Owerri on invitation to witness the inauguration of various committees constituted by the party in the State ahead of the 2015 Imo general election.
It was at the event that i was informed that the State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha was involved in a ghastly motor accident at Orlu.
Immediately, I put a call across to the Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor, Ebere Uzoukwa who confirmed the accident but added that it was a minor one. According to him, the governor sustained minor injuries in the road mishap. He summed up his clarification by saying that the Governor was in a stable condition and there was nothing to worry about.
Later in the day, the official story concerning the Governor’s accident changed. Different stories and versions of the accident emerged. Some ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. I was later informed that he was flown out to London, same Friday night, via Port Harcourt International Airport for further medical examination. The information was later justified with reports in some national dallies the next day which confirmed the story.
Every well meaning Imolite should sympthasize with Owelle’s present ordeal. It is only those who politicize anything politicziable that cannot see the need to say sorry to someone in pain, someone who had a close encounter with death.An accident can happen to anyone. Be it the low or the mighty, rich or poor.
Accidents, be it air or road mishap has nothing to do with politics. Those who want to politicize Okorocha’s car convoy clash are being irrational in their judgment. Human lives are precious gifts from God and any threat to it should not be hailed by anyone who desire to live long on earth. We must learn to be our brothers keeper. This is a moral principle that is binding on us, irrespective of our political differences.
Irrespective of political leanings or whatever perception one has about our dear governor, Okorocha deserves pity and sympathy for now. His quick recovery from the road mishap should be our prayer. It will be foolishness on the part of any right thinking person to muddle politics with the present state of health of the governor of the State.
This does not eliminate the fact that in recent times, Okorocha’s style and approach concerning governance of the State has not been satisfactory. His rescue mission has so far not taken the State where we expect it to be. We can only go down on our knees and pray to Almighty God that things will change for the better in our beloved Imo State! The Bible says ask and it shall be given, knock and the door will be opened. Since we lost a new face in preference for a rescuer, lets us continue to pray that the rescuer will hearken unto our pleas.
Two years on the saddle of governance, across the nooks and crannies of Imo State, the people still murmur and wonder. IBC pensioners cry over 30 months of non payment of gratuities. Workers of 19 parastatals and government agencies claim they have not received monthly pay for three months. The cash squeeze in the State seem to hurt both the low and the high. It has no boundaries and its ravaging effect is excruciating on the citizenry across the State.
The Community Government Council (CGC) which was designed to bring governance closer to those in the hinterlands has rather become springboard for chaos in some communities in the State. If Ezes are not on war path with some members of the CGC, the youths in many communities are restive over the appointments of some persons of questionable character as their youth leader.
Football which is the major consolation for majority of Imolites who go to the Dan Anyiam Stadium to watch their darling team, Heartland Fc, are disappointed that the team were walked over in CAF Champions league. Mismanagement and poor funding by the State Government are twin factors identified as the bane of the club.
These are cumulative factors affecting the perception rating of Okorocha. It is dropping. If the rescue mission had 99% support when it cruised into power on May 29, 2011, it might have dwindled to a ridiculous figure presently if complains by Imolites on the streets, drink pubs, kekes, taxis, markets, schools are indices to assess the performance rating of any government.
For them, the new roads, free education offered by the rescue mission are amazing and appreciated, but they wonder if good roads alone can provide jobs for jobless youths and put food on the table.
In my piece titled “Rescue Mission And Neglect For Human Development”, published fortnight ago, I reminded proponents of the rescue mission that majority of Imolites are lamenting. They are murmuring. If their lamentations are ignored, it may become the manure that will germinate to discontent. A discontented citizenry is an instrument for the opposition. When will due attention be given to human capacity development? We are hopeful that things will change for the better when Okorocha returns hale and hearty after that ghastly road accident.
The Governor’s ordeal is coming at a time the PDP in the State says it is bent on ending Okorocha’s tenure through democratic means in 2015. And I commend the resolve of the party to wake up from slumber. It is the beauty of democracy. A resilient opposition puts the ruling party on its toes. If APGA catches cold whenever PDP sneezes in the State, it is good for Imolites. It is good for our dear State. If the PDP now fret and panic at the sight of the APC, then our democracy can also be said to be on the upswing in Nigeria.
Recently, Imo PDP inaugurated various committees constituted to reshape the party for the 2015 polls. Speaker after speaker boasted of the PDP’s determination to go back to Douglas House, Owerri. It was Senator Hope Uzodinma and Col Chris Akobundu (retd), the party’s South East Zonal Chairman, that set the ball rolling boasting of the PDP’s commitment and determination to re- capture power in the State after it was crushed by Okorocha’s APGA in 2011.
It was a gathering of the political titans in the party namely: the Jerry Chukwuekes, the Walter Ofonagoros, the Humphrey Anumudus, the Charlie Amadis, the Chris Asolukas, the Athan Achonus, the Alex Obis, etc.The PDP in the State sounded it clear that gone are the days the tenets of internal democracy were not adhered to, where candidates were imposed on the party from above, where losers in party primaries were given the party’s nomination tickets at the expense of winners of such exercise.
As I watched Senator Hope Uzodinma reel out the desire of the party to turn a new leaf, I muttered to myself that the party has made a right move in the right direction. It is now left for Imolites to watch and see if the new gospel the party now propounds will be their bond and watchword.
One hopes Imo PDP will be sincere to itself and their leaders abide to what they now proclaim. We hope a PDP of deceit in 2003, 2007 and 2011 is not the one we envisage now and in 2015. And one hopes that the new order which it is boasting to introduce in its fold will be applied by those who sincerely want to see the party come out of its cocoon.
The declaration of the party to take over power from Okorocha in 2015 for now is mere wishful thinking. It is a castle built on air. How the party conducts its affairs now is paramount to its sucess in 2015.
Its leaders should not be deceived that since Okorocha’s popularity rating is dwindling it will be Imo PDP’s gain. In politics, nothing is certain. Okorocha is a consummate politician. Imo PDP should not rule out surprises from him. Such political surprises can be contagious. It may restore lost political grounds for the governor and his party before the elections.
The lessons of the 2011 polls where the PDP took for granted the might and size of the ACN and APGA should not be lost on it. The PDP in Imo has the wherewithal to make an impact and cause its political opponents some upset in the next elections. But that is determinant on a lot of factors. Such factors I will refrain from mentioning here.
The Party has a Herculen task to convince Imolites that it has repented from its old ways and has turned a new leaf. Both the PDP in the State and whichever political party Okorocha backs in 2015 have equal chances to win the hearts of Imolites. Whoever appeals to the conscience of the masses now and 2015 has the unique opportunity to pilot the affairs of the State. I rest my case.
