realized I have been selfish through my political inclinations thinking about myself while neglecting my responsibilities as a leader. I died a Political death in Maiduguri and God through Hon tony Nwoyes speech gave me a second chance to pursue public interest with courage, to speak for greater justice and compassion, to call for responsibility and to be selfless in my service to humanity especially to the people I represent
I have been with Hon Tony nwoye throughout the trying periods,in this quest to make Nigeria better than we found it.It was not easy and a lot of sacrifices were made along the road but in humility and clearance of purpose,Tony has overcame all these odds through these years. I stood and saw a humble man I met as the speaker of the SUG House of Representatives rose to become NANS President, PDP Chairman of Anambra State, Board member of Several Federal Government Parastatals, Advisory membership of International bodies, Federal House of Representatives etc and now Anambra State Governorship Aspirant. I saw a man rose from humble beginnings, passed through multiple leadership positions,gave his all to ensure a better deal for the people he represents
From the first day I met and walked with Hon Tony Nwoye from 2000 till today, he has never changed in humility, wisdom and desire to enthrone positive changes whenever necessary.
As the state Governorship election is fast approaching,encouraging responsibility is not a search for scapegoats, it is a call to conscience.Anambra State need leaders once again. We all know about the crisis emanating from Anambra state on a daily basis. We know about Insecurity, we know that our kids are dropping out of school, we know that people are being stampeded from voicing out their constitutional rightful opinions on a daily basis, we have seen how our schools have been outsourced to institutions that over charge and under perform as government refused to take responsibility for its funding, we have seen fees sky rocketing and the less privileged being denied various legitimate rights and Anambra state government paying no attention to them, it is unfortunate that the good people of Anambra state are being forced to pass through these unfortunate ordeals, it is everything our founding fathers were afraid of and everything our constitution was designed to prevent. The welfare of each of us is dependent upon the welfare of all of us.
AN INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE
The most important tasks of a democracy are done by everyone.ANAMBRA NEED LEADERS ONCE AGAIN. Let us make choices that our children will be proud of. Are we in this election for the personal gains we expect or are we in this election for a collective good?Are we in this election because of the Cars, Bags of Rice, Motor cycles, Brown envelops and goodies being currently dispensed by money bags in Anambra State?Are you in this election on political, cultural and religious affiliations, in case we have not noticed,Anambra state has been so deceived in the past based on these affiliations, will you be deceived once again?. Are you in this election because of the billions, Hilux Buses, Black jeeps and other affluence being displayed on the streets of Anambra State? Those candidates of your choices,on what reasonable, ethical and intellectual grounds are you supporting them?Are you selling your conscience for a pot of porridge? Have you asked the source of the billions being brandished around, have you been given detailed information of the humble beginnings and antecedents of those you are voting for,What leadership positions have they held in the past that qualifies them for a position as sensitive as the Governorship of Anambra state?.
ANAMBRA NEED LEADERS ONCE AGAIN
Hon Tony Nwoye started his political career fighting for youths and students neglected and rendered invisible by Government. Through humility, sacrifices and hard work, he passed through various leadership positions,acquired experience in leadership and over the years built responsibility, competence and integrity. Hon Tony Nwoye is the Biblical Joshua that will take us all to the Promised Land in Anambra state
Let us give Faith a Fighting Chance…THIS IS MY MINORITY REPORT
Hon Pharm IKEAGWUONWU CHINEDU ALEXANDER KLINSMANN
B.Pharm (Nig). MPH(Sweden). MPSN. MFIP
OHAMADIKE UMUDIOKA DUNUKOFIA
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