An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Dr. Josef Onoh has faulted a letter by award-winning novelist, Chimamanda Adichie to US President Joe Biden with respect to the 2023 polls.
Onoh noted that Adichie’s letter was in bad faith because of the colossal failure of preferred presidential candidate Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
It was reported that Adichie wrote the American President, chiding him for congratulating President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, arguing the election was flawed.
But Onoh countered that Adichie’s dilemma emanated from her ignorance of the rules of international diplomacy, self-serving interest while attempting to use any medium, no matter how irrelevant to promote her brand.
He explained that Adichie failed to understand that the U.S. has a strategy to prevent conflict and promote stability as a policy which has contained partnership with countries and regional groupings.
The spokesman said he did not expect Adichie in her international clout-chasing acceptance ego trip to have taken time to understand the complexity surrounding international diplomacy.
He said,
“It’s a fact that the US Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability outlines a ten-year, whole-of-government effort to foster peace and long-term stability through integrated diplomacy, development, and security-sector engagement.
“The Strategy builds upon and strengthens the work done to implement the U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security, which has given migrants like Chimamanda Adichie the platform to excel and today demonstrate the liberty to write the US President over the loss of her preferred Presidential candidate in the just concluded 2023 Nigeria elections, while attempting to hide under the guise of an activist fighting for a self perceived collective right rather than accept the reality before her that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the president -elect and incoming president of Nigeria.
“Sadly, the elevated local voice parading under an international umbrella of Chimamanda Adichie, a full supporter of his kinsman and Labour Party presidential candidate who is the third runner up in the presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, is rather used to attack the US president and international diplomacy simply out of frustration that majority of Nigerians has chosen peace over anarchy and which clearly the Obidients cult following has continued to promote since their candidate lost in the presidential polls.”
Onoh wonders when Adichie became interested in Nigeria’s affair when in 2022 she jettisoned and rejected the Nigeria government’s magnanimity of a National Honour but chose to cast aspersion on the country that made her whatever she claims to be now.
“I wish to point out to Chimamanda Adichie that the United States will continue to take a long-term view, working closely with like-minded and committed local partners but not the type of partner her current outburst and contents of her letter to the US president promotes, especially stating unverified statement and allegations without evidence.
“Pursuant to the Strategy, Adichie should know that irrespective of her letter and wild claims contained in it, the US will continue to support stabilization in areas where violence impedes development and threatens U.S. and her partner strategic interests. These efforts will improve lives and livelihoods in the process because it is rooted in a deep and abiding commitment to put diplomacy and shared values first.
“Success will require strong leadership, patience, creativity, and a constructive relationship with the international and local partners. Peace building and conflict prevention are needed now more than ever, and the United States has always looked forward to working with others to create a more peaceful world. Sadly, it’s either that she was carried away by her international recognition as a feminist and writer Adichie failed to understand that every nation must first achieve stability in order to promote democracy.
“But in this case, it’s clear that Chimamanda Adichie’s outburst is clearly self serving as usual to promote herself and image by self advertising and leveraging on any aspects personal or non personal to promote herself and brand. It’s on record that the Labour Party Presidential candidate and third runner-up shares a close relationship with Adichie, both are from Anambra state. He was her former governor; he especially promoted her on his facebook message celebrating her recognition as the “woman of the decade” on 6th February 2020.
“Adichie in turn openly endorsed and promoted his presidency in her publication of 21st July 2022 in various Nigeria newspapers. The same Chimamanda Adichie in her hypocrisy alluding to unverified statements, promoting same to be true to deceive the gullible and international community failed to travel down to cast her vote for Mr. Peter Obi during the presidential election but was quick to rush down to Nigeria to take a chieftaincy title from her village, Abba, in Anambra state.
“I urge the US and UK government and the entire international communities to disregard the content of the letter as allegedly written by Adichie without credible evidence to support her allegations, not limited to the fact that the author is a staunch supporters of the opposition candidate attempting to use her influence to promote and incite negativity against the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu among her numerous social media followers.
“If Adichie still decides to live in denial, let her be assured that Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCON, come May 29th would be sworn-in based on the will and mandate of Nigerians as our President, I kindly ask her to feel free to go and verify,” Onoh countered.
