IN 1998,  former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida,along with other retired military hawks facilitated the release of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo from prison after the demise of then Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha.
They did not stop at that. They moved ahead to hijack the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a party they did not know how it was formed and imposed Obasanjo as the presidential candidate of the party against the wishes of majority of the members who preferred former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme. They made finance available for Obasanjo to run for election which he won and became president of the country for eight years.

Within the eight years of his administration, Obasanjo did not hide his disdain for Babangida and other retired military hawks for the betterment of the country. He once made it clear publicly that those who invested in his presidential campaign in 1999 should not expect anything as returns or reward.

In  2007, he used the power of incumbency to checkmate Babangida from contesting the Presidency and Babangida chickened out when he saw that the coast was not clear for him, despite all he has done for Obasanjo to make him president of the country in 1999.

A development some saw and described as betrayal on the part of Obasanjo, but truly not so because the interest of godfathers and their cohorts cannot override the interest of majority of the people that constitute 90 per cent of the population.

Though in Anambra State at the peak of the political crisis between the then governor, Dr. Chris Ngige and his estranged godfather, Chief Chris Uba, Obasanjo supported Uba against Ngige, a move that was condemned by all Nigerians both home and abroad.  Whichever you look at it, political godfatherism has remained the bane of progress and development in many states of the federation since the inception of democracy in 1999.

For eight good years without much on ground to show for it, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu was in total control of everything in Abia State. Those who tried to wrestle power or challenge him to do things right, including Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ojo Maduekwe, Onyema Ugochukwu, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and others met a brick wall as he maximized power of incumbency, mobilized people’s support, sentiments and propaganda to overcome them.

By the end of his second term in office, the Constitution of the country that brought him into office demanded that he should leave office at the expiration of his term just like other elected governors in 1999. That was the position of the law that must be obeyed. Just like every other governor across the states of the federation, Kalu’s search for a trusted successor began in earnest.

A lot of things that were both selfish and ulterior were considered in the search by Kalu. In his selfish motives, he wanted a political pawn that he could easily manipulate outside the corridor of power for his own selfish advantage.

This he thought he has or could find in his then Chief of Staff, Dr. Theodore Orji, a 1977 graduate of English Language at the University of Ibadan, humble and experienced public servant with a good track record.

Orji’s arrest and incarceration by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the 2007 general elections was because of the alleged financial impropriety by Kalu which case is still pending in court.

It was a huge sacrifice by Orji just like Dr. Chris Ngige for the liberation of the people, not that he committed any offence or diverted any public money for personal use. A development which attracted more enemies to him than friends initially, but has now given him a mileage.

Despite the disgrace and humiliation by the EFCC, Orji was not discouraged and Kalu was determined to see his success in the election, knowing full well that he was the only person who can accommodate and tolerate him outside office.

So the sentiment that Kalu made Orji governor of the state is rubbish and nonsensical. It was the Abia people who voted en masse for  Orji and gave him victory in the election in absentia. It was clear that the people loved him so much, having known him for so long. Besides, constitutionally, Kalu wouldn’t have stayed more than May 29 in office.

Even if he didn’t support Orji for governor, he would have supported someone else. But the question is who is that person who would have tolerated and accommodated him like Orji? Nobody except Orji whose humility and kindness knows no bound.

Continues on Monday

Mr. Akunaka (Jnr), a researcher writer, writes from Industry Road Aba, Abia State.