Atiku Endorsement: Obiano, Nwodo trade insults in telephone chats

* Anambra gov. lashes out at Ohanaeze, leader, says they are
saboteurs
* History will judge who amongst us is idiotic -Nwodo

An angry Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State allegedly
lashed out on phone at the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Nnia
Nwodo on Thursday in reaction to the group’s endorsement of the
presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for
next month’s election.

Obiano, who was disappointed that the endorsement came on a day
President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the Mausoleum of Nigeria’s
first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe in Onitsha, reportedly
described the action of Ohanaeze and its president as idiotic.

Nwodo was said to have been shocked by the tone of the
governor’s language and wondered why the matter could not be
trashed out in a brotherly discussion.

He later sent a text message to the governor saying: “Your
Excellency, Gov. Obiano, I was surprised to receive a call from you
a few minutes ago in which you said the following words ‘Nnia, I
didn’t know that you were so idiotic’

“I am shocked that you can be so insolent.

“I am sure that I was not so idiotic when I addressed your State
Assembly asking Ndi Anambra to disregard the IPOB boycott of your
election nor was I idiotic when I pleaded with the Commander in
Chief to restore your security details.”

“History will judge who amongst us is idiotic. If standing with
the popular wish of Ndigbo makes me idiotic, I am happy to be
called an idiot.”

The Anambra State Government on Friday formally dissociated
itself and the people of the state from the Ohanaeze endorsement of
Atiku.

It followed it up with a press conference at Agulu yesterday by
the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Solo Chukwulobelu,
where it branded the action of Ohanaeze as an act of sabotage.

Chukwulobelu, who stood in for the governor at the press
conference, claimed yesterday that Nwodo, whose father served as
Minister under Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, stabbed him in the back.

He said the endorsement of the presidential candidate of the
People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running
mate, Peter Obi, by Ohaneze Ndigbo was a slap on Zik’s face in
Igboland.

His words: “We’re not part of that decision. Our position as far
as the presidential election is concerned is to keep neutrality in
order not to hurt anybody and the fortunes of the Igbo in national
polity.

“From history, the Ohanaeze had failed on four occasions where
they endorsed certain presidential candidates. Shall we continue
that way all the time?

“That purported endorsement by the Ohanaeze was a stab in the
back to the Igbo and what we are saying is that we are not part of
it”

Obiano added that Anambra was mostly angered that all these
happened on a day President Muhammadu Buhari was in the state to
honour the late pioneer president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, by
commissioning the Zik’s Mausoleum in Onitsha

Obiano said, “We had expected Ohanaeze leaders to participate
actively in the commissioning ceremony of the Zik Mausoleum,
Onitsha, Anambra State, but they didn’t consider it an honour to be
part of that historic occasion.

“We have read bits of the communiqué purportedly issued by the
Ohanaeze leadership. We regret that they do not reflect the
position of the people and Government of Anambra State.”

“The position of the Anambra State Government is that Ohaneze
should remain a united organisation umbrella for all Ndigbo, and
should not take sides with any party.”

“There are major leaders in all political parties, including the
three major ones in Nigeria, namely, APGA, APC and PDP.

“It is deeply regrettable that the Ohanaeze leadership has
chosen to go down a divisive trajectory capable of setting back
Igbo unity for several years.”