Emeka Jr., the first son of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, has explained why he left the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The son of the late Biafra warlord who spoke to reporters on Friday in Awka, the capital of Anambra State.
He also accused Igbo people of playing what he called ‘emotional politics,’ which, according to him, would not get the ethnic group anywhere.
“Real champions are never afraid of the big league. That could be why the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo asserted that if you cannot reason beyond petty sentiments, you are a liability to mankind. The Nd’Igbo are not better off with emotional politics,” said Emeka who noted that since the Ndigbo supported former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, they should also not be in opposition to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He added that he decided to join APC against the plea by Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State that he should return to APGA because he also shared the philosphy of his late father that the best interest of Nd’Igbo must be taken care of.
He pointed out shortly after his father’s return from exile in 1982, he joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), rather than the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP), which was headed by an Igbo man, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.
“I can afford to stay back (in APGA) and wallow in sentimental politics of nkea bu nkeanyi (this is our own). But in the long run, what becomes of our tomorrow and place in the great Nigeria project, for which our forefathers laboured, invested their time, talent and even their blood?
“Which is preferable: to be a big fish in a small pond or a big fish in the ocean?
“So, while they seek to crucify me for joining APC, they express support and solidarity for the APC leader. Which is worse: to walk the talk or pander to politics of deceit and duplicity? What is the essence of being in a party that would rather support the presidential candidate of another party than choose its own?”