The primaries of the various political parties, as it concerns Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, Imo State, has come and gone with the emergence of the candidates.
For the first time since 1999, Ngor Okpala will have two representatives in the Legislative arm of Government; the House of Assembly and House of Representatives; all men of Ngor Okpala extraction.
In the last twelve years, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, who is from Aboh Mbaise axis of the Federal Constituency has been holding forth. Therefore, this time around, Ngor Okpala will have her own son in the Green Chamber.
With due respect to all other political parties, in Ngor Okpala today, there are only three political parties that exist. They are Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, All Progressives Congress, APC, and All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
And Ngor Okpala APC and APGA are populated mainly with former members of the PDP, who were frustrated out of PDP or found the PDP environment too difficult to prosecute their political dreams.
However, there is one important factor that is pertinent in Ngor Okpala politics. The people are getting more interested in politics now, ready and eager to make contributions to the development of Ngor Okpala which stands one of the most backward LGAs in Nigerian, despite her abundance Natural and human resources.
Another disturbing trait of Ngor Okpala electorate is that they are hard to convince, and therefore in most cases choose directions that suit them than that of their masters.
In other words, Ngor Okpala electorate is highly intelligent and bold. This manifested in 2011 when the LGA became a determinant factor in the Imo Governorship election which entered into a re-run.
Therefore, with PDP, APGA and APC holding sway in NgorOkpala, it is very difficult for pundits to predict accurately what would happen when the elections commence in February.
For instance, in the 2011 election, the dominant party was PDP till the eve of the election, followed by ACN. But immediately the election was postponed for the next Saturday, from no where, APGA surfaced in Ngor Okpala! Even when ACN and PDP teamed up to battle APGA, it was like the Horse had already bolted out from the Barn. It became a herculean task to convince the electorate otherwise.
This was the reason, Hon Emeka Nwaofor, the House of Assembly candidate of APGA, who spent nothing, without even posters, was shocked when called from his base in Port Harcourt that he had won the election.
However, if I am to use the last outing to explain the current situation, I would advise APC, APGA and PDP in Ngor Okpala to work hard, as it is going to be a fight of the Titans.
Unfortunately, the three parties are parading three candidates that have scores to settle one way or the other. Therefore the election will be a grudge fight among contending hegemonies in Ngor Okpala politics.
In the House of Representatives, APC parades Hon Mathew Nwogu. A veteran politician, who has been contesting nearly all elections in Ngor Okpala since 1999. Though loved by his followers, his problem has been that he usually identify with odd, “leftist” political parties.
But this time around, nobody can discard APC in Imo state with a wave of the hand.
It is the ruling party, with the incumbent Gov Okorocha running for a second term. Therefore, I see APC giving any political party a fight of their life in February, ably supported with state funds.
Therefore, Nwogu will pose a big challenge to APGA and PDP. For him to have defeated a person of Dr TOE Ekechi’s pedigree in the APC’s primaries, it indicates that there are qualities which Nwogu possesses which others may not have noticed, which keeps his numerous followers dotting behind him like Bees to horney.
A rugged politician, this may be the chance Nwogu has been waiting for to actualize his political dreams which had remained elusive.
In APGA is Chief Blyden Amajirionwu. He was the past State Publicity Secretary of PDP. Following how Blyden Amajirionwu left the PDP, he is bound to throw everything he has into this race, which will make or mar his political future.
Blyden was an integral part of Ngor Okpala PDP Caucus but one thing led to another, and he left in a most discomforting manner.
Therefore, Amajirionwu will certainly try to give a good account of himself. A bold and fearless politician, he comes from the largest political Ward in Ngor Okpala and will do everything possible at least to garner the votes there as the son of the “soil” which will also be resisted by other political parties including PDP which has a swathe of followers in Ngor Okplaa Ward1.
This is when the likes of Prof BB Nwogu, Hon Chinwe Obinna, Bar Patrice Akwara, Chief Morrison Njoku, China Ugwuadu and co will go to the battle front.
The PDP has Hon Bede Eke, a two time member of Imo House of Assembly. Though an easy-going fellow, he is a political strategist who speaks less and listens more. Hon Eke’s dossier is in the public domain having served Ngor Okpala previously for years in the House of Assembly. Therefore, this is a pay back time for his earlier sojourn as a Lawmaker. If he did good then, the people of Ngor Okpala knows and will give him this new higher position.
This is where Hon Bede Eke is different from Nwogu and Amajirionwu. While the others have no tract records in which to judge them, Hon Eke had served before, and therefore has a reference point. But he is in advantage or disadvantage depending on how he touched the lives of his people when he first had the opportunity.
A likeable fellow, due to his philanthropic mature, his party PDP must not take anything for granted, for the fight ahead is dicey.
In the House of Assembly, it will be reduced to a communal battle, because Aboh Mbaise has no input unlike in the Federal House election. This one would be determined by people of Ngor Okpala only and within the eleven political Wards.
In 2011, Hon Obinna Egu carried the PDP Batton, but the earthquake which hit PDP then in the state affected him, even though he posted a good result, and challenged his defeat in court.
Yet again in 2015, he has picked the ticket which showed his dexterity and resilience within the Ngor Okpala PDP. But one factor that will task Hon Obinna Egu and PDP is that the headquarter of APC in Ngor Okpala could be said to be domiciled in his Umuohiagwu Ward 10, where his Uncle Hon Greg Egu is one of the top financiers of APC in Imo state.
To make matters complicated, the APC Federal House Candidate, Hon Mathew Nwogu also hails from the same village and Ward as Obinna Egu.
If there is where there would be total “War”, that place is Ward 10 Ngor Okpala. Will Nwogu lose his Ward even if he loses other places? Will Greg Egu remain a Leader of APC in Imo state when he loses Ward 10?
However, with the way and manner Obinna Egu emerged candidate, even against the permutation of best pundits, can he still wriggle out from his Ward with a victory by trouncing Nwogu and the Senior Egu in the “Battle of Umuohiagu?
Bar Emma Eke, from Umuohie Ngor, Ward 7, is the candidate of APGA in the Imo Assembly race. A dogged Fighter and Lawyer, even if Emma Eke fails in other places, he would try to capture what is called “Ngor Okpala Central”, which he sees as his catchment Area.
But it may not work out because, one of his cousins, Hon Chima Okereafor is a top member of PDP and will not wish to be humiliated in his own political domain. Would the likes of yours Truly, Hon Charles Abara, Chief J C Onuoha, Captain Arinze, Bar Kingsley Nzeamechi, Hon Kizito Onuoha, Hon Okey Nkwoch and others watch while APGA has a free day?
But with Emma Eke’s Legal Activism, he may fight upto the Supreme Court if he feels he lost with manipulations. This may task even the man who wins the seat in March next year. These developments contribute to making the battle dicey.
The APC parades Hon Emeka Nwaofor, one of the luckiest politicians that benefited from the 2011 election debacle that rocked Imo state following the APGA opium that ravaged Imo populace.
Though a docile Lawmaker who cannot point at anything as his attraction to Ngor Okpala he has been representing in the House of Assembly in the last three years and eleven months, Nwaofor because of his hatchet jobs in the House of Assembly he dumped APGA, and pitched tent with Gov Okorocha who compensated him with APC Assembly ticket for the 2015 race.
A political Fox, and friendly fellow, Nwaofor’s stewardship will stare him in the face as he mounts the soap Box to demand a second chance from Ngor Okpala electorate. His case is easier than that of other Aspirants as he has a score card to present to the people of Ngor Okpala to give him another mandate or not.
Therefore, it is on the Shoulders of any of these six people that the destiny of Ngor Okpala would be placed in the next four years, after May 29, 2015.
It is either, Amajirionwu, Eke or Nwogu emerges for the Federal House to represent Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala in Abuja.
Either of Eke, Egu or Nwaofor will emerge victorious to be in the House of Assembly in the name of Ngor Okpala constituency.
Indeed, one thing certain is that it will never be business as usual again in Ngor Okpala politics. Though the old Cabal is still holding tenaciously the power base of the Area, but many are getting enlightened with the political mechanism of Ngor Okpala and do not want to watch from the fence anymore. Change does not come easy, and the last Delegate elections and party primaries have opened the eyes of too may people in Ngor Okpala.
The calibre of people who came out to contest for various positions is an indication that Ngor Okpala people are beginning to wake up from their political slumber and eager to participate, than leaving the area in the hands of a few individuals. They have resolved to put all hands on deck to rescue Ngor Okpala from its socio-political quagmire.
This is where those aspiring to represent the Area are in “trouble”. With the latest awareness, they would be put on their toes, which will commence with the elections, which I predict will be tough.
The man going to the House of Representative must realize that he is going to takeover from Hon Emeka Ihedioha who disguised himself while there for twelve years. And for the first time Ngor Okpala is having their own son there, his successor has a tall order.
For the House of Assembly, it will be very challenging because it is the one closest to the Ngor Okpala masses who have now realized that that position is not meant for the lawmaker and his family, but for the masses who sent him to represent Ngor Okpala Constituency in Owerri.
