Valentine Ozigbo And The Challenge Of Character

It’s funny that Valentine Ozigbo should be challenging the election via the back door. He accepted the results and didn’t go to the tribunal, congratulated Soludo but now wants to see if he can use another “technical” window to resurrect his dead ambition. When he congratulated Soludo, everyone cheered that he was following the statesmanly footsteps of Soludo who similarly congratulated Peter Obi in 2010 and walked away. So far everyone in PDP has congratulated Soludo— the chairman and DG of his campaign accepted defeat; his godfather Peter Obi and entire PDP in Anambra congratulated the winner. Anambra and indeed the entire Nigeria have been celebrating the election outcome.

For Ozigbo, it is a test of character. Nothing reveals the true character of a person than adversity. He still can’t believe that he won only in one local government and just 40% of Soludo’s votes—- Even in his own local government, he secured abysmal 19%, totally run over by Soludo. He secured 25% only in a handful of local governments— without even one of the conditions to be declared winner. Anambra people roundly rejected him, even in his godfather’s local government. Everyone expected him to join hands with Soludo. With his zero experience in public service, Soludo could give him an opportunity to grow and perhaps still run for another office in the future. Note that he lost in ALL the local governments in his senatorial zone.

Deception and double-face are part of the loathsome character of some street urchins parading as politicians. We thought that Valentine could be different. Sadly, we are learning better! Andy Uba is proving to be a better character. Can you imagine the comparison? At least Uba is man enough to come out frontally to pursue his ill-fated legal challenge. Valentine Ozigbo would rather present the now infamous Greek smile in the day while viciously working in the dark to steal the election. He wasn’t even man enough to put his name but hiding under “PDP” when everyone knows the sleepless nights he spent marauding around—-what a slimy, vicious crook!

Some lawyers and “advisers” have positioned to take full advantage of Valentine’s desperation, and they are determined to bury him politically. Tragic! The Appeal Court today gave Valentine a bloody nose, and more disgrace to follow. Hopefully it won’t be late for him to realize that the election is won and lost. God has spoken on the Anambra election and the people are rejoicing…

– Mazi Ejimofor Opara writes from Awka, Anambra State.

Alinnor Arinze