It is said in the Bible that a House divided among itself cannot stand. And when two Elephants fight, the grasses suffer. Is that the scenario playing out now in Imo State?
Infact, Imo State is enveloped with the peace of the grave yard. Apart from that, the State is becoming unpredictable every day in terms of happenings. But very painfully, it is a situation where Dog eats Dog.
Since January 14, 2020 the incumbent Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma assumed office, he has faced myriads of problems, which themselves are distractions that have bedeviled Imo State.
Some of them are self-created by the Government, some developed naturally, while some came up as a result of mismanagement.
Senator Uzodinma emerged Governor on the platform of All Progressive Congress APC, but it is shocking and disturbing that 90% of the problems now facing the Uzodinma Administration is caused by his own political family APC.
Although at resumption of office Uzodinma had thought the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP would be his major headache, but it has now become clear that Uzodinma’s albross is APC, his own political party, the All Progressive Congress APC.
At any given time Imo State’s pressure rises, it is usually traced to APC. Every tension in Imo is caused by APC, against its own candidate and Governor.
However, the unfortunate thing about it all is that while Uzodinma battles his party and while his party battles him, the neutral Imo citizens, who are in majority, suffer the consequences of these frequent wars that has reduced Imo State to its knees.
In recent time, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP had faced their business allowing Uzodinma to perform the magic wand that will charge the static condition of Imo State and return smiles on the faces of the masses. But yet the Government will on its own rouse the opposition PDP by accusing it of being the problem hindering Uzodinma from moving the State forward, when the actually clog on Uzodinma’s wheel is his political party APC.
In a bid to remove the seven months Old Government of the PDP and Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha as the Governor, Uzodinma entered an unholy marriage with strange political Bedfellows, only to realize the mistake after he had entered Douglas House.
It was learnt that the combination of Uzodinma, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and Rochas Okorocha facilitated Ihedioha’s ouster with some agreements reached and attached to solidify the political marriage.
Unfortunately, till date, Uzodinma has failed to recognize any loyalists of Araraume and Okorocha, among the plethora of his appointees leaving both men abandoned after the war.
Therefore, pitting himself against Okorocha and Araraume, the Governor has literally murdered sleep. You cannot as a Governor of Imo State, wage war against these all round political Generals and think you can succeed, even when they have their own reason to battle.
No matter what anyone says, I do not believe that Senators Okorocha and Araraume had on Jan 15, 2020, escorted Uzodinma triumphantly back home from Abuja to assume office in Imo State as successor to Emeka Ihedioha just because they are Statesmen or because Ihedioha is a common enemy. Something must have been discussed before they embarked on that journey.
Therefore, it is not a surprise that Okorocha and Araraume are the nemesis confronting Uzodinma yesterday, now and even tomorrow.
Within this week, three developments having the imprimatur of Okorocha and Araraume have rocked Imo State, putting Uzodinma’s Government or its toes.
First was the Federal High Court judgment which said that Araraume is the authentic candidate of APC in the Senatorial bye-election in Okigwe Zone.
Remember that ordinarily, following the political romance that existed between Uzodinma and Araraume prior to Jan 15, 2020, the Governor ought to have supported Araraume for the Okigwe Senate seat. But instead Uzodinma dumped Araraume for a “Green Horn” Chief Ibezim, whom Araraume has now defeated in Court after he was schemed out during the APC primary.
Therefore, that Araraume is going through all these troubles, when he has a Governor he stood by his side to be sworn in on January 15, 2020, certainly will break his heart. And as a known political Tiger who is not shy of political “roforofo” the Senator is out for the battle.
While Imo people were yet to digest the Araraume court outing, an Appeal Court in Abuja vacated a plea by the Chief Marcon Nlemigbo led faction of Imo APC Executive, asking that the Chief Dan Nwafor Executive be declared illegal.
The Marcon Nlemigbo faction is financed by Governor Hope Uzodinma, and was foisted by the APC National Executive led by the now- removed Adams Oshiomhole. And it was this faction that conducted the Imo State APC Governorship primary which produced Senator Hope Uzodinma as the Governorship candidate.
However, the Dan Nwafor Imo APC led Executive is promoted by Senator Rochas Okorocha, which worked for the interest of Chief Uche Nwosu as Governorship candidate of APC, until he later moved to Action Alliance, AA.
While this was still raging, the past elected Imo Council Chairmen and Councillors under the Rochas Okorocha Government, who had won in Court to return to office, called a Press conference where they declared that they are “Returning to office on November 20,2020”. They based their argument on Court judgment and directive “from Above”.
All these are coming from APC against an APC Government, confusing and putting Imo people into a quagmire that has defied political solutions. The question now is; why is APC fighting APC, throwing Imo people into suffering they never envisaged? What did Imo people do to Governor Hope Uzodinma and his political party? Must it continue like this?
However, the unfortunate thing is that the Imo State Government is not ready to engage in any act that will make it look weak. But is that supposed to be the situation?
Rather than ponder over the various issues mitigating against the Government focusing in delivering the goods to the people, the Governor Hope Uzodinma’s Government is acting tough and Hawkish rather than fatherly and accomodating.
This stance is not in consonance with the Governor Uzodinma seen socially as an Easy-Going fellow who would do everything for Imo to remain peaceful and enjoy the elusive posterity his Governor professes to spread.
Without confronting and solving these challenges yet, the Uzodinma’s Government would rather open more war fronts, thereby compounding the problems and courting more distractions which is causing the masses lose hope.
It is the job for every Government in power to use political power to bring everybody together. It does not show weakness. In Biden’s first address to Americans, he said, “I will serve all Americans, including those who voted for me, and those who did not vote for me”.
It is long overdo for Governor Uzodinma to call a reconciliation parley, beginning with his political party, and then extending it to all Imo people.
The present Administration has had more than two Stakeholders meeting, and the same faces Governor sees every day dominate the meeting.
Why can’t Government extend its hands than gathering same old faces who already knows the Governor’s policies. It is better you extend invitation and they were not honoured than a Government in power to be selective in its relationship with the populace. Such meetings are used to bring outsiders together to be intimated with Government’s plans.
Political power is better used to formulate policies that will change the environment for the better and writes such leaders names in gold, than for vendetta or vengeance.
Since political power does not last forever it is my wish that Governor Hope Uzodinma gives more ears to the Doves in his Cabinet than the Hawks.
Chief Achike Udenwa was a benevolent Governor and yet Imo masses obeyed him and he achieved a lot as the pace setter after the military left office in 1999.
Uzodinma should find a way to quench this fire in his party, APC, so that other Imolites can enjoy their lives without the APC disturbances.
The Government should also reduce the number of its war fronts, or else it will spend a heavy chunk of years fighting imaginary enemies while time runs out.
The Government cannot be fighting the citizens it ought improve their livings and protect. it is the duty of Governments to mobilize the strength of the masses for ultimate productions that will improve the problems of the State, and boast the Economy.
The latest news now is plot by the Government to close Local Media Houses in Imo State, using fictitious frame ups in the name of taxes. Media Houses in Imo, after the Government, employ the highest number of staff in the State. Therefore shutting them down in any disguise is to increase the unemployment rate in the State.
Every Government that engages in interface, dialogue and compromise ends well and achieves a lot. But force, which is why the military regime is an aberration in the World, never works.
Every sector is a partaker in an all inclusive system of governance, like Democracy. Since the buck stops on the Table of the State’s Chief Executive, it is now left for Governor Uzodinma to use the benevolent method and rally the people by his side, or use Iron fist and scare away the populace. The options are his.
But then, no Government exists with the people.
