By Henry Ekpe
Basking in the euphoria of being sworn-in as next Governor of Imo State on January 15, 2020, Senator Hope Uzodinma, sounding as a Statesman, told Imo people that he will put a call across to his Predecessor, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, to join him build Imo State.
Now, more than Eight months after, it is still not clear if Uzodinma made that phone call to Ihedioha.
This is because, if Uzodinma did, Imo people have not been told what he discussed with Ihedioha, and what was his predecessor’s response.
And if he did not put that important call across, Imolites have not been also told why the Governor did not make that call after he publicly assured Imo people he would.
May be, Uzodinma later discovered that it was no more necessary after all, having interacted with his inner Circle of Aides, who felt such a call was not “Governorship”.
Whatever may be the case, those of us watching the Uzodinma administration from a distance have one thing or the other to comment about the Nine months old regime.
Although, this judgment may be like that of the Blind Men touching different parts of an Elephant, as they are bound to give their answers based on the parts of the Elephant the feel.
For me, since the creation of old Imo State in 1976, the State has never been so divided like now. There is too much bad blood in Imo society, caused by different things, including mostly, politics.
And unfortunately, the Government led by Governor Hope Uzodinma does not care, provided allocations are coming in every month from Abuja, with those in Government being taken care of with their salaries, allowances, and new vehicles and the Governor told what he wants to hear by the sycophants that surround him while the mass suffer.
But if you want to hear or know the real situation in Imo State, visit the Churches, Motor Parks, Beer Parlors, enter Buses, Taxis, visit Government offices and Newspaper stands. These are the places you will hear the unbiased verdict of the masses for every Government, including that of Imo led by Senator Hope Uzodinma.
My observation is that despite all that Uzodinma felt he has done in the last Eight months, the Government has failed to impress or convince the Imo masses of its sincerity.
Has the Government found out why the Imo people have this apathy towards the Uzodinma Government? There is no need pretending as if all is well.
Most of those working in the Uzodinma Government are experienced politicians who have been involved in other regimes before Uzodinma appeared on the scene. Therefore they should be able to know that all that glitters is not gold, as the masses, due to poverty and hunger swing like pendulum in search of what to eat. But deep down, things are not in order.
The fact remains that Governments are meant for the people, therefore any Government that does not have the confidence of the people is simply floating as that Government could be abandoned by the masses with a twinkle of an eye.
For instance, the Uzodinma Media Handlers had at several occasions peddled half truths which the masses themselves discovered later to be false, and such scenario does not place any administration in good state with the masses.
When an administration tells the people that they have paid workers today, and rise up tomorrow to say “why we have not paid workers,” it is bad image and bad omen.
When a Government said it has paid pensioners and wakes up tomorrow to say “We are carrying out verification exercise” that administration is hiding something from the masses, and they distance themselves from such a Government.
Now, Uzodinma about three months ago assured Imo people that construction giants, Julius Berger will land the State to handle Orlu/Owerri Road, which elicited a lot of good will from the masses for the Government. But it is incredible that months after, Julius Berger has not arrived Imo shores, and the Government found it not necessary to explain to Imo people why it lied to them.
Tomorrow, the same Government will make Announcements and want to masses to take it seriously? Come on please, Governance is a serious business, as the lives and economic being of a people are hinged on the Government in office, which has the power of life and death. A Government that cannot be trusted by the people is bursted! Have you read Prof Wole Soyinka’s latest epistle about the State of the Nation?
It is unfortunate that an elected Government, has through intimidation shut up the Imo work force from demanding their pay. Government that don’t have money to pay workers but it could afford to buy luxury buses for the transportation of the hungery workers. what a misplacement of priority! up till now nothing has again been heard about the workers of ISOPADEC who were alleged to have pelted the Governor with objects during a demonstration.
Much as one does not support violence of any kind against the Governor, but the continuous detention of these Imo citizens is not for the benefit of the State or those in power. Have those arrested been prosecuted?. If true, when and where? And if not true, what has happened to them and the case? Are they prisoners of war?
Imo Pensioners have ceased their frequent demonstrations after they were flogged on the street and infiltrated with moles. These are happening in the present day Imo State.
From experience, and especially after Senator Rochas Okorocha’s administration, it must have been clear to anybody eyeing to Govern Imo State that one of the major problems worrying Imo people is the state of Imo roads.
Therefore, Governor Uzodinma’s Advisers should have advised him to either expedite action on some of the roads he had chosen to execute or leave them till after the raining season.
Now, the State capital Owerri is locked down this raining season as the rains have met the constructions going on in the State, including those at the verge of completion, and putting the Uzodinma administration in a quagmire.
Therefore, Owerri residents will endure the bad roads, with swearings being rained at the Government, which obviously would have been avoided had the Government worked with studies of past administrations.
More worrisome now is that the Uzodinma administration, in pursuance of controlling the lever of powers, has divided Imo State more than ever before.
In Imo today, all the known political gladiators are operating from different cells, which is not the best for the Governor and the State.
Whoever occupies the seat of Governor is holding it in trust of all Imo people. Therefore, if such a person uses it to bind than divide the State, it for the good of the State and the political future of such a Governor.
Some political Hawks may tell the Governor to “forget them. After all you are the Governor. Why should you be the one to make peace?”
That is not true. The Governor is the father of the State at this given time and must bring everybody together. Remember, it is you today, and another tomorrow. When I was advising Gov Rochas Okorocha years back, he refused and acted like a Monarch. Today is he the one in Douglas House? That is reality of life.
What worries me is that appointees are not employees, and the moment the “company” folds they simply go look for work elsewhere, while the Employer and his family sulks.
A few months ago, you could define how Imo politics was structured. You could say where our Big Men belonged.
But today, Senators Uzodinma, Araraume, Okorocha, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, Dr Ikedi Ohakim, Chief Achike Udenwa, Prince Eze Madumere, Hon Emeka Nwajiuba etc, are all operating from various camps. You may say they have never been in one camp before, and therefore not a serious matter if they are not today. But think further.
And there is a major issue which if not handled now may create much trouble in the future in Imo State.
Have you asked yourself why there is clamour for restructuring at the Federal level, even with some Nationalities calling for self determination?
But in Imo State, Orlu Zone has monopolized Imo Governorship seat since 1999 till date. Does it not occur to you that what happened in Imo in January 2020 may live to haunt and hunt us in future? We may all not care now because we are well placed and enjoying the booty, but the future of Imo State and that of our children must be paramount in all we do today. That is why we must make the right “phone calls”. Please, I am just thinking wild.
