Emeka Jr. the first son of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, has accused his fellow Igbo people of playing what he called ‘emotional politics’ that would not get them anywhere.
“Real champions are never afraid of the big league. That could be why the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo asserted that if you cannot reason beyond petty sentiments, you are a liability to mankind. The Nd’Igbo are not better off with emotional politics.”
Emeka Jnr., who addressed reporters yesterday in Awka, the state capital, said that since the Nd’Igbo supported former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, there is no reason why they cannot accord President Muhammadu Buhari the same support.
Giving reason why he decided to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), against the plea by Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State that he should return to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Emeka Jr. said that he is only following the footsteps of his late father by ensuring that the best interest of Nd’Igbo is taken care of.
He realled how, shortly after his father’s return from exile in 1982, he joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), rather than the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP), which was headed by an Igbo man, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.
“I can afford to stay back (in APGA) and wallow in sentimental politics of nkea bu nkeanyi (this is our own). But in the long run, what becomes of our tomorrow and place in the great Nigeria project, for which our forefathers laboured, invested their time, talent and even their blood?
“Which is preferable: to be a big fish in a small pond or a big fish in the ocean?
“So, while they seek to crucify me for joining APC, they express support and solidarity for the APC leader. Which is worse: to walk the talk or pander to politics of deceit and duplicity? What is the essence of being in a party that would rather support the presidential candidate of another party than choose its own?”
