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External forces behind Anambra crisis – Udenwa
Yomi Odunuga, Abuja
Imo State Governor and member of the Owerri Peace Accord Committee, Chief Achike Udenwa, on Thursday in Abuja said the lingering political crisis in Anambra State between Governor Chris Ngige and his estranged political godfather Chief Chris Uba, was caused by the influence of external forces.
Udenwa, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja shortly after attending a meeting between President Olusegun Obasanjo and the South-East governors and political leaders, said, however, that the Anambra matter did not come up for discussion at of the parley because the agenda was purely economic and not political.
The political crisis in Anambra State has been raging since Ngige became estranged with Uba shortly after his (Ngige)’s election on April 19, 2003.
The development culminated in the abduction of the Anambra State governor on July 10, 2003.
Recent attempts by a committee of Igbo elders to broker a truce in the crisis produced the Owerri Peace Accord. But parties to the dispute have been trading blame over the breakdown of the accord.
Udenwa said, “I know the problem between the two of them; there is a need for them to agree. But I think there is a lot of external forces and we should try and get these external forces to pipe down and give peace a chance.”
The governor said it was imperative to improve the economic well being of the people in order to forestall crises like the one being witnessed in Anambra, adding that there was bound to be political crisis in a democracy.
While emphasising his belief in a political solution, Udenwa said, “It is not something that a court resolves and no matter the verdict that comes from the court eventually will not solve the problem. So I believe that dialogue is more important than going to court.”
On the meeting with President Obasanjo, the governor said, “The meeting had nothing to do with any political problem. Our problems are more economic than political. I keep telling people not to think that politically, there are too many problems. As far as democracy is concerned, you must continue to have political problems. They are not alien.
“Let’s not concentrate so much on them. Let’s speak more about our economic problems. I can even assure you that once our economic problems are taken care of, political problems will be minimised. Most of the problems originate from economic problems because our people are un-employed,” he stated.
Meanwhile, at his meeting with South-East governors and leaders, President Obasanjo challenged the leaders to take urgent steps to boost agricultural production, develop small and medium enterprises as well as physical infrastructure.
The Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, Udenwa, as well as the deputy governors of Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia States attended the meeting, which Presidency sources said, was the first in series of consultative meetings the President would be having with leaders of other zones.
Others that attended the meeting were the President of the Senate, Chief Adolphus Wabara, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Secretary of the PDP, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, and the Vice- Chairman of the party in the South-East, Chief Fidelis Ozichukwu.
The Anambra political crisis was journalists not on the agenda of the meeting.
According to Ngige, who briefed newsmen on the outcome of the two-hour meeting, said that it was resolved that each state in the region should identify a minimum of two and a maximum of four agricultural produce that could be developed and sold in large scale.
Ngige said, in line with the directive, a committee has been set up with the Imo State Governor as chairman to study agricultural production in the area, and determine the infrastructural needs of the zone.
For the zone, Ngige said the products would include rice, cassava, horticulture, palm products and allied industry.
On the contribution of the Federal Government, Ngige said (government) would address the infrastructural needs of the zone.
“The government will also assist us with the production and evacuation of agricultural products. It will help in areas like roads, electricity, water and irrigation,” he said.
Asked if the meeting discussed the Anambra political crisis, Ngige said it was not part of the agenda.
“The issue was not raised at all at the meeting. The meeting centred on agriculture, small-scale enterprises and infrastructure. But you can say that you saw Ngige and that he was looking fine,” he said.
Ngige also spoke on other issues after the briefing.
The conversation went thus as given below;
We are surprised at the sitting arrangement. We saw you and Ozichukwu sitting together. Was there a reason for this?
We are talking about the economic development of the South East, so we can sit together. When we want to talk about the political situation, we can sit differently.
Is economic development possible without political stability?
Never mind, we are getting acclimatized with the situation and we are doing our work. The agricultural needs of the place will be taken care of. As a matter of fact, there is no big crisis. The crises are on the pages of newspapers and in the courts. That is where the action is. As for the governance, everything is okay.
What do you say about threat to Uba’s life?
That is in Enugu State, not Anambra state. I have jurisdiction over Anambra State.
Meanwhile, Obasanjo will on Friday in Abuja, meet with South-West governors.
The meeting is expected to discuss problems affecting the agricultural sector.
The Punch, Friday Feb. 6, 2004
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