Political office aspiration in Imo may not be a like pool-betting game, where the gamblers normally rely on certain permutations to succeed.
The race for who emerged Imo State Governor since our nascent democracy debuted in 1999, has always had a different dimension, with unique attributes, where unsung heroes become victorious at the end of hostilities. Contrary to popular expectations that wave-making candidates are favourites, unassuming contenders have always found their way into Douglass House the seat of power, in Government House, Owerri.
In 1999, Chief Achike Udenwa’s emergence as PDP gubernatorial candidate and eventual winner of the contest was a surprise package to keen observers of Imo politics during that era. In the PDP fold, Barr Humphrey Anumudu, our present Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and Chief Greg Mbadiwe were front runners and highly favoured to clinch the ticket. Unexpectedly, the PDP went the other way as the relatively unknown Udenwa came from the rear to become party’s candidate and eventual winner against a popular Dr Ezekiel Izuogu of APP. Forces that shaped the 1998/99 PDP primaries and election that threw up Udenwa is not the subject of
discussion today, therefore, that details should be kept for another day for extensive commentary.
After completing his eight-year reign and obeying the constitutional regulation of quitting the number one office in Imo in 2007, processes leading to Udenwa’s succession were dicey and an interesting scenario to behold. Senator Ifeanyi Ararume never hid his desire to become the Chief Executive of the state when he began underground moves to achieve his dreams moments after Udenwa was re-elected in 2003. Before the 2007 general election gathered momentum, the Senator who as at that moment represented Okigwe Zone in the Senate had mobilized several politicians and secured the support of meaningful stakeholders in the state to realize his ambition. Despite his popularity within the PDP family, his ambition gave rise to skirmishes that later polarized the PDP in the state into what was known as “Abuja” and “Onongono factions”. While Ararume was guber candidate of Abuja faction, Chief Ike C. Ibe and others enjoyed the support of Udenwa led-Onongono against the likes of Ararume when the tide favoured Okigwe Zone for Imo Guber. When the “powers that be” in PDP, orchestrated by President Olusegun Obasanjo displaced the party’s ticket bearer, Ararume, Chief Ugwu was handed over the ticket. Piqued by the action, Ararume sought legal options which restored him as the authentic PDP flagbearer for the Governorship position. While the PDP drama was on, other Okigwe Zone politicians like Ohakim, Chief Barr Ziggy Azike, and Sir Jude Nzeakor grabbed the tickets of unpopular and unlikely PPA, ANPP and Accord Party respectively to enter “Douglas House”.
When Ararume secured Supreme Court verdict as authentic candidate, confusion gripped PDP on choice of candidate, a fiery-looking Obasanjo flew in with National Chairman of the party, Ahmadu Ali, to declare that PDP has no candidate, thereby rubbishing the interest and chances of the highly favoured, Ararume and Ugwu. It is not a hidden fact that the “Onongono faction” of PDP with no other option settled for Chief Martin Agbaso of APGA. Agbaso was within spitting distance to Government House, Owerri until what I don’t know stopped him. That again is a subject of another discussion. Another election was fixed for the guber contest after that of the House of Assembly was okayed. Two days to the 2007 re-run election, news filtered in that Chief Ohakim of PPA has been “adopted” as candidate of Onongono PDP and that was how the Okohia-Isiala Mbano born former Governor entered his name in the state’s record books as third civilian Governor of the state. The rest is history that has no space in this write-up.
Accounts of Okorocha’s emergence as Governor is still fresh in our memories and therefore needs no detailed explanation. However, it is worthy to note that the present Governor of the state did not really package himself for the position but for providence, faith and the usual trademark that has always characterized Governorship contest in the state where bookmakers were proved wrong by the eventual winners.
Competent sources close to Okorocha indicate that the State Governor had dreamt of going to Senate in 2011. I can confidently confirm this fact. Sometime in 2010, Okorocha had visited a prominent public office holder in the last dispensation who it is not necessary to disclose his identity. Blaring siren and in company of his children, Okorocha took the pains to visit the country home of the politician that is miles away from the state capital. Okorocha’s visit as I gathered later was not unconnected to his Senatorial ambition, which made him to begin early consultations. It was the same Senatorial desire that forced him to form Agenda group; a political organization that was primarily domiciled in his Orlu Senatorial Zone before spreading to other zones at the heat of 2011 general elections. Okorocha noticed that it would be a differicult fight joining the fray for the Orlu Zone Senatorial position where the then incumbent, Senator Osita Izunaso and his main challenger, Hope Uzodimma were at each others throat for the coveted position. Owelle Ndigbo decided to try somewhere else and it landed him in the Guber race. While incumbent Ohakim of PDP and ACN’s Ararume fought dirty with jibes and tantrums, Okorocha, an unsung hero became the beneficiary of the deep-rooted altercations between the two prominent Okigwe Zone political gladiators. Inspite of zoning arrangement that favoured a two-term tenure for Okigwe Zone Okorocha’s Orlu Zone background and without a grounded grassroots oriented political machinery, like PDP and ACN, Okorocha braced all odds to emerge victorious.
This preceding historical narration is not intended to bore readers with the past tales, rather, it is intended to highlight the common features and peculiar traits obtainable during Gubernatorial contest in Imo State where highly favoured and popular candidates find it difficult during the last lap of the show. This could also be the reason why former Ambassador and PDP National Woman Leader, Dr Mrs Kema Chikwe at a recent public function asserted that Imo has always had “Emergency Governors” since 1999. According to her, the election and subsequent victories of civilian governors have always been an unexpected occurrence.
It is based on these assertions that this week’s edition of the column will take a look at greenhorns in gubernatorial quest.
Apart from Senator Christy Anyanwu, a member of the National Assembly representing Owerri and Engr Emma Ojinere who are yet to make their aspirations public, Prof Jude Njoku, Dr Obioma Agommuo and Chief Erivo who are interested in the 2015 governorship race can be described as political neophytes in the struggle. Among the pack, only Ojinere who begun his quest for the plum position in 2005 has rich pedigree in guber politicking unlike Dr Agommuo and Chief Erivo. What Prof Njoku has is the four years he spent as Commissioner during Ohakim era. The tendency for unpopular and unfavoured candidates emerging winners in guber elections may be the driving force propelling some of these green horns in the present dispensation. By next edition, I will take a look at their chances of succeeding Okorocha.
