Recently, Senator Ben Obi was appointed the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs by President Goodluck Jonathan. Coming on the heels of his recent conferment with the national honour of CON, the new assignment is not only deserving but yet another opportunity to test Obi's character and the trust earned over the years.BESPECTACLED, heavily bearded and often expressionless, a cursory look at him from the distance may paint him as one difficult to relate with. But a more intimate contact brings him across as humane, humble and easy-going in nature. Added to these values is his dogged determination in pursuing any cause for which he has conviction. That is the quintessential Chief Ben Obi, the Ojeligbo Ozi, Okwulora Umunya, and the Agbawodike Izu of Enugu-ukwuWithout doubt, these qualities are the key factors that have continued to endear him to the hearts of many across religious, political and ethnic divide.And his recent appointment by President Goodluck Jonathan as the Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs attests to his panache and astute organizational and managerial abilities.Standing tall among many equally qualified peers, Obi's sojourn into Nigeria's political sphere began in the late 70s, precisely in 1978, when as one of the founding members, he became the Acting National Secretary of the Nigerian Advance Party. In the same year, he was elected National Publicity Secretary of the same party. During the 1990s, he identified staunchly with the Social Democratic Party (SDP). In 1995, he was also a founding member and one-time Acting National Secretary of the Congress for National Consensus (CNC).During the military era, he established a good working relationship with the top military brass at the time, using his place to broker a lot of deals for his people. In fact, the title of Ojeligbo Ozi (the ambassador of the Igbos) given to him came due to his interpersonal skills, which he largely used to the Igbo advantage. Needless to add that he was a close confidante of the late warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu.In the post military politics of the late 1990s, his enviable persona made sure he was still relevant, as he emerged the first National Secretary of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). And when the ANPP ambivalently opted to collapse into the PDP, Obi found himself appointed as Special Political Adviser to the National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau.In 2003, he took a major decision that would later mark his political career. He returned home to contest a senatorial seat. Though he won unopposed, some irregularities later played out and his return certificate was withheld for close to two years. But he never resorted to any unlawful means of reclaiming his mandate. Unlike most politicians, he maintained faith in the judiciary with avowed determination and sought redress according to ethical and constitutional provisions till he was officially returned and sworn in.While at the Senate, Obi worked spiritedly with SenatorUche Chukwumerije, Yari Gandi and Ken Nnamani to stem President Obasanjo's third term bid, though at a high political cost to his career. He however earned the admiration and respect of most Nigerians with his heroics.Obi is a man who has displayed rare virtues of humility, courageousness, steadfastness and shrewdness in the discharge of his duties. This was also reflected in his handling of the impasse that surrounded his election into the Senate in 2003.His professional, unbiased and humane approach to issues has continued to attract accolades from various quarters.In a democracy, the place of political parties is integral. This is why the onerous responsibility of coordinating and regulating inter-party affairs fits no other person than amiable Obi, the Ojeligbo Ozi.The two concurrent features of competition and co-operation among political parties is one that needs to be regulated to forestall any bad blood, and President Jonathan in his wisdom saw in Obi a veritable asset for the job.The wealth of political muscle and experience Obi has garnered over the years should come in handy as he attempts to use his office to streamline party affairs, while at the same time acting as a whistle-blower to the activities of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party. The overall result will, of course, be the entrenchment and sustenance of our hard-won democracy.It is cheering that President Jonathan is set to use a seasoned hand like Chief Obi to assuage the belligerent CPC/Buhari faction, the mainstream North who are disgruntled by his presidency, the Ndigbo who feel betrayed and sidelined, and of course, the rumblings around his home region of the Niger Delta.Coming on the heels of his conferment with the national honour of CON, this worthy assignment is however a call for awareness and alertness on Obi's part in order not to taint his character and or lose the trust earned over years.
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