Nigeria returning to impunity era – Ogbonnaya Onu

From IHEANACHO NWOSU, Abuja
Former national chairman of defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has expressed concern over happenings in the country, stating that Nigeria is moving back to the ‘era of impunity’.
He said the crisis in Rivers State was a throw-back to ‘Nigeria’s bad days’, describing the situation as unacceptable.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Onu who is one of the leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC), said the nation was drifting to a dangerous terrain. He alleged that despite the foggy state of affairs, President Goodluck Jonathan was not showing a sign that he could fix the problems.
On the crisis in the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Onu contended that the factionalisation of the party came as a result of the political revolution brought about by APC.
The former governor of Abia State said the strategic positioning of APC, as a credible alternative to the ruling party, hads emboldened those with voices of dissent within PDP to stand up against the party’s leadership and insist on remedying such rights.
He said: “The situation in PDP clearly shows that the party ought to really re-examine itself, understanding that it is the ruling party, with certain obligations to the nation.
“Yes disagreements may come, but do not forget that what is happening in PDP now would never have happened if there had not been APC.”
The former governor said there was justification for Nigerians to sack PDP. He stressed that though there have always been disagreements with the ranks of political parties, PDP not being an exception, but said the current crisis in the ruling party has taken a new shape because dissenting members have a good alternative platform.
“What is happening to the PDP would not have happened if there is not a party like the APC. Members of PDP have been emboldened by the fact that they have an alternative platform, which is equally influential like the PDP with about 11 governors.
“They have always had disagreements but because there was no alternative platform that people can easily go to. At that time, people, who felt unhappy, decided to stay off. However, now, there is a alternative and for the first time in the history of the second republic, there is an opposition party controlling 11 states, the party that has representations in all the six geo-political zones of the country. So, because of the coming of APC, those who are not happy with what is happening in the ruling party can now be more assertive and be able to speak out concerning their rights and if those rights were not respected, they know they can go somewhere else.”