The Magic That Will Send Gov. Okorcha Out Of Douglas House
I have looked at the present political situation in Imo State and found out that what is central in the campaign of many governorship candidates in the state is the fact that the incumbent governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha needs to be voted out for bad performance.
Accordingly, another issue which many have come to agree with is that a person from Owerri Senatorial Zone should be given a chance to rule the state come 29th of May 2015.
Unfortunately, as at present, Owerri Zone with nine local government areas (L.G.A.) has more than ten contestants as against Governor Okorocha who is the only contestant from Orlu Zone that has twelve L.G.A.s.
However, it is still a fact that the Ogboke Ideato-born incumbent governor still has the biggest advantage in the whole contest. This is because he is still enjoying a lot of solidarity especially from the lower echelon of the Imo populace comprising the illiterates, villagers, gullible and ignorant persons. This can be attributed to the deceptive populist policies of the governor.
Unfortunately, the above set of people are thickly populated and are not ready to have any dispassionate consideration to the candidature of any other governorship contestants in the state. Furthermore, it is also a very big advantage that Governor Okorocha now has much money, violent disposition and state power at his disposal.
On the other hand, other contestants do not enjoy the above advantages.
Be that as it may, Okorocha's second term in Imo State will be a complete disaster for the state especially for the political class. Therefore, the only magic for his exit (if the opposition truly want him out) is for people to eschew individual, clannish and party sentiments and support a credible and honest candidate who can easily be accepted by the masses.
Recently, a group known as Owerri Peoples Assembly whose chairman is a frontline leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said that the association had adopted the PDP governorship candidate as the consensus candidate for Owerri Zone.
However, as far as many are concerned, that adoption is not a product of an objective analysis of all the governorship candidates from Owerri Zone. Rather, it is a biased and selfish domestic product by the PDP.
Be that as it may, I have taken my time to x-ray the political environment of Imo State as it is presently. Therefore, I have also looked at all the governorship candidates and their political parties in the state. I have come to say the needful. The PDP is a great force in Imo State but its present strength is not enough to recover Douglas House Owerri from Governor Okorocha. The last time the PDP united to 'win' governorship election in Imo State was in the year 2003 when Achike Udenwa was elected for a second term in office. That was twelve years ago.
However, I have looked at the party in Imo State as it is presently. The party's strength has gone down much because of constant intra-party conflict that culminated in losing grip of the governorship seat of the state. Also, because of its perceived bad governance for twelve years in the state, the party has image and acceptability problem before the Imo electorate and this the leaders of the party have not taken time to repair.
Presently, there are legions of litigation against the emergence of the PDP governorship standard bearer in the state. This shows that the so called big wigs in the party are not really united for this fight. Looking at some of the advertisements many PDP big shots do in the state, they are more committed to President Jonathan's victory than that of their gubernatorial candidate. Some of them are hoping that after President Jonathan emerges victorious in the presidential election, he would come down to Imo to give victory to the PDP in the governorship election. But with the present situation, this is far from reality as the setting in Imo presently cannot guarantee that. Therefore, it is one-man-one-vote.
Executive power is good for the strength of a political party. In the year 2007 a two term senator like Senator Ararume could not defeat the then Governor Udenwa's succession interest. Last year, Deputy Senate President could not also beat Governor Chime's succession interest in Enugu State. This can now show the level the power of a federal law maker can match that of an incumbent state governor.
It has always been my wish and that of many that a candidate from Owerri Zone is supported at this critical point. The issue of zoning is very paramount in this political dispensation as since the year 1999 Orlu Zone has been in power for 12 years while Okigwe under Ohakim had four years. It is the clamour of many that it will be just and equitable to have a governor from Owerri zone to balance the equation.
The only thing that can remove Rochas from the Douglas House is revolution. As I said earlier, I have looked at the governorship candidature of all the political parties in the state. The Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha seems to be a good candidate but I believe he is not the best Owerri Zone can present as a consensus candidate. My reason is that the masses are still annoyed with the PDP in Imo State and it is still too early to root a revolution through that party. Moreover, the PDP candidate is not fully accepted by the party because of the controversy that has been generated by the way he emerged during the 11th November 2014 governorship primary election. Furthermore, the masses see the PDP candidate as a product of the few political oligarchy in the state.
There is a law maxim that says 'He who comes to equity must come with clean hands'. It is the view of many that it will not be fair and equitable for Rt. Hon. Ihedioha to benefit from any zoning arrangement. This is because it is said that the vibrant legislator never respected the zoning understanding the people of Ngor-Okpala L.G.A. had with the people of Aboh Mbaise over the occupation of Aboh Mbaise/Ngor-Okpala Federal Constituency. This gentleman's understanding is said to have been thwarted several times as Hon. Ihedioha held unto power in the area more than was agreed.
In the present political dispensation also, when his party the PDP zoned the position of the Speaker to South West, Hon. Ihedioha also conspired against his party which saw the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the country going to the north. Today, his co-conspirator Aminu Tambuwal has further conspired and dumped the PDP for an arch rival party the All Progressives Congress (APC). This has brought anarchy to the green chamber of our National Assem,bly as its Speaker is in the APC while his deputy is in the PDP.
Furthermore, Rochas has plunged Imo State into heavy indebtedness that the state will servicing huge debt profile from the 29th of May 2015 till 25 year. Therefore, the state does not need a typical politician whose primary duty will be to appropriate the little allocation that will be coming into the state after deductions for the said loans obtained by Governor Okorocha. But it will need an economic expert and administrative technocrat in wealth creation who can dramatically create a blossoming economy for the state on the short run to make up with the dwindling revenue that will accrue to the state.
With all due respect, I have looked at the profile of Hon. Ihedioha. His profile is rich with much of political appointments and legislative experience and non for wealth creation. He has been on the pay roll of his country for 25 years and if voted for two terms, it will make him 33 years in political position. He may be good but the state needs the best at this critical point in time to recover it from economic down turn.
Be that as it may, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is an Igbo based political party that has grass root appeal.. It is a party any Igbo can easily claim. It is a party that revolution can easily be sponsored with. In the year 2007, in order to stop Senator Ararume, Achike Udenwa and other PDP bigwigs in the state aligned with APGA and it was a smooth and easy victory for Chief Martin Agbaso. Though that victory was later unjustifiably aborted but in 2011, the party was also used by many stakeholders in the state to send Ohakim out of Douglas House.
In Imo today, I believe that the only alliance that can send Owelle backing is for all stakeholders (especially the PDP) to still use the same Igbo movement APGA. It is even more incumbent on the PDP to do so especially as APGA has shown good faith by officially adopting the PDP presidential candidate on two occasions. Therefore, I do not see anything bad if the party pays back the good faith especially this time one of their former members who looks more credible than what the other political parties parade. Moreover looking at the person of the APGA governorship candidate Capt Emmanuel Ihenacho, one will see maturity, integrity, competence and experience in him. When I read his profile and that of his many companies, I do not think there should be any doubt that he is the best among all equals who can reposition the economy and development of the state as expected like in Anambra under Peter Obi and under Governor Willie Obiano.
Therefore, Imo state will not afford to exist under the devastating and lawless claws of Rochas Okorocha again and the only way to stop him is to do the needful.
Barr. Emperor N. Iwuala, 08037247295