Today, my good friend, Chief Osita Chidoka, takes the first major step in his journey to Awka as the next governor of Anambra state. Ossy is as PDP as PDP comes. He had served in successive PDP administrations since the return of democratic governance in Nigeria in 1999. As a transportation scholar, trained in one of America’s finest universities, George Mason, Chidoka’s appointment to head the Federal Road Safety Commission as Corp Marshal by the then president, Late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, on the recommendation of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is, arguably, one of the best decisions taken in Nigeria in the past couple of decades. Simply stated, Chidoka revolutionized the FRSC. The FRSC moved from just another ragtag team of uniformed extortioners, with an irritating nuisance and caricature value comparable only to the Nigerian police, to a modern professional federal agency. Having secured the roads as the chief road marshal, it was only fitting that former President Jonathan would elevate Chidoka to a first order ministerial position to secure the air as the Aviation minister, a position he held until change of government in May of 2015.

Chidoka has also been known to have tried to infuse intellectual life into his cherished PDP. He has given lectures; he has presented papers; he has engaged in debates; he has spoken in workshops and seminars – all geared toward salvaging a dying, visionless, and intellectually bankrupt party. His latest effort was his keynote paper in late May at the Obasanjo Global Lecture.

So, Chidoka is as PDP as PDP, in its finest form, goes. He is one of the few good and principled ones. But as the saying goes, you can only ride the horse to the stream, but you cannot force it to drink water. PDP is foundationally, fundamentally, and functionally broken. Rebuilding the PDP would require tearing it down, deconstructing it, de-blooding it; re-blooding it through goal and ideological transfusion, and putting it back together one brick at a time. It is one arduous challenge! It is one daunting task that Chidoka was willing, able, and determined to undertake. But it is also one challenge that the PDP status quo is not ready to meet. Rebuilding the PDP also means cleansing it through a thorough process of de-corruption, and entrenching transparency, merit, and accountability. That would turn out to be completely antithetical to the unwritten but openly secret interest of the PDP establishment. In that effort lies the exposure of far too many corrupt underbellies and intellectually empty nitwits who are in politics for self enrichment. Rather than surrender the PDP to the surgical scalpel, the cabal members would jump ship and swim across the street to the ruling APC. This is the context that fully explains Chidoka’s today’s registration with the United Progressive Party.

I am happy. I am happy because I was beginning to lose faith in Nigeria, especially the Nigerian youth, of which Ossy is one. For over a year, I had been trying to persuade Osita Chidoka out of the PDP. As recently as last two weeks, I had made it very clear to Chidoka that his star in Nigeria’s political firmament would suffer a major eclipse if it continued to reside in the PDP orbit. With Chidoka, I didn’t think I needed to mince my words. He is a friend.

Ossy and I go back to the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. We were next room neighbors in the same dorm, the popular IJ – Kenneth Dike Hall. We were members of the Kenneth Dike Council of Elders where he rose to become the Igwe and Dike of Kenneth Dike Hall – Ogbunechendo. We also served at the same time in UNEC House of Assembly. We were allies in the House. So, even before the wider Nigerian community knew him through his works at the FRSC and the Aviation ministry, I had known him as a principled, disciplined, dedicated, and sound young man. He is articulate; he is kindhearted; he can be curiously idealistic; he sees the possibilities in difficulties; he loves to lead; and he loves his Anambra state. Ossy is also as insightful as he is deliberative. He takes his time to weigh every angle that an issue presents. His decisions have the benefit of careful and thorough thought. I should have known that when I thought that my counsel to him to dump the PDP had fallen on deaf ears. And to assure Nigerians that he is a different kind of politician and leader, with nothing to hide or be afraid of, Chidoka has not joined the ruling APC where other PDP stalwarts go for prosecutorial sheltering. He is the real deal!

So, from Obosi to Agulu, Nnewi to Awka, let the army and ranks of Ositaites grow and let the celebrations begin. Anambra state is about to rewitness a transformational leadership. This is a Peter Obi redux. A young, energetic visionary is what Anambra state needs in Awka. Osita Chidoka should be elected the next governor of the great Anambra State. Ndi Anambra, old and young, men and women and everybody in between, should get to work and move Chief Osita Chidoka from IKE OBOSI to IKE ANAMBRA.

Anambra, Ositadimma!
————
Vitus Ozoke, PhD
Maryland, USA
14 June, 2017

http://ikengachronicles.com/osita-chidoka-and-the-ositaites-from-ike-obosi-to-ike-anambra/

Ndi Anambra have taken a stand already. This time it is one of our own, someone we know in and out, someone who knows the pains of the poor masses because he is very close to the people. We have taken a stand.

Now its the turn of the youths and we are solidly behind Chidoka.