by christain akpunonu
Great William Shakespeare in one of his classical books of literature entitled Julius Ceasar said that ; when beggars die, therefore are no comets…” Truly nothing goes for anything, which was why the popular Igbo wisdom puts it that: “a toad does not run for nothing in the day time.” That the oil rich Oguta Local Government Area is significant in Imo state need not be overemphasized. But a reluctance in the habit of discussing local politics was somewhat decimated by an unusual socio-political development which has elicited unusual national attention. In fact, the political searchlight of the Nation once refocused on Imo State as a known pacesetter in discovering or inventing curious political questions that call for abnormal political solution, even while the greatest intrigues entangling the Professor Attahiru Jega’s supplementary election in the 2011 Imo gubernatorial election aroused a serious electoral question or suspicion as a constitutional aberration up till date. The poser is none other than the astute but quite obdurate. politician of the same Imo State extraction, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume a second time governorship candidate who dragged the independent National Electroral commission (NEC) to Court to substantiate the constitutional nexus of the clause, supplementary election; Curiously too, the court allowed the deposed former governor Ikedi Godson Ohakim to join in the suit filed recently by Senator Araraume, which dissipated tension from another angle as a suspected political ambush against the embattled beneficiary of that clause , His Excellency the Governor of Imo State in the Saddle, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. While the matter lingers in a court of competent jurisdiction, Imo State is back in the political limelight, this time with particular focus on Oguta LGA often reputed as strong political factor that is gifted with a punitive popular political marverick, Senator Arthur Nzeribe as a resolute political godfather. Recently, the Oguta LGA re-run election took a centre stage in the national political discourse.
The issue is currently engaging both renowned experts and street-side free lance political discussion in the offices, pubs, homes, news-stands, news-rooms, and public gatherings. Wherever the subject is raised, it trigged off rigorous arguments among discussants. At this juncture, one is poised to probe into the significance of state legislative position which ought to be a local government affair nay state that strangely assumed national outlook to have drawn such a political attention. The air waves and newsprints at State and National levels all these while are inundated with political comments, petitions, propaganda, campaigns (mostly of calumny) from opponents just for the seat of Oguta LGA State Constituency Representative in Imo State House of Assembly. Essentially, the much ado about Oguta re-run especially as it pertains to two rival political parties among others, namely: The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in lino State. A few days to the Oguta LGA re-run election of 2013 was a hey-day for the People’s Station, Hot 99.5 FM radio where the political pundits from opposing camps of especially APGA and PDP took several turns of airtime to wash their dirty linens and lambast each other in what typifies Campaign of Calumny.
It is unimaginable, that the PDP State Party Chainnan, Barr. Duru Ihuoma (SAN) led a team that drew the first blood by brainwashing the Joe Public of Imo State and Nigeria with ear-tingling revelations, propaganda, gimmickry and campaign for the Party Candidate, Hon. Eugene Dibiagwu, whom many believed was the most popular among others. Also, the PDP State Legal Adviser, Barr. C.A.C. Akaolisa led the second team on a second missionary campaign trip to the Hot 99.5 FM Studio. In a follow-up reaction, the APGA team launched their own angle of political offensives, captained by Prince (Dr.) Okafor (of ISOPADEC) and Gideon Nwaeze, before Hon. lgbomezie, the current Sole Administrator of Oguta LGA came on board to cement talks for APGA in a second time trip to Hot 99.5 FM as well. At the national level, Senator Hope Uzodimma and His Excellency, Deputy Speaker Emeka Jhedioba appeared personally and even participated as Electoral Booth Officers for the PDP in an LGA re-run election held on Saturday, June 29, 2013 in Imo State. It was indeed, the clash of the titans, which oftentimes, doesn’t go without the saying that, when two elephants are fighting, the ground suffers. For as long as Oguta LGA State Constituency Election is not resolved, the seat remains vacant in Imo House of Assembly (IMHA). The obvious implication is that Oguta LGA is suffering under- representation, a big lacuna in representative democracy. Apparently, the recent development in the much-talked-about Oguta re-run election sends signals about what Imo politics is bound to metamorphose into, without precautions. Firstly, it reveals how debased Imo Politicians are tending and how degenerated their minds turn all in the name of Politics for Political score points and position at most. It is sacrilegious to learn that the convoy of a serving Governor is confronted in a violent clash with the convoy of a contestant (who by happenstance is an ordinary citizen with no immunity constitutionally). Equally unsavory is the misguidance of the masses by no other than a legal luminary, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Barr. Duru Ihuoma, that the Governor and a candidate for IMHA seat are both road users. That is unacceptable and quite unfair treatment. It is a desecration of the constitutional sacrosanctity underlying the exalted position of a State Governor to drag for right of way with a subject. The Bitter Pills condemns such acts and utterances in-toto no matter whose ox is gored. limo State Governor deserves honor, privileges and respect. On the other hand, Owelle is over stretched to become an electoral umpire announcing results and making political statements that will attract odium to himself and Imo State generally from the top, and for the APGA and PDP to take such a do-or-die stand in the Oguta re-run election portends a bad omen for the Imo State politics in the future. This has led the Imo polity neck-deep into the influence of sharp practices in electioneering. Once a bad habit is cultivated, it is very difficult to drop. In as much as recent events unfolding shows how resistant Imo voters are becoming against the ills of political godfatherism, it is feared that misguided utterances, propaganda and character-assassination are taking root as political strategies to destabilize opponents at all cost. Such extreme tactics are capable of inflicting incurable political injuries and irresolvable acrimony among players in the game of politics. Politics is a game which entails fair-play without bitterness and rancor. From the recent Oguta re-run election which ended in stalemate for the umpteenth time, it shows that Imo political environment is getting polluted, and Imo politicians are now playing dirty games. It was not so during the times of Late Sam Mbakwe, RBK Okafor, Chief Collins Obi, K.O Mbadiwe (Timber and Caliber), Evans Enwerem, Engr. Ezekiel Izuogu (still alive). The political stock sprouting nowadays from Imo State seems to be deviating from the ethics of playing by the cardinal rules of politics as if it is no longer permanent interest without permanent enemies. Given the recent tide of political waves, turbulence is imminent, except if imo politicians retract their steps to play politics as brothers with vision and mission to develop our state. It is true that everybody likes power and enjoys it to grab at it and use it. But a little restraint ought to be applied to avoid overstepping one’s bounds in the pursuit of political power. The Imo Douglas House is open to all Imo sons and daughters to contest for. It is nobody’s birth right neither should one political zone dominate it in humiliation of others or to the detriment of the masses. if we allow what happened in Oguta re-nm to continue unabated, it will be a habit (bad one indeed) of which, when copied by others, will engulf Imo State, plunge it into unnecessary tension. When political tension is unrestrained, it can over-stretch the moral resilience of the masses of peace-loving Imolites and push them into violence. Political violence is the climax of political tension. Worst hit in such a scenario are the teeming population of unemployed youths who are easily made use of as political tools, thugs and hirelings. Abraham Lincoln said; “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.” The act of mud-slinging among our politicians in Imo State is an ugly development. Let us stop it now or face the consequences.
EmaiI:chrisnche3914Jyahoo.com
