NDI ANAMBRA, CHASE THEM, CHASE THEM (CRAZY RIGGERS) AWAY!

Elochukwu Afoka

As February 6, 2010 draws nigh―the supposed day for the wananchi of Anambra to exercise their franchise in order to determine who governs them for next four years, there seems to be this foreboding feeling: that a coterie of unscrupulous elements are very much at the corners of the state to deny the people of that fiefdom their inalienable right to determine who governs them. The specter, very much writ large, as I ferreted out, in one on one interlocution with the people of the state, is not far from being in tandem with the latest interception of some vehicles in Okija en route to only–God–knows–where, laden with electoral materials. I am very certain that our people,  with every weapon in their arsenal, will this time around chase these crazy riggers away from the enclave known as “Anambra”―I, even I, will join forces with the cherubim and seraphim to cast out the demons!

The die is truly cast. Campaigns from all indications are in the top gear. Gallup polls have been conducted and being conducted every day. Even from London, one Dr. Jideofor, Soludo apologist, conducted a Gallup poll, touting Soludo as standing shoulder high above other aspirants. As if that was not enough, another organization which claimed is Abuja–based also released their result―Ngige, they say, is the most favored, followed by Peter obi of All Progressive Grand Alliance. If I am allowed to pitch in my own contribution, I will hastily conclude that crazy riggers are once again at large. Why? It is simply because the aforementioned Gallup polls cannot, by any stretch, pass muster as reflecting, in reality, the opinion of the Ndi Anambra.Lets put these things into perspective: The man called Dr. Jideofor is verifiably a soludo apologist who is based in London. Before conducting the opinion poll, he wrote an article titled, Between Soludo, Obi and Ngige .In the article which was published in www.ukpakareports.com, Jideofor concluded that soludo was the candidate to beat even when campaign has not started. Again, Dr.jideofor did not come to Anambra state to conduct the so–called opinion poll, but on the contrary, stayed in the comfort of London to ken who and who was in support of who and who. Dr. Jideofor alleged he got to ken who and who was in support of who and who via the net. The questions are: How do we and jideofor know that the people he met via the net are Ndi Anambra? How many eligible voters in Anambra visit the internet? The point is that I am dismayed by the brazen dishonesty of this man because I never believed that people who obtained western Education in the western countries could indulge in such a barefaced fibbing. Dr. Jideofor is undoubtedly a crazy rigger writ large!

In the same vein of the London jideofor, the Abuja–based group concluded that Ngige is the most favored―what a blatant lie! In all fairness, I am tempted to submit that the Abuja group was close to the truth. At least, their own result suggested that the election in Anambra, as I write, has been narrowed to a contest between two aspirants―the incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Obi of All Progressive Grand Alliance, and Dr. Chris Ngige of Action Congress. Be that as it may, to rank ngige higher than Obi is their undoing. As I write, the opinion poll between Ngige and Obi, I am tempted to submit, is too close to call. But Obi seems to be having an upper hand (though at the moment) in the wake of platform (APGA), his phenomenal performance and incumbency. The problem with the Nigerian establishment, notably the Abuja group (whether Igbo or non Igbo knowing fully well that some Igbos are pimps and puppeteers of northern and federal establishment) is that they are suffering from “paranoia”― APGAPHOBIA. They abhor whatever APGA stands for which is captured in Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu`s statement: “to your self be true”. And for an igboman to be true to himself is to be in Ojukwu`s Igbo phraseology: “igbogboligbo”.That is to say that one is a thorough going igboman both in thought and action. In the recent time, it means to be a thorough going “biafran” both in thought and action. And this is what APGA symbolizes:”Igbo renaissance and liberation now or never”! The point to note here are: that the Soludo`s jideofor and Abuja group is the same person in variegated garb: all geared towards the denudation and decimation  of Igbo, APGA, and whatever they stand for―to rig out APGA in Anambra state as they did in 2003 and 2007! Crazy riggers, they are at the corners!

The tell tale signs that riggers are poised again to deprive the people their constitutional right to elect  who governs them did not stop with the biased and slanted Gallup polls. The most worrisome is the shoddy shenanigan of the misnamed Independent National Electoral commission headed by one morally bankrupt Iwu. INEC has been known as an organization versed in conducting fraudulent polls. This organization that is known for wuruwuru to use a local sobriquet, as a matter –of–factly, seem not set,  to conduct an election free from electoral heist  in Anambra state. Today, you hear that INEC has sacked ten of its workers for manipulating voter’s register. The next day, INEC has sacked eight workers for the aforementioned reason. The most recent is the interception of a vehicle laden with electoral material in okija, Anambra State. Iwu has swiftly denied any wrongdoing. All these make feelers to have this premonition ―a hunch― and it is true, that crazy riggers are very much at large in the nooks and crannies of Anambra State.

But it is pertinent―or most important―to remind the eaters of flesh and drinkers of blood that Ndi Anambra will this time not allow their sense of resistance to be blunted―or lulled― into accommodating or accepting anything for election. We are aware that the battle is between Peter Obi and Ngige and anything short of this, comes from the evil one and must be resisted with the last drop of our blood―a battle to the last man! I therefore urge our people to rise to the challenge to torpedo the political principalities and powers who are battle ready to attack what defines our being―Our dignity as a people. Let the weak arise, let the strong arise! Let the Old arise, let the young arise! Let the rich arise, let the poor arise! Yes, the market woman must synchronize with the market man― the civil service man must synchronize with the civil service woman― to chase the rascals away. Ndi Anambra chase them; chase these crazy riggers away from your enclave, for after this war, the war against rigging shall no longer be fought in Igboland―Anambra. It shall be fought in the ghettos of Lagos; it shall be fought in the motels of Kano; it shall be fought in the harbors of Porthacourt and the rest of northern and western hemisphere of Nigeria.

Afoka Elochukwu is 28 years Ph.D student

Of philosophy, Nigeria.

08039229982.