Several months ago, I wrote an article entitled, “crude politics indeed.” The kernel of that analysis was to discuss the attitude of those who prefer not to see any type of relationship between members of PDP and those of APGA. My conclusion was that those who indulge in such political thinking are playing crude politics.
Admittedly, our political sophistication is too far behind. It is important that as we develop, we must develop along with political tolerance, particularly when people of a political party express views that appear not to be too positive to their parent political party.
I have chosen the above statement in this analysis with the expression because, there are many of our readers who would see this article to be not in conformity with views of some party leadership. That is nothing enough to worry about. People must remember that I occupy special position within the political environment in Imo State. There are three reasons for this free expression of my opinion on issues of public discourse.
Firstly, I am a political scientist who has been around several years to know a lot of the dynamics of Imo geo-political contents.
Secondly, I received my total University education in the United States where democracy has its optimal leverage to accommodate divergent of opinions on some issues irrespective of what is the party view.
Thirdly, I am a practicing professional who is in the business of mobilizing, sensitizing and aggregating public opinion with view to objectively presenting such opinions and views to the public for their consumption without injecting bias.
It is on this premise that I have always supported the government in power in the State but not necessarily agreeing with the totality of its policies. By the same token, I have written on some issues expressing my divergent opinion on certain issues not consistent with my party’s line of thinking of the other party. All this does not and cannot make me a less party adherent. Some will think otherwise because they play crude politics.
Now to the crux of this analysis. During the campaign of election of 2011, as one of the PDP leader in my LGA, I was a member of the campaign team led by Chief Engr. Emma Ojinere. We visited every ward in the LGA Campaign for four party candidates: Ikedi for the Governorship; Kema for the Senate; Hon. Nnanna Igbokwe for House of Representatives and Honourable Mrs. Adaku Ihuoma for the State House of Assembly. In spite of my own physical challenge, I tried my best to follow the campaign team as many LGA Wards as possible. In the end, we captured two.
Although we were looking forward to the inauguration of members of the legislature, PDP members were shocked to hear that four members of the party had decamped to APGA to enable the party form the majority in the House. Painfully, Honourable Mrs. Adaku was one of the four members. In fact, it took us a lot of time to get over that shock.
However, according to Enoch Living, “in politics, people behave as if they have no faculty once they are driven by immediate mundane consideration not bordered on principles.” On his part, Professor V.O. Kay in a book American Public Opinion has asserted, “that one of the indices to measure political maturity is the ability to accept and adjust quickly some political surprises which members could spring without notice.”
There is no doubt that Hon. Adaku has faced a lot of criticisms from those people in her constituency who voted for her, she had managed to carefully obviated those seeming criticisms with calmness and focus. Yet, she knows that many are not happy with that decision to decamp. But who has impressed people, being respectful, accommodating and relating to many in her constituency. Even on the part of PDP as a party, it has approached the issue that embarrassing decamping with extraordinary caution, knowing full well that “one day, monkey will go to the market and will not return.” Or to put it more sarcastically, “in the end, the chicks must return to the roosts.” What is bordering the party more is not the decampes, but the unreliability and insincerity of those PDP members who think that it is possible to enjoy the bliss of two heavens. Impossible. Those who decamped are more honourable than those who claimed that they are in PDP yet working against the interest of the party and their colleagues. This group has a day with history. According to late Honourable M.I. Okpara, “I can bear the thrusts of unknown enemy, but can’t handle the secrets of unknown enemy who may appear to be friendly.
On her part, Honourable Mrs. Adaku Ihuoma has for sometimes now been facing criticism from members of the APGA leadership in her constituency. According to what is already a matter of public record, they accuse her of being too disconnected from those who worked to see the success of APGA in the constituency. One and many may wonder where did APGA succeed or record source in Ahiazu constituency. The record is clear. The party did not win and could not in Ahiazu. In this respect, that accusation is shutdown.
But having accepted to join APGA and rewarded with a high office as a majority leader, Hon. Ihuoma is politically required to work in harmony with APGA leadership in Ahiazu. But those leaders trying to drag Adaku to a political slaughter house must be reminded that “no matter how much you may cure an insane man, he will not stop murmur or rolling his eyes on people.”
Membership of a political party sometimes carries with it innermost emotion in body and soul. Besides, political loyalty in the Nigeria environment could be circumspect and transient. In fact, APGA in the State should be lucky that those who decamped have not returned to their mother party, considering political circumstances in the State.
Another allegation against Hon. Adaku Ihuoma by those APGA leaders in Ahiazu is that as the majority leader, she has been appropriating to herself only and to those PDP people against the interests of those who worked for APGA, whom she regards as those who worked against her election. Much as I will not hold brief for the Honourable member also the Majority Leader in the House, but suffice it to say that this allegation is simplistic and totally very puerile on two planks.
In the first place, the party leadership in the LGA should first of all complain about how contracts are being awarded as per public knowledge.
It could be that what the majority leader is doing is in conformity with what the Speaker is doing with those other contracts allocated to him. Who knows? But it must be said loud and clear that any political leader at what level must ensure that the benefits of office his constituency. It may be that Hon. Adaku according to some available even which could be deducted from the statement of the politic leaders is only distributing these contracts to those who may not be APGA but is distributing the largees of her office to Ahiazu constituents.
Secondly, some of the leaders who have been on her throat are political merchants, who to a large extent may depend on those sources through the government at the State, LGA level. And as things stand today in the state of political patronage, many, indeed many are complaining vociferously. These LGA APGA leaders should see things in their true perspective and reduce the tempo of criticizing this Lady of simple nature.
Besides, the regimes of Achike and Ikedi are different from that of Owelle. Nobody expects Adaku to behave like Stanford Onyirimba or John Egbuchulem who were majority leaders during Achike and Ohakim regimes respectively. After all, she is the first woman to become Majority Leader in the State and given her own simple and alluring nature which does not include acrobatic politicking.
Based on the above analysis and given all the converging circumstances, APGA leadership should woe the Hon. Member to their side and not to be making press statements that are injurious to political harmony and social development in the LGA unless they have nothing else to do. On her part, the Honourable member should do her to see how best to assuage needs of these political leaders. After all, a labourer deserves his wage. But they must always bear in mind that her entering into APGA was occasioned by unmitigating political expediency which as far as the Governor is concerned that has achieved positive results to the Governor and to APGA that is the bottom line and the reality of the matter.
After all, it is not easy for a Local Government to have a Majority Leader. That in itself, she deserves the support and encouragement of all and sundry in the Local Government nay, in the State.
