Available news releases oozing from Government House quarters in Owerri, Imo State Capital indicate that every May 6 will be marked as Freedom Day. According to the State Government, it marks the day the Great Imo Rescuer and Commander General of the Imo Rescue Mission, His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha braced all odds to become fifth civilian Governor of the state.
Reasons for the robust May 6 Freedom Day celebrations in Imo State are not far-fetched. For those familiar with the political history of the state fondly branded the “Eastern Heartland”, May 6, 2011 was the day the controversial “Supplementary Election” by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC was conducted to elect the State Governor.
It would be recalled that no clear cut candidate among the gubernatorial hopefuls was declared winner when the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, declared the election inconclusive prompting the national election umpire to fix May 6, 2011, after the April 26 date election for the conduct of supplementary.
The succeeding voting saw the present Governor Okorocha of APGA, shoving aside his closet rival and incumbent, Chief Ikedi Godson Ohakim of the PDP. Anybody wanting to know what transpired later may wish to visit Imo State Encyclopedia or history record books for full details as my commentary wishes to make a brief narration of the entire episode.
One remarkable aspect of the May 6, 2011 victory where the Ogboko-Ideato born politician, business mogul and philanthropist of the Rochas Foundation fame took over helm of affairs of the state is the fact that legal challenges have continue to trail the conduct of Supplementary Election and Okorocha’s victory.
Okorocha’s predecessor who came second under PDP platform not only went to the election tribunal to challenge the Supplementary Election but also pursued his case to Supreme Court level where it was dismissed. Again, another star actor in the 2011 Governorship episode, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume who ran for the number one position with ACN flag is in court contesting the legality or otherwise of the conduct of the “Supplementary Election”. Ohakim and PDP in their desperate bid to seek further constitutional proof of the “Supplementary Election” is seeking right to be part of the case. I can’t go further because the matter is enjoying mention at both the apex and lower courts of Federation.
Despite court challenges bordering on legality of the “Supplementary Election”, the Okorocha government decided to glorify the date as one of the sacred days in Imo. How the present administration invented the “Freedom Day” name as most appropriate for the annual remembrance of the historic “Supplementary Election” has been a source of concern to some Imolites. However, certain indices noticeable in the modus operandi of the present administration can confirm the “Freedom Day” name choice.
Since taking over the mantle of leadership, Gov Okorocha has not reneged in his campaign slogan of being a Rescue Missioner. In his calculated bid to win the support of the masses during the pre-April 2011 election, Okorocha and his supporters employed the “Rescue Mission” slogan and it became the trade mark of the APGA candidate. Having won the election and sworn-in as Governor, Okorocha never reneged in his Rescue Mission agenda as the Chief Apostle of the Rescue programme. Since the coast has been cleared for Okorocha, he never hid intention to make real his Rescue postulations.
Feelers from Owelle Rochas camp indicate that the present administration executing a liberation program by claiming to free Imo citizenry from the shackles and manacles of mal administration perpetuated by past regimes in the state. In spite of Okorocha’s involvement in past governments as a staunch PDP stalwart and stakeholder in affairs of the state, he came with Freedom Gospel.
However, ominous signs that the Governor’s “Rescue Mission” may be “Vengeance Mission” began few days after he was sworn-in as Governor. In his maiden public broadcast to Imo people, Okorocha in a czarist manner exhibited manners to suggest that a section of Nde Imo are not included in the supposed “Freedom” revolution. In a lawless exercise, Okorocha in a verbal punch shoved aside several existing structures of governance.
In one full swoop, elected Chairmen, councilors, and all political appointees at the local government level were dissolved alongside coordinators and members of Development Centres, a structure created by law of the Imo State House of Assembly.
In the same vein, beneficiaries of 10,000 jobs, one of the laudable aspects of the immediate past government was scrapped even as several radical changes aimed at perceived political opponents were instituted by Governor Okorocha. Today, several Imolites who have anything to do with the past administration are at the receiving end of Okorocha’s inglorious “Vendetta Mission”. Instead of prosecuting a barrier less “Rescue Mission” and “Freedom-for-all” governance, the present government engages in selective acts.
Unlike in the past where immediate past administrations get their severance gratuity and necessary disengagement entitlements from present regimes, Okorocha’s case is different. Apart from denying all political appointees who served the past administration their deserved two months salaries, Okorocha went ahead to impound all official vehicles allotted to them in a discourteous and cruel manner that brand the victim as war captives.
It is worthy to note that while Okorocha allowed those who served his executive council for eight month like sacked commissioner to go with the official cars (Prado Jeeps), those who served the last administration for four years in different capacities were brutalized and hunted like common criminals by a special task force committee on Recovery of Government Property led by Prince Placid Ekwueme, in the bid to recover their vehicles. Ironically, the vehicles forcefully taken away from the ex-appointees have grown wings and disappeared as the present appointees serving in Owelle’s government have new jeep vehicles as official cars. Judging from the aforementioned scenario, will the ex-political appointees, who are Imolites be joining Okorocha to celebrate the May 6 Freedom Day when they are still in the law courts to not only challenge the Governor’s perceived vengeance mission but demand for the payment of their statutory severance allowance.
Any major sector that will take a swipe at Okorocha’s funny Freedom Day razzmatazz are the teeming unemployed youths who were victims of the Governor’s dissolution order when he took over power on May 29, 2011. Most of the 10,000 jobs beneficiaries who have been challenging their unceremonious exit from the state work force, at various courts would misconstrue the “Freedom Day” celebration as a calculated attempt to insult the mental psyche of Imolites suffering from ceaseless penury occasioned by Okorocha’s pronouncement of Monday June 6, 2011. For lack of space, I will continue next week on the topi
Thank God As I add Another Year
Yours truly added another year on Sunday April 28, I am not a birthday freak but calls and messages from family members, friends and well wishers remind me of that peculiar date. Ironically, it was on a Sunday which prompted me to as usual offer a quiet thanksgiving to Almighty God for his kind mercies and wonderful blessings. It was funny in my little growing home when my first son, Ifesinachi Goodluck, who is little above five, asked how it would be celebrated since I have always been taking them to birthday celebrations.
Well, I handled the affair the way it should be. But there is a missing gap. I am yet to have normal “Fellowship” with my co-worshippers at the Camel Rock Ministries, a sit-out-joint for distinguished gentlemen of like minds. I know my General Overseer (Omoba) has been kicking for Babanababa to come and answer present since CWO had mortuarised all the Henpari and Stanpari with BOT members waiting for the action.
By the special Grace of God, the congregation shall meet for the additional one year bash.
