LASTLINE: Uzodimma,Imo APC and Council Election.
By Henry Ekpe
By the the Grace of God, and if the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission, ISIEC does not change its mind,the much hyped and waited Imo Local Government Elections billed for September 21,2024 will become a reality.
As part of the preparations, participating Political parties must produce Candidates to stand for the Elections after the party primaries.
Unfortunately, weeks to the excercise, except for a sprinkle of Candidates said to have emerged from the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, nothing has been heard from other parties in terms of Candidates.
The Labour party LP, had made it clear that it is not getting involved in the elections with reasons given by the party, which include not being sure the excercise will be free, fair and transparent.
Shockingly,the ruling Party, All Progressive Congress, APC which should have shown the way by being ahead other Political parties in preparation, by following the rules of the ISIEC, has not helped matters.
Till date the party has not held her primaries and has postponed the exercise for more than four times,to the confusion and apprehension of its members and Aspirants.
The party has not explained the reason for the constant shifting of the primary dates.
But Political Pundits believe that it was the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma’s frequent trips to Abuja for National assignments that has delayed the APC primary.
Imo APC could not have held her Local Government Election Primaries with the Governor outside the State.
One of the burdens on the Shoulders of the Governor which was the Imo Governship Litigation hurdle has been lifted off with the Supreme Court’s final verdict that Uzodimma is the winner.
The Governor can now settle down and face the APC Election issue which will climax with the polls next month.
Since Uzodimma arrived Imo,activities have started and he has spoken to Imo APC members twice about the Contentious election.
First was at the Government House Chapel. The second time was at the APC State office, Okigwe Road, Owerri.
At the Chapel after a church service thanks giving for his Supreme Court triumph,he warned the Party not to work against Zoning formula in each LGA.
At the party office days after,he pronounced Consensus as the best option to produce the Candidates.
He also included adopting direct or indirect primaries to wriggle out of the tight corner.
But to Observers the two statements look opaque and ambiguous.
This is because there are clear differences between ZONING formula and CONSENSUS, including Direct or Indirect primaries.
While Zoning means the rules must be followed to balance the political equation in each given LGA based on their age long way of sharing Political positions, but Consensus means arriving on immediate acceptable solution based on what is on ground,not minding if it met balancing or not.
Under this scenario the Imo APC Chairmanship and Councillorship primaries have been left on the Altar of the survival of the fittest, lacking in democratic norms,but end justifying the means, with a looming implosion.
It has landed to the prediction many held regarding Imo APC and its ways of doing things.
This prevailing situation has placed the power to produce the Candidates in hands of the Leaders, rendering the delegates and party members comatose.
This was what happened in previous exercises by the party,as it resorted to what many called “Finger Pointing” to produce most of its Candidates in the 2022 Election.
Why the Governor and the Leader of APC in Imo suddenly changed the semantics from “Zoning” to “Consensus”,only God knows.
And To douse tension and appease the soon to be disgruntled Aspirants after the excercise,the Governor promised of refunds to those who would not emerge Candidates in the end.
But with a caveat;
They must behave well from the beginning to the end.
Now the battle has shifted to the Leaders in the LGAs. It has proved to the theory that all Politics is local.
All the Aspirants have Big Cats backing them.
So,it will be a fight to finish by the Leaders which is another battle that will leave a lingering feud among the Leaders.
Did Imo APC not foresee these impending danger when it threw her doors open for legions of Aspirants to obtain forms in Millions of Naira and now speaks about Consensus?
In this election it is predictably clear that whoever emerges Candidate of APC is assumed to have won his/her Election because there is no strong challenge from the Opposition parties.
And it has become a norm for political party in power to clear all local elections in Nigeria.
And this election is happening when the LGAs have gained Financial Autonomy with Humongous Funds expected from Abuja.
This has raised the stakes as even Councillorship positions are no more mean positions.
The Chairmanship race is now saturated with Men and Women with Governorship Qualities.
So,which ever Leader or Group of Leaders who manage to foist a Chairman on a Local Government are in Cosy position as the Kingmaker(s).
And Governor Hope Uzodimma will extremely be interested in the election. It begins from the primary to the end.
This will be the first time he would conduct Local Government election after years in office.
And he may leave Office before these Elected Officers,if their tenures will last Four years.
Imo Governorship seat which will expire in 2027 will not be Uzodimma’s last political outing.
Therefore,these would-be Local Government elected Officers will have roles to play in the life of Uzodimma’s next Political move.
He therefore must be sure that trusted Political allies are elected in the LGAs.
As an experienced Politician,and haven learned from what he passed through these years in the hands of assumed trusted allies,he would take charge directly than relying on proxies.
Infact,Orlu Zone cannot escape Uzodimma’s total scrutiny,even though there are the likes of Senator Izunaso,Rt Hon Opiah, Senator Rochas Okorocha,Chief Uche Nwosu etc.
What if Uzodimma decides to return to the Senate? So,Orlu Zone is very important and must be in the kitty.
In Okigwe and Owerri Zones,the Governor will not have passive interest, too.
He will be sure that trusted followers over saw that axis.
Indications are that the Candidates of the APC will be released next week.
This is wether it was by Zoning, consensus, direct or indirect primaries.
The Candidates must emerge and hit the streets on campaign trail and convince Imo People and the other Political parties that really the Elections must hold on September 21,2024.
The prosecutors may not bother how it pans out so as long as it holds.
