Ogah: personal attack on Apugo unacceptable

I read with disappointment, drab officialese-cum-ripostes, replete with threadbare clichés from improvised association (SOUTHEAST IN DIASPORA FORUM FOR IGBO PROGRESS) and a handful of Dr Uche Ogah’s cantankerous associates to Chief B.B. Apugo’s uncompromising interview wherein he, not only stated the obvious but also played the devil’s advocate to test Abians resolution for change in 2023.

The Ibeku born APC Board of Trustee member, Chief Apugo, had in the interview – he granted Sun Newspaper’s correspondent- stated unambiguously thus:

“The truth remains that we (APC) had no candidate, the candidate that stood for us, Uche Ogah, was just makeup. He did not come to contest an election.”

He revealed further, “Before the election, he (Ogah) called and told me that it would be better to leave the governorship seat for Okezie Ikpeazu. It was from that time that I kept myself off him. It was not an accident; it was a clear game that Ikpeazu played with the seven APC governorship aspirants; he bought the forms for all of them.”

Forbye the implications, the assertions are weighty. Rather than concinnate cerebral rejoinders, the faceless group supported by a handful of Ogah’s overzealous associates appallingly espoused name-calling to make a public spectacle of the septuagenarian notwithstanding his socio-political stratum

Remonstrating with Chief Apugo for stating the obvious is a bootless adventure. Even if Abians are patsies, they are certainly not blind. They understood body language and Morse code. Before the Chief Apugo’s exposé, myriads of Abians had sought clarifications on why Dr Ogah (paraded as an egghead as well as a solution to all our developmental problems in the build-up to the 2019 gubernatorial election by his promoters) would file his election petition wrongly at the tribunal.

Ogah is not a simpleton, a political newbie or a chump for the so-called PDP cabals. His action at the tribunal further lends credence to Chief Apugo’s assertion. It is a slight on the electorate (who reposed confidence in Ogah) that he, the overzealous aids and the non-existent group deemed it not necessary to explain the lackadaisical tribunal approach.

There has never been a criticism of the government from Dr Ogah. Neither his aids nor the improvised association has ever questioned government policies or condemn its action. Therefore, why addressed Chief Apugo disdainfully for labelling Ogah and other APC aspirants’ betrayals?

It is a shame that no paragraph in their respective plethoric, pompous rejoinders addressed or repudiated Chief Apugo’s assertions. Instead, they transferred frustration and aggression to Dr Alex Otti over Chief Apugo’s allusion that some prominent individuals will soon join the APC as if the party’s gubernatorial ticket is the exclusive right of Ogah.

Without prevarication, let me draw the attention of the attack dogs to Aristotle’s concept of phronesis (practical wisdom). It involves persistently assessing the comparative worth of arguments in the face of decisions and actions.

The best analysis of practical wisdom transpires in the chorus of “The Gambler” (Kenny Rogers) … “You got to know when to hold ‘em / Know when to fold ‘em / Know when to walk away / Know when to run.”

Further unnecessary insult to Chief Apugo is an affront to Ibeku people and highly unacceptable. I urge the attack dogs to trade with caution and henceforth, treat all political matters with issue base responses and desist from name-calling.

Failure to heed to this advice will precipitate a ferocious media war, too difficult to contain. A word to the wise is enough.