By Henry Ekpe
Politics is a strange game. Hardly can it be predicted. And some time, the mystery surrounding politics becomes the beauty, depending on which side you were at the given time.
Today in Imo, what resonates every day is the war raging between the incumbent Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma and former Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha.
But on January 15,2020, a day after Supreme Court in Abuja decreed that Senator Uzodinma is the next Governor of Imo State, both Okorocha and Uzodinma alighted from the same flight, holding hands together like twin Brothers, before Uzodinma was sworn-in in the Night as the successor to Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha.
Yet, a few months before then, both men were in different political trenches fighting over the Imo Governorship seat.
However, today, both men have again separated, with each drawing the Sword. But how this latest fight between them will end and when, still remains a conjecture.
But all these have to do with Karma and fluidness of politics which is anchored on permanent interest, and not permanent friendship.
Therefore, within the last few years, the relationship between Uzodinma and his brother Okorocha had fluctuated between whatever interest that agrees with them.
Now that Uzodinma has become the Governor, and Okorocha a Senator, and both are in the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, with vested interests, the centre can no longer hold for them, since in politics there is no second position.
Before now, Uzodinma had thought that his major enemy was Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, whom he went after with all venom immediately he was sworn-in, but nature has redirected Uzodinma’s gaze to the main “enemy” that is even within and Ihedioha has become a no issue to Uzodinma and his attack Dogs.
The trouble between Uzodinma and Okorocha did not start today. It is even getting more serious because both of them hail from Orlu zone and two captains can’t pilot a Ship. Something must happen.
In other words, either both Cock are allowed to crow simultaneously in Orlu zone politics, or one drowns the crow of the other.
Prior to 2019 election, Uzodinma was in PDP as the Senator for Orlu. But when the PDP war between Modu Sherrif and Markafi ended, with Uzodinma holding the wrong end of the Bambow, he had no choice than to leave PDP, allowing Emeka Ihedioha as the Defactor Leader.
Uzodinma drifted to APC, where Okorocha was the founder and progenitor in Imo State.
But by dealing with APC top hierarchy in Abuja, Uzodinma joined on a high note and had APC top Chieftains who protected his back.
Obviously, Uzodinma’s welcome into APC jolted Okorocha, who wanted Orlu Zone Senate as his retirement benefit after Ruling Imo as a Monarch for Eight years. With Uzodinma as the sitting Senator, and Okorocha interested on the seat, there was problem.
It was here, Uzodinma and Okorocha’s imbroglio started. Under this circumstance, it was either Okorocha forgets his Senatorial dream or slug it out with Uzodinma.
But rather, Okorocha wanted the Senatorial seat, and yet brandished his son inlaw, Chief Uche Nwosu as his would-be-successor.
As a smart politician, Uzodinma asked from Okorocha for either the Senate, so he Uzodinma guns for Governorship, or remain in the Senate for Okorocha to produce his successor.
But with the enormous power and wealth within his cupboard, Okorocha felt he could point into heaven and thunder strikes. So, he dared Uzodinma to do his worse.
Both Uzodinma and Okorocha went into battle for both slots, but in the end, a certain Alhaji Gulak arrived Imo State and handed Uzodinma the Imo APC Guber Ticket in the midnight and fled the State to the shock and disappointment of Okorocha.
Fearing that he could lose all, Okorocha held tight to the Senatorial ticket and quickly shipped Nwosu to the moribund Action Alliance, AA, which he dusted up over night.
In the end, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its candidate, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha beat all comers in the polls.
Ihedioha began on a clean slate and inaugurated various panels to investigate the Okorocha era. And the panels exhumed stinking discoveries and the Noose was getting closer to Okorocha’s neck, when the Supreme Court struck and cut Ihedioha’s administration short.
Obviously, that development gladdened Okorocha’s heart, as he heaved a sigh of relief since he escaped by the whiskers, because had the Ihedioha’s administration lingered more than Supreme Court debacle, the Ogboko born politician may have not gone scot free.
Therefore, the best option was to embrace Uzodinma, who was desperately seeking for every means to arrive at Douglas House, Owerri, Imo State, as the Chief Executive.
With Okorocha scared of what could come out of Ihedioha’s panels, and Uzodinma desperate for power, this necessity brought both men together again and Supreme Court answered their prayers.
But Okorocha may have taken Uzodinma’s sense of memory for granted as Okorocha dived into Uzodinma immediately to save him from the approaching gun of Ihedioha.
Certainly, Uzodinma may have realized how ferocious Okorocha fought him for the Imo Governorship seat, until Gulak came to the rescue.
Did Okorocha think that Uzodinma could easily forget how he sponsored litigations against him then? How would Uzodinma so soon forget how Okorocha’s Media Team described Uzodinma as “Hopeless” during the campaigns?
Okorocha even attempted to jail Uzodinma through various means, so that he would be indisposed during the election period.
So, that Okorocha out of necessity joined forces with Uzodinma to push Ihedioha out from office does not mean that Uzodinma has forgotten even if he acts as if he has forgiven.
Therefore, when Uzodinma recently told Imo APC Caucus meeting that his problem with Okorocha was that he wants him to stop all the Panels instituted by Ihedioha to investigate Okorocha, he was only making it clear that he has not forgiven Okorocha for all he did to stop him from being Governor in 2019.
Uzodinma also exposed one hidden story that Imo people have not yet heard; that Okorocha wants to vie for Presidency in 2023.
Although Okorocha has not made any statement to indicate that he has a face-off with Uzodinma, but the Governor was no longer ready to continue to pretend that all was well with him and Okorocha.
Today, the fight has come out in the open, as both Uzodinma and Okorocha Minders have come out openly in the market square with diatribes against each other.
Nothing yet has been heard on the war between Okorocha and Uzodinma as the coming days will be interesting when the battle assumes a new dimension, as it must.
But for Uzodinma, he seems to be facing too many battles at the same time. It is either he chose to finish his battles now at the same time, and then face Governance in months to come. No wonder Imo State is on motion without movement. Uzodinma has dissipated a lot of time and energy on both imaginary and real enemies that he had no more time for Imo masses.
Uzodinma may have rested the Ihedioha’s War for now, and may revisit it after he may have finished with Okorocha which is not going to be a short term war, though..
However, when Uzodinma will call up that of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume is not yet certain. But whether that particular roforofo will come up is obvious.
For now, Araraume is facing the Okigwe Senate task. In the event he loses the APC ticket, or the main election, the “Agu Ishiebu” will now take count of what did or did not.
My worry is that these selfish battles are taking a toll on Imo State and its populace, as so many battle fronts have not allowed Governance to flourish in the State.
What Uzodinma should do now is choose his wars with tact, so that the masses can enjoy the dividends of his administration.
He must devise a means whereby the political wars rage and the Government will still remain in touch with the people.
The Uzodinma Government could as well ignore political battles and distractions and focus on delivering the goods, since Imo people and the Government cannot live by political wars alone.
