THAT UNHOLY LETTER TO DORA AKUNYILI
That unholy letter to Dora Akunyili
BY MIKE NWOKORO
Friday, March 12, 2010
Akunyili
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/freekick/index.htm
The aphorism that the worst form of democracy is better and more acceptable to the best military regime cannot be rationally faulted especially in Nigeria where the people have the rare historical privilege of experiencing both types of government.
The mere fact that people could openly express themselves verbally or in writing with out qualms and go free, irrespective of their level of sanity in the exercise of democratic right, remains one undisputed beauty of democracy .It is this favourable democratic milieu that has presented on a platter of gold boundless opportunities to any person to write and publish letter(s) or even disseminate misinformation to innocent and law abiding Nigerians.
One of the beneficiaries of this reckless display of democratic dividend under the toga of freedom of expression is one Hon. Chinedu Okoye of Anambra State. In Nigeria, it is not uncommon to claim to be an honourable person with a view to commanding more respect or attracting an unwarranted attention in the society. This, I believe, is the attraction of Mr. Okoye, as investigations so far conducted by true honourable sons and daughters including in-laws of the good people of Anambra have shown that there is no such name .This ipso facto means that a faceless Hon.Chinedu Okoye, has insulted the sensibility of Nigerians by publishing in most national Newspapers like Vanguard, The Nation and ThisDay among others of February 16-19, 2010, a piece titled:' A LETTER TO DORA AKUNYILI'.
In the said write up, which is satanic to say the least, Mr Okoye went to town with tissues of lies, disparaging remarks and hollow innuendoes, simply to diminish the global reputation of Professor Dora Akunyili. According to him, DORA has assumed the position of PDP Party Leader for Anambra State by summoning a meeting of Anambra Stakeholders at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, on February 15, 2010.
There is no doubt that this man is now bellyaching simply because a patriotic Nigerian and proud daughter of Anambra State has taken the initiative to seek for peace and unite a political family .Is it now a crime to champion the course of peace and unity in a country? If the initiative of Prof. Dora Akunyili is bad and of dysfunctional effect, why did prominent Anambrarians, PDP National Office holders and stalwarts like Chief Olisa Metu, the National Vice Chairman of PDP, South East, attend the peace meeting? I am not sure that Mr Okoye listened to news on radio or watched the television; otherwise he could have saved his master's millions of Naira spent on the publication of the iconoclastic letter to the Peoples DORA.
Okoye referred to the 2007 governorship election in Anambra State where Dora Akunyili campaigned for the 'favoured son' of the former President Obasanjo, Chief Andy Uba, but allegedly made a public statement that was used against Uba. And he wrote 'What you said about that election was true but think about it madam, you were actually running with the hare and at the same time hunting with the hounds' Thank God for admitting that madam DORA made a statement of fact.
Okoye also referred to the last selection process that produced Professor Chukwuma Soludo as the consensus candidate for the February 6th, 2010, governorship election in Anambra State and said among others, 'You lobbied hard to be made the consensus candidate, even when you were not officially an aspirant to the office of Governor' This is cheap blackmail as Professor Akunyili, being a woman, could have collected the form free in line with the PDP guildeline but refused to do so. She is contended as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing the good people of Anambra State. Okoye equally wrote: 'You were vehement in castigating the selection process of PDP——-.
You publicly repudiated a process you personally followed through not out of any conviction but simply because the beneficiary was Chukwuma Soludo not Dora Akunyili' From the benefit of hindsight, you will recall that all prominent Nigerians and Party Chieftains of the PDP expressed their displeasure over the inability of their party in Anambra State to democratically elect a governorship candidate. Castigating Prof Dora Akunyili for speaking the truth in line with the reasoning and disposition of other patriotic Nigerians like the acting President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme ,and Chief Emeka Anyaoku is unfair and uncharitable.
In seeking for relevance in Soludo's kingdom, he wrote 'You apparently supported Governor Peter Obi in the last election which you have the right to do. You did not support the PDP candidate, fine.——You may not like Prof. Soludo but he is still flying the party's flag until all issues relating to the February 6 election are resolved.' It is now clear that you are seeking for Prof. Soludo' s favour. You would recall that Soludo was the first candidate to publicly congratulate Peter Obi for his victory irrespective of what he called administrative rigging by INEC. To unjustly accuse DORA for being instrumental to the electoral defeat and woes of your master is fraudulent and morally opprobrious. Dora does not believe in any dishonest and clandestine electoral activities but in the sanctity of one man one vote.
The reference to Dora's memo to the FEC and loyalty to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and his wife are grand designs by Chinedu Okoye to rubbish the reputation of this first African to be honoured by Transparency International with an Award. In fact, patriotic Nigerians have continued to shower encomium on DORA for her sincerity of purpose, truthfulness, boldness and patriotism on the issue.
It is time for Chinedu Okoye to stop his futile efforts in his campaign of calumny and realise that Nigerians are wiser and cannot fall prey to the antics of political jobbers as we approach the next general elections in 2011.
NWOKORO lives in ABUJA.