By Henry Ekpe
On January 14, 2019, the Supreme Court in Abuja declared Senator Hope Uzodinma as the winner of the Imo State Governorship election.
The following day being January 15, Uzodinma was sworn-in at Heroes Square, Owerri, as the Sixth Civilian Governor of Imo State.
He took over from Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, who had been on the saddle for just seven months, introducing various innovations that reinvigorated the State, after Owelle Rochas Okorocha had acrimoniously left office, having failed to plant his son inlaw as successor.
However, following how the out-gone Ihedioha administration laid some good examples by adhering to popular demands from the masses, a majority of Imo populace had concluded that the Uzodinma administration, in the spirit of continuity would simply settle down with Governance, since the “road map” seems to have been set for him by the immediate past administration.
However, one year after, Imo people have come to realize that the Uzodinma era intentionally choose to chart its own course by doing away, or abandoning the enduring structures it found on ground, embarking on fresh ideas to create its own niche, which has proved difficult.
Indeed, no administration is the same since every Leader strives to create his/her own style in case of posterity and history.
Imo State is known to have produced Governors who arrived with targeted policies and signature projects, which the administrations could be remembered for.
Governor Udenwa who came immediately the Military vacated the scene could be said to have come to lay the foundation for subsequent administrations, and to heal the old wounds after the Military had receded to the Barracks leaving the polity in disarrary.
Dr Ikedi Ohakim who followed Udenwa anchored his administration on Environmental Health Programmes, through which he thought Imo people how to live in a more better clean environment.
Imo State benefitted immensely from that policy as the State was declared the cleanest State in Nigeria for three consecutive years.
About his signature projects, the Ahiajoku Conference Centre, Yaradua Drive in New Owerri, Ngor-Okpala-Eche, and Dikenafai-Osina roads remain some of the projects left behind as enduring legacies by the Ohakim’s administration.
Then arrived Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s era, which placed much premium on Free Education Policy.
No matter how much some people criticized that project, it has become clear today that a lot of families benefitted from the Okorocha’s Free Education policy.
If not his restiveness and penchant at building substandard projects, Okorocha’s name would have been written in gold in Imo after he left office.
It was Okorocha who opened various parts of Owerri by linking them with roads, even as such roads are not up to standard.
His administration even though demolished too many buildings, it equally built some.
Emeka Ihedioha lasted only seven months in office, but his administration engaged in clear cut policies that Imo people knew where it was headed.
He revamped various sectors of the State, ranging from Sports to Civil Service, Local Government Administration; Reforms which returned life in the rural areas, Due Process that changed mode of payment of workers and pensioners, including doing business with Government.
The short-lived administration within seven months embarked on construction of Stadia and Secretariats across the twenty seven LGAs simultaneously, of which the Secretariat in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA was completed and commissioned within seven months while others were nearing completion before the administration left office.
Had that administration lasted, it would have been identified with massive development of infrastructure in the State, which seems to be its own policy focus, with many Roads in the State under construction by known construction companies.
Now, Imo State is saddled with a new administration headed by Senator Hope Uzodinma, which clocks one year today.
Based on how previous administrations chose one sector as its area of concentration, without ignoring other areas though, it remains difficult to decipher which sector one could pin the Uzodinma regime so far as its area of comparative focus.
Is it Agriculture, Youth Development, Public Infrastructure, Education, Civil Service, Sports, Security etc?
One had thought that Uzodinma’s Government would have chosen the Area to leave a mark, even within one year in office as other administrations before it did. But that has remained a mirage, as Imo people ask pertinent questions in their Bedrooms.
Unfortunately, every constructive criticism against the administration is taken as an insult and affront on the Governor, instead of looking at the issue on its merit.
In a Democracy, opposition or comments help a Government to sit up and stitch loose ends. But that is seen as an aberration in the present Imo, as if man is perfect.
Now, as Imo celebrates one year of Uzodinma’s Government, the administration has demolished all the Round-abouts in Owerri, the State capital, constructed by past administration with Imo Tax payers money.
Meanwhile, Round-abouts cannot be counted as priority projects by any administration, because it neither creates job, nor boost the State’s Economy.
Why Uzodinma embarked on these demolitions when his Government is yet to complete any of the roads it started shook Imo populace to bemusement.
Such a waste and frivolous ventures rankles those who believe that Imo should embark on serious projects that can touch the lives of the poor masses, than demolishing already existing structures.
Sources said the demolition exercise was to obliterate Okorocha’s legacies, since Okorocha has decided to fight the Uzodinma Government.
Indeed, Okorocha began this trend of demolishing predecessor’s projects in Imo State. But two wrongs can never make a right.
What the Uzodinma regime needs to do to diminish Okorocha is to perform more than he did by executing projects that will endear the populace to his heart, and in the process, Imo State gains. Not by mauling down structures executed with Imo Funds.
Udenwa never demolished Zubairu’s projects. Neither did Ohakim bother about Udenwa’s legacies, while Ihedioha engrossed himself with taking Imo further than he met it than dwelling on Okorocha’s projects.
As we write, all the Civil Servants in Imo are at home. This ugly scenario has given Owerri a status of a ghost town immediately it is evening. This is because Imo Economy is anchored on the Civil Servants, who are the engine room of Imo socio-Economic breath.
No one can give exactly the reason for shutting the offices in a new year by the Government. When people ought to be busy making ends meet. Unfortunately Imo masses now hardly accept hock, line and sicker what the present Government in the State tell them, following a Disconnect between the people and the Government, occasssioned by half truths.
For instance, the Government said it has paid all the workers in the State, including publishing the list of those paid, yet the masses are not taking the matters as authentic.
Reason is that the Government spices politics with all communications with the populace. There is doubt everywhere in the State following how the Government has been feeding Information to the masses.
The Government assured Imo people in various releases that Julius Berger will handle the Orlu-Owerri Road, which sent supporters of the Government into a frenzy.
But behold, when finally the job was given out, another company’s name appeared on ground, which was a very bad publicity for a sitting Government, since Governance is a serious business and the people should believe their Government. This disappointed Government supporters.
It must be noted that majority of Imolites are not comfortable with Uzodinma’s performance so far. But his Aides will not tell him the truth.
One of the reasons of this situation is that Uzodinma in a bid to satisfy his followers ignored professionals, and technocrats in certain positions, in preference of politicians. His appointees, since they all are politicians, are afraid of telling the truth, for fear of losing their jobs. Then those who say the truth from outside are marked.
After one year, Uzodinma needs to rejig his cabinet to satisfy Imo populace and not individuals. It is very tasking to identify what the Government has done in one year in office as regards its main area of focus, and signature project. One year is enough for and administration to show the people its direction and convince the masses.
Again, the various political fights within the Ruling party in the State has put politicking on the front burner, relegating Governance, and deliverance of the proverbial dividends of Democracy to the back.
We saw how Okigwe Senate election pitted Uzodinma, Okorocha and Araraume at war, which has not yet ended.
Even election of President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, which hitherto was usually peacefully became a big issue just because it was the turn of Imo State to produce the successor to Chief Nnia Nwodo from Enugu State.
One year after, Imo is still under tension even as the tempo remains high, unfortunately caused by the ruling party in the State, APC. A House against itself cannot stand, just as APC imbroglio is affecting the peace and progress of ordinary Imo people who yearn for good Governance.
