When on November 11, 2011 I was ambushed at the premises of Owerri High Court by thugs of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, under the instruction of a top Imo State Government official, I knew that the circle of political assault and physical brutality will not stop with me.
As a Journalist, I was there that day to cover an assignment, with just my tape recorder, biro and camera. I did not know how I became a stumbling block for any body, that I was treated like a common criminal.
I was so beaten that I collapsed inside a gutter, yet my attackers went on to finish me. Thinking that I was finally gone, they gave me the last kick and spat on top of my body saying “Idiot, let us see from where you will come and write about Owelle again”.
Later some policemen picked me up and took me to a hospital where I regained consciousness. I discovered that I had been maimed for life, as I slightly limp till today. I lost everything on me; including my Wrist Watch, Black Berry phone, Wallet, Eye Glasses, Tape Recorder, Camera and even my Biro.
After this assault and near assassination of a former Government appointee, who worked as a Chief Press Secretary to a Governor, there was no reaction from the incumbent administration. Instead, top officials of the administration made side commentaries, on certain issues which I discovered were down-loaded from SMS in my stolen handset. This was a clear indication that the Government was aware of the attempted plot to murder me.
I had expected even calls from Chief Martin Agbaso, as a Leader of APGA in Imo State and a Big Brother and friend. Not to talk of his younger brother, Sir Jude Agbaso, who is the Deputy Governor! None of them cared to ask about my condition throughout my stay in the hospital till date. But some top officials of the Government who felt bad about my ordeal called.
But with experience having been on this job as a Journalist for years now, I have romanced with politics and politicians to know that he who rides on the back of a Tiger usually ends inside its stomach one day. And when you don’t condemn evil openly, one day it may be your turn, and no body will be on your side.
Today, it is the turn of the Agbasos; Martin and Jude at the receiving end of Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s political assault. And now, they are running to the same Press, Social-Cultural Organizations, Age Grades, Youth Groups and some Activities to come to their aides over the contentious battle with Okorocha, who does not take political prisoners.
The issue in Imo politics in the last two weeks has remained the impeachment plot against Sir Jude Agbaso by the House of Assembly.
The Assembly said they discovered acts inimical to Agbaso’s position as a Deputy Governor and therefore deserves to quit his office. The House claimed to have unraveled that a Construction Company by name JPROS paid Agbaso an alleged sum of N458m (Four hundred and fifty eight million naira) as “Kick Back”.
However, Sir Jude Agbaso has openly come out to deny all the allegations, saying that he is simply a victim of an agreement not to be met. Jude said that his Boss Okorocha, is the man behind the mask plotting his removal, simply because he (Okorocha) did not want to meet his own part of a bargain he struck with his Elder Brother, Martin as regards 2015 Imo State Governorship seat.
On the other hand, Okorocha has made it clear that he had no hands in Jude Agbaso’s travails, as he even postponed an oversea trip to delve into the matter, and see how his Deputy can be rescued from the whole mess.
Jude Agbaso has also accused Imo House of Assembly of being a toll in the hands of Okorocha to execute the hatchet job of his removal.
Yet the Lawmakers have also denied being remote-controlled by any force(s) to impeach Agbaso, only that they are working on verifiable facts, that proved that Jude Agbaso has abused his office.
Therefore, under this circumstance, who among Jude, Okorocha and the Imo House of Assembly is saying the truth?
Unfortunately, when you go through the video recordings and paper documents made available by the Imo Assembly on deliberations on this matter, including watching how Jude Agbaso answered the questions, you begin to wonder if Jude Agbaso ignorantly played into the hands of his traducers. He seems to have been jolted out of his slumber, at the rate, what he thought was a “family matter” was degenerating.
Those reading Newspapers these past days would have come across the conversation between the Deputy Governor, and the Imo Assembly Committee led by Hon Simeon Iwunze on the N458m scam.
Listening to Chief Martin Agbaso the other day at Emekuku, he openly told a mammoth crowd in a holds-no-barred interaction that Rochas Okorocha was simply acting out of script to destroy the integrity of his family because of his ambition in 2015.
For the first time, I saw Chief Martin Agbaso fuming with rage. He even declared that he has never collected money before handing APGA ticket to Okorocha except a paltry sum of 5,000 Dollars which Okorocha gave him at Kosovo. And Martin Agbaso said he will fight with the last drop of his blood in making sure that his family’s name was not dragged to the mud.
It is generally said that friends usually don’t quarrel when gathering loot, but it is at the point of sharing.
With this development and stance by the Senior Agbaso, the bubble is burst, as the coming days will see the Agbasos and Okorocha’s families wash their pants in Onitsha, Ariaria and Eke Onunwa markets combined together. It will give room for various exposures that may shock Imo people to their bone marrows.
That is, if none of the parties sheath their sword at the peak of the roforofo fight. Imo people will hear and see how much water that has passed under the bridge since Okorocha assumed office, with the mantra that he does not believe in protocols, and is on rescue mission. Imo people may at last discover who is rescuing whom.
For starters, Chief Martin Agbaso is a fighter who does not suffer fool easily. He gave the former Governor of Imo State, Dr Ikedi Ohakim and his Media Team a fight of their lives. Should Agbaso put the same zeal on this duel with Okorocha, then Imo people are in for a mother of all revelations.
It is very unfortunate that Okorocha’s administration is suffering this implosion just after only 20 months in office. The present situation has exposed how uncoordinated and undue processed the administration is.
We have had four Civilian Governors before the incumbent Okorocha, and never did we hear where a Deputy and Governor were fighting openly to the spectators of Imo citizenry.
It has shown that greed and selfishness, including avarice are the major concern of the present administration, and not the general welfare of Imo people.
It is possible that the driving force behind these ongoing road projects in the state is nothing but what would accrue from them as kick backs. I wonder why nearly all roads in the state are ongoing at the same time, and none has been fully been completed and commissioned till date.
It therefore means that the more long time it takes to build a road, the more kick backs that roll in. We want Government to disprove this assumption by completing all the roads in the state before the rains set it.
Although it may be said that Okorocha is pursuing transparency in allowing his Deputy to face his fate in the hands of the Lawmakers, but politically it was a miscalculation because in a Democracy, the Governorship seat is a joint mandate, and in most cases, when one goes down, automatically the other follows.
Therefore, in order not to rock the boat, the Boss should at all times protect the “spare tyre” in order not to create the impression that there is no synergy and therefore opens a crevice for enemies to sneak in.
It is now openly clear that Okorocha may be working for his own political survival in 2015, and unfortunately, Jude Agbaso becomes a victim, but the Agbaso removal should have been plotted later in the life of the regime, when the Deputy Governor and his Sponsors may have “enjoyed” to an extent, and may give no fight in return, when asked to quit the scene.
Therefore, it is too early in the day to sack Jude Agbaso now that he has not built his own empire and content to go. It is like removing the breast from the mouth of the kid when he was just settling to suck the milk.
Moreover, Jude is simply a clone of Chief Martin, and therefore is in a quagmire of his own, which outsiders may not see. Therefore, Okorocha struck at a time when the Agbasos still have enough sympathizers to muster the courage to confront Okorocha face to face in a royal rumble fight.
Had Okorocha played his card well and waited till next year, many people would have been busy with too many political activities and developments in town to bother about the travails of the Agbasos in the hands of their co-traveler.
However, if Okorocha succeeds in pushing off Jude Agbaso now, he will still over-live the hangover of the quarrel as there is still ample time between now and 2015. So, I see Okorocha completing this impeachment plot. It is just a matter of time.
In the other hand, Jude Agbaso, should not have decided openly to let the world know that there is no love lost between him and his Boss. Now, it has become an open truth and therefore, having declared war, either by proxy or through himself, Okorocha will never trust Jude again to be his second in command.
Even if Jude Agbaso succeeds in the bid to retain the office of the Deputy Governor, he can only remain in office and not in power. Because, the Owelle Okorocha I know will make the office too bored and meaningless that all Jude will be doing in office every day will be to watch Television and receive visitors.
Okorocha has the right to stop assigning him jobs, like going to occasions to represent him. He can even stop some payments attached to his office, and let him have his salaries only.
Therefore, as far as I am concerned, the political romance between Okorocha and the Agbasos is over. The vehicle is now at the Bus Stop, and the only alternative left for the Agbasos is to board another vehicle now that the journey is still far, and yet available vehicles.
If they continue to hang around Okorocha, it may be too late for them to get another vehicle.
Okorocha does not have a forgiving spirit, and the Agbasos can never change this situation, but should be humans enough to take the game as it has played out. They should ask the fate of his successors, former political appointees, including some of those who sponsored his election.
Was Jude Agbaso not the tool Okorocha is using to rubbish his predecessor, Dr Ikedi Ohakim, a man who quietly handed overpower to Okorocha without squabbles, and even asked other contestants to support Okorocha.
Was it not Jude Agbaso the man they used to relocate IMSU sited in his own community to Ogboko, Okorocha’s village after Owerri zone gave him the support when he needed them to clinch his Governorship seat in 2011?
Unfortunately, now that Okorocha has remembered that it is time for Jude to end in the bowel of the Tiger, my humble advice is for him to quietly quit now to save his political career from being dented and jeopardized or completely ruined with the stigma of embezzlement and impeachment.
Okorocha has gotten him where he wanted him, and therefore he is nailed. No amount of fight or mudslinging of the Okorocha dynasty in Imo can save him. He should go home by resigning humbly. He is still a young man, and there is tomorrow.
There is no need fighting, the odds are staked against Jude now. If he refuses, mark my words, Owelle Okorocha will still finish the impeachment project and Jude Agbaso would end up being disgraced and possibly face more political consequences.
The best alternative for Jude Agbaso, is to “rescue” himself now. I think the party is over.
