Frontline rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) this morning hailed the key figures in the crisis that ravaged the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for sheathing their swords and embracing peace.

In a statement issued this morning in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State in South-East Nigeria, Intersociety hailed Governor Peter Obi, governor and APGA National Chairman Victor Umeh for sealing a peace agreement yesterday in Awka, the state capital.

The group said that with the reconciliation, hope has dimmed for “the criminal political class from staging a disastrous come back to Anambra politics.”

Intersociety however called for everyone, including factional National Chairman, Barrister Maxi Okwu, and others elected with him during the April 8 National Convention in Awka “to be fully integrated and carried along at all times.” Below is the text of the statement entitled “Intersociety Thanks Obi & Umeh Over Reconciliation” and signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman of the Intersosiety Board:

The news of reconciliation of differences between Mr. Peter Obi, governor of Anambra State and Mr. Victor Umeh, chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, is a welcome development to us at International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law. The reconciliation, which took place yesterday- July 29, 2013, is also in line with our strong belief in alternative dispute resolution approach as opposed to self-help and litigation approaches especially in matters of civil disputes. Under our Peace & Security Program, ADR is strongly advocated for.

It is recalled that we had on 16^th of July 2013, written the duo and asked them to reconcile their differences in the interest of Igbo nation and sustenance of democracy and good governance in Anambra State. A similar letter was sent to them in 2012. Our moves are powerfully supported by our Democracy & Good Governance Program. It is important to point out that the unique nature of Nigeria’s democracy is such that has produced “vibrant political machinery” and “the electorates”. In Anambra State of Nigeria, vibrant political machinery is a counter-force to malevolent political godfatherism with the latter having potentials to drift back to the former unless it is properly nursemaid(ed) at all times. Political party game in Nigeria is usually described as “madness of many for the interest of the few”. This is because political machinery in the country is solely controlled by political parties.

That is to say that the choice of the electorates is restricted to polling boots. When political machinery is hijacked and controlled by political criminal gangs, electorates have no choice than to elect one of the criminals as their next leader. Political criminals thrive in a society with limited formal education and social consciousness. In such an environment, “psychology of politics” becomes a powerful instrument and weapon of deceit and confusion in the name of “political campaign and promises”. Credible polls are more than election monitoring. Vibrant pro-democracy and rights NGOs must advocate against seizure of political machinery by political criminals and ensure that it is in the hands of political saints and agents of positive social change at all times. This is our main ground of calling for reconciliation so as to save the Ojukwu-fathered party from extinction and prevent criminal political class from staging a disastrous come back to Anambra politics.

A political criminal is a plunderer; an evil voodooist; an educated illiterate; a maniac of party politics; a brigand and State terror; a serial womanizer and immoralist; a visionless and non-creative leader; a propagandist; a serial borrower and dependant on statutory fiscal allocations; and a person of bankrupted integrity with penchant for thievery who cannot attract a dollar from international development agencies. His or her purposes of seeking public office are crudely for power, women, false social titles and adoration and profligacy. Through “psychology of politics”, he or she brainwashes “many” for his own selfish interest and that of his or her minute followers and supporters. In a socially uninformed society, such a leader is canonized.

A political saint and agent of positive change is the opposite of the forgoing and a later day saint. In good governance, he or she is politically and fiscally prudent, responsible, accountable and transparent.

As a pro-Igbo rights group, we are mindful of the need at all times to join hands in protecting what is our own. This is very important especially now that the Igbo Southeast Nigeria is facing challenges of survival in the hands of her major federating partners especially the Hausa-Fulani and the Yoruba of Southwest. While the race is being steadily exterminated by the north, it faces fierce media warfare and other socially discriminatory policies from the Southwest. In the eyes of our Southwest counterpart, “Igbo geniuses are evils that must be crushed”, while her clowns and charlatans are “saints who must be adored and celebrated at all times in the Yoruba media”.

We thank the duo of Mr. Peter Obi and Mr. Victor Umeh for coming together again. We also thank Their Lordships and other concerned Igbo sons and daughters including Mr. Raphael Uwazuruike of MASSOB and Mrs. Bianca Onoh-Ojukwu for their historic roles in settling the differences. It is our call that all the group-members of the Ojukwu-fathered party including Barrister Maxi Okwu and his NWC members should be fully integrated and carried along at all times.

•Photo shows Obi (seated) and Umeh at a public event.

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