The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has dominated the politics of Imo State since 1999 the present democratic dispensation was ushered in by the Military Junta led by General Abdusallami Abubakar.
In politics of a state, including at the Federal level, any party that occupies the Chief Executive’s position dictates the tune.
Therefore in 1999 PDP won the Executive position through Chief Achike Udenwa, who held that seat for eight years. He conducted elections in the twenty-seven LGAs, which were swept by PDP Candidates.
With PDP in charge of the Douglas House and most of the LGAs, there was a “merry go round” which touched the grassroots through the Council Chairmen, Councillors, Supervising Councillors and the Aides of these elected and appointed officers.
Imo State was brimming with a new feeling necessitated by this “development”, mostly when the Governor, Achike Udenwa was an easy-going fellow.
Recovering from Military draconian set-up, Imo populace were happy with PDP, mostly when there was enough money to throw about. This led many people to feel good with the PDP regime, while the reactionaries among them saw it as “sharing the money”.
Indeed, most politicians from other political parties joined the PDP to partake in the “chopping”. In fact, whoever gets the ticket of the PDP in Imo State was seen to have won the election proper, as that was a walk over.
PDP was jam-packed with members that its primaries were tougher and money-gulping than the main election. Those who could not make it in the PDP were usually those who populated the other parties to emerge as candidates to slug it out in the main election against their former colleagues in the PDP.
The present cancer with Imo PDP started in 2007 when the Governorship primary of the party tore it apart. The then incumbent Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa had preferred Bar Ike Ibe from Obowo, in Okigwe Zone to succeed him in the spirit of zoning formula in the party. But Senator Ifeanyi Araraume used his wealth and connection to bulldoze his way and clinched the party’s ticket.
Udenwa ran to Abuja to complain. The party hierarchy then chose Chief Charles Ugwu as the next Candidate. Araraume headed to court and was handed the PDP guber ticket by the Judiciary.
The then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo hit Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri where he told the tumultuous crowd of PDP followers not to vote for Senator Araraume.
Trouble started as PDP members rather voted for Chief Martin Agbaso of APGA, who had been adopted by the PDP. After the election, in the process of announcing Agbaso winner, it was “discovered” that if Agbaso won, power would have shifted from Okigwe Zone and pronto, the election was cancelled and the tussle of fishing out an Okigwe Candidate began.
The lot finally fell on Chief Ikedi Ohakim, a core member of the PDP, who had out of anger and frustration left the party to pitch tent with former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, who had formed the Progresive Peoples Alliance, PPA.
Ohakim was backed by the massive Udenwa Redemption Group, with the PDP machine and he cruised to victory and shortly after, moved back to the PDP as part of the agreement reached before he was given the slot.
So, with Ohakim back to the PDP, the party continued its “enjoyment”, without knowing what other parties that have no Chief Executives were suffering to fund their parties and retain their members.
From 1999 to 2011, the PDP had governed Imo State for twelve years. Within this period, there were those who never touched the party even with a long pole. They were living in anger, looking at PDP members frolicking and enjoying with campaigns and parties going on in the LGAs and Dan Anyiam Stadium.
By 2011, Imo PDP and its members were getting pompous and arrogant, with the false belief that the party has so enshrined its foundation that nobody, party or Groups could dislodge it from power in the state.
The PDP members started taking other citizens for granted, exhibiting their affluences and wealth to the chagrin of the disgruntled percent, waiting for the opportunity to have their own pound of flesh on Imo PDP memberstand their leaders.
But while the outsiders thought all was rosy within the party, they did not reckon that there was segregation and exploitation within the party, as the rich got richer and the poor remains poorer.
In the PDP, it was like a Russian roulette. An aspirant is so financially sapped by the party that he wins the primary only to have empty pocket to execute the major election. If you win the primaries, within the period you are preparing for election, any member you greet on the street expects something from you.
The “Big men” who claim to have made it possible for you to win the election proper want you to bring half of your allowances and salaries every end of the month.
The Governor is expected to put a fictitious “Heading” in the State Budget through which the “Leaders” must be served for the four years he will be in office. Failure to do that, you must lose the next election.
Therefore, in 2011, Imo people revolted against the PDP. For them there must be a change. They did not bother what that change could bring or who will benefit from it, provided PDP left the Douglas House.
That was the situation Ohakim found himself in 2011 despite the laudable programmes he had executed. It simply was that he happened to be the fall-guy when Imo populace were tired with the PDP. Ohakim was not the matter.
Luckily for Owelle Rochas Okorocha, he was there at the opportuned time when Imo State needed this change, and he grabbed it with both hands and elevated the propaganda against the PDP to the highest level, having been an old member of the party, and therefore knows its follies, which he used to maximum advantage to water his ambition to be governor of the state.
As a party full of Merchandising, rather than work for their candidates and the party’s greatness, most PDP members assured Ohakim of their political prowess in their localities in 2011, and collected huge “Logistics” only to laugh at the back of the then Governor.
When the results came in, it was discovered that most of the PDP Gladiators sabotaged Ohakim, not knowing that removing Ohakim from the Government House will bring about their own down falls too.
As Governor Okorocha was announced winner of the election, most of these PDP stalwarts, who jettisoned Ohakim for the brand new Governor Okorocha, were disappointed when they were thrown out from his Ogboko residence, with their goats, Cows, Turkey and Choice wines and Champagnes.
Need for where to run to, they scurried back to the PDP, simply because Okorocha shut his doors on their faces.
Some people like a former state Chairman of the party were allowed in following frequent beggings in the house of his “brother” who is a top member of the Okorocha government.
So many of these so-called big men in Imo PDP are still in the party because they have nowhere else to run to for financial shelter, which is usually their main objectives.
While members of other political parties like APGA, APC contribute money to the party, ordinary members of the PDP believe that it is the responsibility of the leaders to fund the party, while theirs is to ask for money for “Transport” while their colleagues in APGA ad APC contribute their own monies, no matter how little, to the party.
This mentality of “eating and drinking” has influenced an average PDP member, who rather than ask what he can do for the success of the party, asks you for money after attending a Ward meeting.
When Okorocha dislodged the PDP in 2011, one of the lucks that kept Imo PDP going was that one of their own, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha became a Presiding Officer in the National Assembly as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Professor Viola Onwuliri was appointed Minister of the Federal Republic. Ihedioha, Onwuliri, Ohakim, Senator Hope Uzodinma and others kept funding the party, until at a time Ihedioha who had governorship ambition took over the bulk of the responsibility.
Now, should the PDP lose the Governorship election which has so far been declared inconclusive, will the party survive in the state?
For starters, the PDP in Imo State may not produce a Principal Officer in the House of Representatives or the Senate. And may not also produce a Minister.
With PDP members behaving like over pampered “Ajebo”, can its members weather another four years in opposition? If Okorocha opens the door of Imo APC wide, can PDP members? resist the urge to join the gale of “Stomach infrastructure”.
Looking at the already released Imo Guber results, whether “doctored”, “written” or voted, it is very shameful that the so-called PDP top shots could stand there and be disgraced in their domains by the APC. They gave Emeka Ihedioha false hope, as they did to Ohakim in 2011. You still see them gallivanting with walking sticks and latest Jeeps, which they con from gullible candidates.
And since politicians and candidates appreciate bogus stories and false assurances, they will continue to have them in abundance till the end of the world.
Those who tell them the truth go home with empty cans, but it does not matter because good name is better than gold, and truth has tall legs and will never be overtaken by lies.
Imagine a Governorship election where Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu lost in his fortified domain, Ikeduru! For Chief Kema Chikwe, she failed as usual. And if PDP had won at the National level, she would have been pencilled down for an Ambassadorial or Ministerial position.
In PDP, success is seen as failure, that is the reason the party rewards those who fail to win their Booths, and make those who win fools.
Governor Oshiomole disgraced Chief Tony Anenih in 2012 in Edo State, as he could not even win his LGA during that State’s Governorship election, but he was compensated with Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees. Does that spur the younger members to work hard?
In Obowo, Ihedioha’s Campaign Director, Chief Chris Okewulonu lost. Ihedioha’s running mate, Chuma Nnaji lost in Njaba LGA. Even if these results were written as claimed, where were these important personalities of these Areas when this “writing” was going on?
In politics, you rig only where you are popular. Imo PDP should look for another excuse. If it loses Imo Governorship as it did in 2011 when its members sabotaged Ikedi Ohakim, it will not recover this time.
Is it not absurd that most PDP strong and rich members joined forces with Okorocha at the last minute to torment their own PDP members?
Imo PDP is doomed. And the Emeka Ihedioha
