President Obasanjo, Audu Ogbeh trade words over state of the nation: Ogbeh to Obasanjo
ABOUT a month ago, the nation woke up to the shocking news of a devastating attack on Anambra State resulting in the burning down of radio, and television stations, hotels, vehicles, Assembly quarters, the residence of the State Chief Judge and finally, Government House, Awka. Dynamite was even applied in the exercise and all or nearly most of these in the full glare of our own police force as shown on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for the world to see. The operation lasted three days.
That week, in all churches and mosques, we, our party, and you as Head of Government and Leader of this nation came under the most scathing and blithering attacks. We were singly and severally accused of connivance in action and so forth. Public anger reached its peak.
Reconciliation
You set up a reconciliation committee headed by Ebonyi State Governor, Dr. Sam Egwu, and we all thought this would help calm nerves and perhaps bring about some respite. But quite clearly things are no where near getting better.
While the reconciliation team attempted to inspect damaged sites in Anambra, they were scared away by gun fire, further heightening public anger and disdain for us.
Bomb Explosion in Government House Awka
On Tuesday, November 30, 2004, another shocking development - a reported bomb explosion in Government House Awka. Since then, the media, public discourse within and even outside of our borders, have been dominated by the most heinous and hateful of expletives against our party and your person and government. It would appear that the perperators of these acts are determined to stop at nothing since there has not been any visible sign of reproach from law enforcement agencies. I am now convinced that the rumours and speculations making the rounds that they are determined to kill Dr. Chris Ngige may not be unfounded.
The question now is, what would be the consequences of such a development? How do we exonerate ourselves from culpability, and worse still, how do we even hope to survive it? Mr. President, I was part of the Second Republic and we fell. Memories of that fall are a miserable litany of woes. We suffered, escaping death only by God's supreme mercy. Then we were suspected to have stolen all of Nigeria's wealth. After several months in prison, some of us were freed to come back to life penniless and wretched. Many have gone to their early graves unmourned because the public saw us all as renegades.
I am afraid we are drifting in the same direction again. In life, perception is reality and today we are perceived in the worst light by an angry, scornful Nigerian public for reasons which are absolutely unnecessary.
Mr. President, if I write in this vein, it is because I am deeply troubled and I can tell you that an overwhelming percentage of our party members feel the same way though many may never be able to say this to you for a variety of reasons.
But the buck stops at your table and in my position, not only as chairman but also as an old friend and loyal defender of your development programmes which I have never stopped defending, I dare to think that we can, either by omission or commission allow ourselves to crash and bring to early grief, this beautiful edifice called democracy.
On behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party, I call on you to act now and bring any, and all criminal, even treasonable, activity to a halt. You and you alone, have the means. Do not hesitate. We do not have too much time to waste,
- A.I. Ogbeh, OFR, National Chairman PDP
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