Imo State is part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is operating Democracy. This type of Government enthrones a free society where the electorate are supposed to be Kings, through their votes which hands their mandate to the leader to over-see the affairs of others, since not all citizens will be leaders at the same time.
In a democracy, and free society there are some elements that are compulsory to the development of a given area, among these are the leader, and the opposition.
In Imo State today, the Governor is Owelle Rochas Okorocha who hails from Ogboko in Ideato South LGA. He is not the first elected Governor of Imo State, and will not be the last.
Okorocha emerged through an election which pitted various political parties against each other, in the end, one party won, and they rest today are termed opposition. Opposition could also be individuals and groups who do not agree at times with the policies of the Government, and have the right to have alternative voice.
Infact, opposition is very important, because without opposition, the incumbent Government will simply go to sleep, or unleash draconian attitude to the poor masses.
In developed countries, the opposition is seen as the “Shadow Government” and treated with respect and dignity. But in Nigeria, opposition is seen as mad people, irresponsible group of people who have nothing to offer but to criticize the Government in power.
However, the attitude of Governments towards opposition depends on the mentality of the leader. It is on record that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was more brutal to the opposition than current President Goodluck Jonathan. This is because of the different back grounds they came from. While Obasanjo was a retired Soldier, Jonathan was a University Teacher.
Now let us look at Imo State, visaviz the opposition. I want to state here that a sitting Government can determine the level of opposition it wants, and how it wants to deal with it. I will elaborate on this further.
Imo has produced five democratically elected Governors; Dr Sam Mbakwe, Senator Evan Enwerem, Dr Achike Udenwa, Dr Ikedi Ohakim and Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
Even though I was a young boy during the Mbakwe era, I can visualize those glory days when we listened to Imo Broadcasting Service (IBS) for campaign jingles. I remember the Nwakanma Okoros, Chief RBK Okafors, Chief Collins Obis, Toti Ufere Totis of Otanchara Otanzu constituency etc. It was fun. Politicians then know how to treat the opposition with dignity and respect. It was not a winner takes all.
Then came Evan Enwerem who did not last long in office before the military truncated his term as Governor.
During the time of Udenwa, opposition was very vibrant, because Udenwa government was civilized with a human face. He was a very easy-going man and listened a lot to his advisers.
A very benevolent man, Udenwa allowed enough space, as ought to be in democracy, to the opposition. Then the main rival party, All Peoples Party (APP) headed by legendary EJK Onyebuchi was a very alternative voice and a gathering point for those who PDP’s umbrella could not contain. Infact, the young Turks of Imo politics were found in APP even after the party changed name to All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
The party had the likes of Cyril Okafor (Cypox), Sir White, Dr Orikeze Ajumbe, Chime Nzeribe, CNC Onuoha, Uche Diogu, Emma Kema, Osita Ejikeme, Chief Sam Aka etc.
Udenwa courted the opposition. And as a politician surrounded by experienced minds, he realized that it was better for a leader to make friends with the opposition to cool their distractions than to create more opposition because of selfishness, greed and other factors.
Because of this carrot dangling policy, PDP in Imo, through the Chairman, Dr Alex Obi, whom I describe as a Political Bulldozer, embarked on many fence-mending overtures.
Infact by the time Udenwa ran for a second term, nearly all those who were in opposition had joined the PDP.
During Udenwa’s era, money was in circulation, and the people were confessing it, till date. He was not “chop alone” “know-it all or one man-show”. He made a lot of people and tried his best in developing Imo State. There is no way any sane person would say that Udenwa spent eight years in Imo as Governor and left without any legacy.
At least the Imo State Secretariat is there, including other policy implementations like the Development Centres in the LGAs, and the Imo State Orientation Agency. Even though the incumbent Governor, rather than improve on these Udenwa legacies, has scrapped them.
Then came Dr Ikedi Ohakim. If there was any Governor in Imo State that had the greatest opposition, that person is Dr Ikedi Ohakim.
From day one, the opposition went to work. And in order to carry the opposition along, he embarked on people oriented projects, which because of the constant bombardment by the media, could not allow the people see exactly the truth.
Because Ohakim got to Government House through the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), he had it hot from the opposition and the behemoth PDP.
In order to have a smooth sail in office, Ohakim began by placating the opposition, not out of fear, but because he wanted peace of mind and that of the Government to concentrate on his job.
In order to reduce his enemies, he borrowed to pay all former Local Government Chairmen, Councilors, Supervisory Councilors and others owed various allowances by his predecessor, Dr Achike Udenwa.
Rather than obliterate Udenwa from the psyche of Imo Citizens, by demolishing all his legacies, Ohakim adopted some of his policies and even completed some projects he left behind, as part of continuity in Government.
Despite all Ohakim did, including for the first time in Imo history, introducing Traffic lights on Owerri round-abouts, construction of fly-overs, including making Owerri the cleanest state capital in Nigeria, opposition against his government did not abate.
The situation even got worse, during and after he moved to PDP from PPA. Ohakim had to live with opposition when he realized that no matter what you do, there is no way every body will agree with you, even if in a family.
It was this opposition, combined with other factors that pushed him out of power as Governor of Imo State.
Now, Imo State is faced with Owelle Okorocha as the Governor, but as usual, the opposition as part of Governance, has continued.
However, it is the Governor’s decision to either court the opposition, or otherwise. But indications are that Okorocha is the one creating opportunity for opposition to multiply and fester in the state because he assumes his administration is perfect, and therefore the best that has happened and will happen in Imo. Therefore is above human error.
Let me begin from his predecessors, Udenwa and Ohakim. My observation has shown that Okorocha has lost the goodwill of these two gentlemen, because of his mien which makes him think Imo is a Monarch State now, where the leader is a king and therefore above reproach and will remain in office forever.
No matter what any body or group may tell Okorocha, these men had been in that office before him. Even if he likes, he can uproot flowers and grasses they planted in Imo, it cannot change any thing, but only multiplying the number of his political enemies, than reducing them. Afterall he is the one in power, and should need the help of all to succeed.
His statements at every opportunity insulting these men that “Small Boys will not rule Imo State again” only belittles Okorocha’s own personality because the office he is occupying now were vacated for him by these men.
Therefore, exuding the posture of a king is illusionary because, the seat of Imo Governorship has a tenure, and when ever it expires, the occupant MUST quit, and queues behind his predecessors.
Not reaching out to the opposition and assuming the “winner takes all” posture does not help the incumbent, because the least distraction will affect him.
This log jam between the Governor and elected Council Chairmen which has crippled the entire grass roots in the state would not have arisen had the Governor, abinitio “adopted” these Council Chairmen immediately he has sworn-in instead of sacking them.
The sacked 10,000 job seekers are another strong opposition now to Okorocha because no matter what he does, they, their wives, husbands, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers etc cannot see anything good in his administration, even if he replaces them with another set of Imo citizens.
It is on record that Okorocha, till date has refused to pay two months salary and severance allowances to all the Government appointees who worked under the last administration in Imo State simply because they worked under Ohakim. This is another set of opposition Group created by Okorocha.
Okorocha has created opposition even among contractors who executed roads in the state (even though without directives from the Government and yet want payment) even as Government has refused to pay them.
What of the politicians who are assuaged with little contracts from such places as MDG, SUPEB etc? I heard such contracts don’t exist any more yet the subvention from Abuja to these parastals has not stopped. Any wonder the elite are getting impatient with the administration now!
Okorocha have a chunk of opposition among the families of his appointees who tell their relations that they are not “seeing anything” from the Okorocha government, yet I have not heard any of them resign his/her appointment.
And then there is PDP and other opposition parties that are officially “Opposition”.
But what worries me is that despite these oppositions, the Government and their Agents live in fantasyland, thinking that all is well.
Worse is that rather than use persuasion to convince those who do not agree with what the Government is doing, those who ought to know use bravado and force on the opposition.
The other day the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Chinedu Offor was on the Radio insulting those who phoned in for clarification on government policies. Rather than appeal to the people, he was acting like a “Teacher”. Fela would say “Teacher don’t teach me nonsense”.
Apart from Okorocha who himself calls for interaction with Pressmen once in a while, has Offor and his ilk ever visited any Media House in Imo State? They remain in their offices and compile list of opposition media houses and how to “deal” with their promoters.
Opposition cannot stop in a democracy, just as Governments come and go. Instead, it is the duty of the leader to unite everybody immediately after elections. It is true that the Booty is too much and have blinded the Okorocha Government from extending Olive Branch to “opposition”, very soon, the scale will fall-off from the eyes of those who are presently buried on easy lucre. In a democracy, lobby and persuasion are they onions. Even if you decide to kill all those in opposition, how many will you kill?
Abraham Lincoln asked “Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?” Chinedu Offor in that vexed Radio Programme said that Government House cannot move for Imo people, instead Imo people should move for Government House.
I absolutely agree with him that Government House will remain there the day Offor and his principal will leave. After all we were all once there, but where are we today? I am only speaking from experience don’t misinterpret me, please.
