Prof. Protus Uzorma And Imo PDP 2015
The 6th Century Sage, Aesop, in one of his fables narrated that once, “The north wind and the sun were disputing which was the stronger, and agreed to acknowledge as the victor whichever of them could strip a traveller of his clothing. The wind tried first. But its violent gusts only made the man hold his clothes tightly around him, and when it blew harder still the cold made him so uncomfortable that he put on extra wrap.
Eventually the wind got tired of it and handed him over to the sun. The sun shone first with moderate warmth, which made the man take off his topcoat. Then it blazed fiercer, till, unable to stand the heat, he stripped and went off to bathe in a nearby river.
Both the northern wind and the sun are natural forces that tortured the traveller- One with force and the other with persuasion. Yet, the two joined together, makes for ambidexterity in political partyism, especially during electioneering epochs. In less than one month time, the PDP primaries will take place, which are the era when the northern wind has to lance its phase one force. These party primaries are the most delicate periods for every political party; as it entails individualistic efforts (when seemingly, each Party to somewhat declares to everyone: “To your tents oh Israel”- 2 Samuel 20:1) and thus an internal struggle and strife to be successful as the Party's flag and ticket bearer in the elective position. But the outcome of these primaries would go a long way to either scatter the Imo PDP Household or still hold it intact. This is because the primaries are also ample opportunities for the opposition parties to extend their ready hands of amity and sympathy to draw, embrace and assuage “aggrieved” aspirants, especially if the electoral process is marred by unfairness, imposition, unjustified intrigues, anomalies and frauds of varied sorts. It takes God, and both the State and National PDP leaders, as well as President Jonathan to calm and assuage the “situations” as it will be very disastrous and critical for the general elections ahead. This is coupled with the fact that the more gubernatorial candidates that bought the forms, the more proper and personalised structures are formed, and by the Nigerian political culture and custom of the winner wins all and the looser looses all- The unsuccessful will surely either sulk in grieves and in indifference (and thus rest resuscitating while being on the fence) or with over-ambitiousness quits the party for another one; for proper accommodation with their entire structures like the snails and their shells.
History is certainly cyclic! Can the Imo PDP avoid a repetition of the 2007 party primaries, events and so on; as almost all the key actors then are in the theatre again for the show? Will there be another flag bearer different from the thicket bearer? Or will there be a fast inner-house arrangement for a consensus candidate as in 2011? If there will be, will the zoning palaver be considered? If there will be consensus candidate, will the PDP succeed at all as an almost-called consensus candidate caused great grievances that collaborated with other intrigues and factors that destroyed the party's power grip in the State in 2011? The issue of zoning, which Prof Protus Nathan Uzorma initially hammered on, will it not tear the Imo PDP household apart during and immediately after the primaries next month? Will there be swift and prompt reconciliatory moves to put the house in order immediately after the primaries in order to fight common enemies? Is the zoning still relevant today for the Imo PDP? If it does, is it truly wise for an opposition party- being not in power to zone the governorship position that it has not yet grabbed and then contest for it, or better to find those (Governorship and Deputy Governorship) candidates whose wind-force and sun-beam can perfectly form unshakable and unbeatable synergy to wrestle power out of the hands of the incumbent and thereafter in joy for success, sit to zone and rotate power? Who are “those” (Governorship and Deputy Governorship wind-force and sun-beam) that can wrestle the power out? Has the Imo PDP as a household given it a good thought before the impeding primaries?
These speculations and series of thought-provoking questions are not mere rhetoric but very necessary for the Imo PDP household to answer now and thus respond in perspective planning to the challenges ahead.
Certainly, it was Owerri Zone that massively voted Ohakim out in 2011 and returned the Power to the regular Orlu Zone. Certainly, this 2015, same Owerri Zone has risen to take back the Power from the State's most regular, and has featured excess gubernatorial aspirants for same position. In the PDP alone, one could count up to 20 gubernatorial aspirants; knowing too well that too many hands spoil the soup. Certainly also, in 2011 the wind came from the West- Orlu Zone and compelled its force on the ruling PDP and its Orlu-Zone betting brother- the Sun, shone fiercely from the office of a University Don- Prof Anthony Anwuka, and their synergic energies and strategies threw both the then incumbent Governor and the Imo PDP to forceful bathing, stripping off their clothes in the public.
Today, history murmurs repetitive recitations and rehearses mimes for final public outing. Today, the APGA-led State Government that was transmogrified to APC-led Government, being in power and feeling self-conceited like the PPA-led State Government turned to PDP-led Government in 2007 to 2011 that later failed woefully, is sure of making it again as the then Incumbent Governor was before the Youths' and Owerri-Zone's revolts; being in reins of power and relaxing with bulged strenuous muscles and believing in brutal strength and money-politics. Today again, the sun has risen in its cyclic nature and shines brilliantly from the office of another University Don- Prof Protus Nathan Uzorma, from same Orlu Zone, more motivating, strategising and Imo-PDP-lly universal than his brother that made it for Owelle Okorocha in 2011; who has today become a big political mountain and bourgeois in the State. The new and cyclic sun has insistently shone moderate beams and all are taking off their topcoats even before the general elections.
I doubt if today, Prof Protus in his universal motivations for the Imo PDP still believes in the zoning as he priory opined. But all-embracing PDP I know he is, though he still hides his specific political ambition. Could he be eyeing the SSG like his colleague and Orlu-Zone brother, Prof Anthony Anwuka or what? I doubt if he has any specific gubernatorial aspirant in mind other than he or she that God finally manipulates the long and strong claws of destiny to favour as the 2015 PDP gubernatorial ticket and flag bearer in the State.
Recently, a source closer to him revealed that many apex gubernatorial aspirants from opposition parties incessantly and on daily basis, seek and determined to lure him to their sides. Though Prof Uzorma is a man of stable decision, he still concentrates and toils for the Imo PDP. Great many humans never know the magnitude of what they have until it is no more. Then, the best claims to such usually are- 'I used to have, he was once' which are never progressive possessions and progressive existence. Is it how the Party will stand the primaries and after it win elections? The central eyes of the PDP in Imo State is now on delegate elections while inner house-clique efforts are done on daily basis on who becomes what after the primaries untoward the gubernatorial election and the PDP's subsequent certain reclaim of the Douglas House, without thinking of how and who are best candidates to be fronted at what apex positions now and immediately after the primaries, so that campaigns and house harmonisation could kick off.
The French national leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, once said that: “Men who have changed the universe have never gotten there by working on leaders, but rather by moving the masses. Working on the leaders is the method of intrigue and only leads to secondary results. Working on the masses however, is the stroke of the genius that changes the face of the world.” The Imo PDP primaries entail working on the leaders, which yields to secondary results- The Pre-grand Victory: The Gubernatorial Party Flag and Ticket Bearer, but the primary results- The gubernatorial election in se: The Governorship election, entails working on the masses, which needs the stroke of the genius and masses motivator.
For more than 2 years now, the Orlu Zone-born University Don and genius has been shining ceaselessly; gathering the aged, women, civil servants and mostly Imo Youths without intrigues and deceit but determined to vouch for their welfare. Today, the entire Imo Youths in trans-party states flock to him for succour and rescue; fully assured that with him their massive youth dilemma in the State will be over come 2015. It is interpretative, (if our society is not just today a twitter following one, and that it follows analytically events and strategies) that these cravings for succour and belief in his redemptive force for their fortunes in life, made the Orlu Zone Youths to collectively make him, Prof Protus Uzorma, the Mayor of Orlu Zone to the envy of Gov. Okorocha who later went on air to take the glory. Similarly, the National Association of Imo State Students (in their various chapters) have him today as their Grand Patron; just as the entire Imo Youths in trans-party coalition in a fortnight ago made him the Imo Youths Mayor, assuring that wherever he is, there they too will be.
The implication of this is that since the youths (male and female) constitute about 60% of the electorates' age and suffrage, and have grand forces in their houses, communities and leagues, such a man as Prof Uzorma being clamoured for to lead them, need not be toyed with, not even with the apparent internal brutish intrigues and bitterness that kill the PDP at every electoral epoch. Instead, he should be pleaded with by the Imo PDP to know if he could continue as Aesop's Sun and join than bet who is stronger with the northern wind- The PDP gubernatorial ticket and flag bearer to bend the rod of opposition in the State, as the biblical Proverb says: “Only iron can bend iron.” Certainly with the entire Imo Youths behind their Mayor, including his media admirers- The civil servants, self-employed, politicians, and students, his outstanding beam will with the PDP ticket and flag bearer throw Rochas Okorocha and his bourgeois-sun to Afghanistan that Rochas swore in 2010/11 to and Chief Ohakim and the Imo PDP; which he eventually did.
The Latin adage- Nemo dat quod non habet-Nobody gives what he does not have, stands truthful to Prof Protus Uzorma's popularity, and the youths and women followership to his leading. It is his most sincere devotion to the affairs and wellbeing of the youths and women in all works of life that makes both youths and women flock to him. This popularity was the basis of his being singled out in the State by the entire youths' structures, to be their spokesman. It is left for the Imo youths to remain elastic in their zeal and decision till the end, sustaining further their synergy and fight for their rights in the forthcoming 2015 general elections in the State, in all levels and arms of government.