Sir, can we meet you officiaiiy?
I am Chief Mike Ikenna, Ahamba, KSC, SAN, (Ugo Lorji). I am a native Lorji in Aboh Mbaise LGA of Imo State. I am a lawyer a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). I am happily married with children.
May we know more about you Chief
Well, I have already told you I am a lawyer. But if you insist, I will say that I come from the family of Late HRH Eze S.M Ahamba (M.O.N), The Orji of Lorji. Retired politician and
teacher, author and musician. My mother Ugoeze M.O. Ahamba (also late) was a retired Headmistres and community leader.
I attended University of Nigeria where I trained as a lawyer, and was called to the Bar in 1974. I did my NYSC in Ogoja in the then South Eastern State (Now Cross River) between 1974- 1975. I was Minority Chief Whip, Imo House of Assembly between 1979-1983. I am a Knight of St. Christopher (KSC) among so many other honours and Awards I have received in the past.
You are aspiring for the governorship seat of Imo
State. What is the motivation, I mean the impetus?
For years, even decades, I have openly advocated for what I felt ought to be without getting success. I am seeking an opportunity to see whether I can see those things done personally because I know they are possible. I intend to catalogue some of those things soon. Just to mention one of those my passions: I do not see why Imo citiziens should be allowed to suffer by being sentenced to poverty and intrafamily farming by refusing to pay such citiziens their pension and gratuities after 35 years or more of honourable, patriotic services to the nation. My heart bleeds for this situation because unless it is checked, the possibility of breeding genuine
patriots in this country and checking corruption in the public service will remain a mirage.
We shall talk about others at the appropriate time.
So Chief, why do you think you will win in 2015
because so many people see you as an angel in the midst of dirty politicians?
I am not our Lord Jesus Christ, but we’re thought to follow his ways. And he did not come for the righteous. Consequently, if by the grace of God you see me as an angel in the circumstance of our time, my place is the place where we say the sinners are, and by the grace of God. I can turn most of them from sinners to angels. Please note that I do not believe I am the only angel in politics, I am only swelling their ranks.
What will be your slogan if given the PDP guber
ticket?
My own Slogan is simple/ Operation Salvage Imo’ before the ghastly accident of 2011 turn into fatality. I will offer Imo people democracy based on socio- political realities of their time. In addition, I will give them free qualification that is based on the truth.
Other packages on free and qualitative education will be unfolded soon.
Sir, What will your programme on IGR look like?
My programme on the Internally Generated Revenue of the state will not include double taxation which is rife in Imo State and other states of the federation.
All that I’m going to do is centered on equity, fairness, transparency, accountability and dedication to duty.
Your take on the Imo Charter of Equity
Imo Charter of Equity is an agreement of honor between brothers and sisters ie, emenyere nwogwugwu, emenyere nwanosike. Imo Charter of Equity is in the interest of Justice and Equity and is aimed at balancing the political equation in the state.
Owerri zone should be allowed to take a shot at the governorship seat since other zones have had more than 8years while Owerri zone has just tasted power for less than 2 years. Fairness demands that in the spirit of being your brothers keeper, the other two zones who have had more than 8 years should allow their brothers who haven’t had like them to
produce the next governor.
Where you there when the one term agreement with
Gov. Okorocha was reached?
Talking about the agreement, I was not party to it and did not sign it at all.
Can the constitution over rule Charter of equity?
Although equity follows the law, equity is not law but fairness. Zoning is democratic depending on how it is used. If all of us decide that 29 of May every year, will be observed as ‘Democracy Day’, it will stand if it is the peoples consent and it will continue to stand.
Moreover, where equal right exists by any of the political parties, it is also democratic. So, if in the present circumstance, it is the legal right of the Okigwe and Orlu zones to produce candidates, they decide to relinquish it in deference to amity and Justice to their brothers and sisters from Owerri zone who have never had a chance of one single term, it is democratic. We are not forcing anybody but we are only saying that it is not fair to prevent Owerri zone not to produce the governor in a situation where they have candidates credible and competent.
Is impeachment constitutional?
This is the response to the prevailing attitudes of governors these days that they can do what they like. I have always believed and expected that one day questions will be as ked, and now questions are being asked. Somebody said only non PDP governors are being impeached. Was there no time only PDP Governors were being impeached? Why didn’t they raise such question then? If the House of Assembly fails to do their job sometime and now they suddenly wakeup to do it, what is wrong about it? I’ m surprised that some people are parochially complaining about the impeachment proceedings without asking why none of the people being impeached did not say I did not do it.
In the case of Jude Agbaso, the former Deputy Governor of Imo State, he publicly raised his hands before the press and declared that if he committed the offence that he was accused of, let all his children die the sameday. This same people who are complaining now did not raise a voice now there is admission by silence.
