By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
For the good people of Imo state, at home and in diaspora, their prayers will be for the November 11, 2023 governorship election to be a turning point in the way elections are conducted in the civilised societies where electoral violence leading to destruction of live and properties are absent in the leadership selection process.
Indeed, Imolites expect that Saturday’s governorship election will be deviod of electoral violence which Imo known as the Heartland of the South East geopolitical zone has come to be known for since 2011 when it joined the states where off-cycle elections have been entrenched in the electoral calendar of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Never in the history of elections in Imo state has the people of the state and visitors alike been this apprehensive of what will happen next just as the uncertainties in the air concerning the security of live and properties in the state have heightened.
Imo is one of the three states that are having their governorship elections in Nigeria on Saturday, November 11, 2023. Others are Bayelsa and Kogi states.
Pre-election happenings in the once peaceful state have added to the anxiety over the election in the state that has become notorious for insecurity since the incumbent governor, Chief Hope Odidika Uzodimma, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election came to power in the most controversial way in the history of participatory democracy.
Uzodimma who will conclude his first term in January 2024 was sworn in as governor of Imo state in January 2020 after the Supreme Court nullified the election of the then-sitting governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and declared Uzodinma as the governor of the state.
He came a distant third position in the March 9, 2019 Imo gubernatorial election won by Ihedioha who ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He also defeated Uche Nwosu (son-in-law of ex-governor) who ran under the Action Alliance Party (AA) with a total of 273,404 votes.
Since that Supreme Court Judgment which brought Uzodimma to power, Imo state has been in turmoil with high-profile killings, kidnappings, burning of houses and high-scale destruction of live and properties across the state which the governor has at different fora said those incidents were politically motivated.
Also, in the past four years, the federal prison now called Owerri Correctional Centre was bombed, hardened criminals released and weapons cartered away by the hoodlums tagged Unknown Gun Men (UGM) and till date not one of the perpetrators of the heinous act has been apprehended by the law enforcement agencies in Nigeria.
Security has deteriorated so much in Imo state since 2020 that it cost too much money to organise an occasion like traditional wedding, burials, conferences and any big occasions because you will spend a huge amount of money to pay for the regular security agents and vigilantes to provide cover for people who are attending the events or they will be attacked and brutalised by the UGM.
Many Imolites have had their country homes attacked by hoodlums and properties stolen at different times while some have escaped assassination attempts on their lives with their vehicles destroyed in their bids to escape.
The sit-at-home order is observed religiously in Imo more than the other four states in the South East namely Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu. Economic activities in the state has been at its lowest ebb as business premises and government offices open two or three times in a week in Imo state unlike other South East states.
In fact, Imo is in comatose with the ordinary people not able to carry out their economic activities in the rural areas for fear of the bad guys even as state government workers’ salaries not regularly paid to make the matter worse for them.
The situation has made many people leave Imo state and find new homes outside the state in order to carry out their economic activities to support the families they left behind in the state. Many have moved their businesses and their families far away from Imo state in order to have peace.
Recently, the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero who dared to join a protest organized by Imo State Wing of NLC was battered by alleged hired thugs in Owerri, the state capital. This uncivilised action against Ajaero has since attracted a national and international outcry and both NLC and TUC leadership have commenced picketing of Sam Mbakwe International Airport, Owerri and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja respectively.
There is no gainsaying the fact that Imo state has suddenly become a state associated with everything negative including political instability which started in 2011 governorship election which Chief Ethelbert Anayo Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) who defeated the incumbent Dr. Ikedi Godson Ohakim of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The 2011 election was declared inconclusive, the first time a state election was so declared and after the Supplementary Election, Okorocha from Orlu Zone emerged winner while Ohakim from Okigwe Zone had his dream of doing a second term shattered.
That was when the political problems in Imo state started because the Orlu Zone destroyed the existing Imo Charter of Equity which saw Chief Achike Udenwa of PDP governor the state for eight years (1999 to 2007) before handing over to Okigwe man (Ohakim) (2007 to 2011) but Okorocha from Orlu Zone in cohort with some politicians from Owerri Zone truncated the Imo Charter of Equity.
For an average Imolite, the emergence of Chief Ihedioha from Owerri Zone as governor in 2019 was in tandem with the Spirit of Imo Charter of Equity and the state was at peace but when Uzodimma from Orlu Zone was declared as the governor in January 2020 Imo has been in turmoil.
Therefore, there is need to rescue Imo from its piteous state and it required the participation of every eligible voter in the state; every indigene and resident of the state, not to sit on the fence this time round because another four years of living in perpetual fears by residents and visitors will be too much to bear.
In fact, this is the time for Imolites to speak with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as this off-season governorship election in the state is one of such occasions to show that we are ready to reclaim our state from political jobbers.
In the 2nd Republic, elections in Imo had been a fiesta of sort, a contest of ideas and festival of perspectives. Until lately, the maxim of election being a celebration of democracy, found eloquent expression in Imo.
The state was one in which the brain prevailed over brawn. It was when great politicians of Imo state extraction bestrode the political landscape like colossus as watching listening to the likes of Chief Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe, brilliant lawyer and Biafran veteran, of the then Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), Chief Nwakanma Okoro, consultant surgeon (later, Collins Obi, accomplished pharmacist) of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Nnanna Ukaegbu, educationist and university proprietor of the Great Nigerian Peoples Party (GNPP) and Steve Evulocha, fiery political activist of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), take on each other point-by-point, policy-by-policy, ideas-by-ideas and present to the people their individual blueprints for the state if elected.
Their oratory and pedigree as well as the type of personalities who followed them such as Chief RBK Okafor from Oguta, Chief Martins Iwuozor Awurumibe (Wonders) from Okohia-Mbano and Chief Benjamin Uwajimogu from Avutu-Obowo attracted many voters to their side and they won big.
Mbakwe who eventually won in 1979 and was reelected in1983, did not march to Douglas House, the seat of power in Imo state, on the blood of innocent people as he earned their trust and sustained it hence he was dubbed, the “Peoples’ Governor”.
In 1981, faced with acute transportation system Imo, under Mbakwe, built the Imo Airport now Sam Mbakwe International Airport, Owerri; constructed first class university, Imo State University (IMSU),
established industries in the then five senatorial districts- Owerri, Aba, Umuahia, Okigwe and Orlu and established the first independent power plant called (PDS) in Amaraku, Mbano.
Mbakwe made Imo state the envy of others and a pride to the citizens till date as he left a legacy his successors are not able to attempt even as some have tried to destroy like the distortions of the storm water channels to Nworie and Otamiri rivers in Owerri.
The exciting story of Dee Sam Mbakwe as he was fondly called was cut short by the military coup of 1983 led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari who later jailed him wrongly. Ever since, Imo has not had it good, especially at the level of political leadership as shenanigans have taken over the reins of power.
In place of robust engagements, political campaigns in the state have shrunk to platforms for subtle coercion, castigation of opponents and advertisement of procured endorsements. The result is that the usually rented crowd leaves the arena without any commitments from the candidates and nothing to hold them on to.
The situation is even getting more piteous and saddening, at each contest, hence the state keeps going down the slope.
However, the November 11 governorship election has presented a good opportunity for the people of Imo state to change the narrative by coming out enmasse to vote for the candidate they believe will fight insecurity and safeguard live and properties of the people of the state including none indigenes.
Security is on the ballot, economic hardship is also on the ballot and lack of infrastructure and social amenities will also be on the ballot.
These are what Imo electorates will vote on this Saturday, they will vote to either change the narrative or continue in the current trajectory of state of insecurity.
Although, neither Gov Hope Uzodimma (Onwa) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is seeking reelection, Chief Samuel Anyanwu (Sam Daddy) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), nor Senator Athan Achonu (Agu-Otu-Aka) of the Labour Party (LP), has the charisma, the charm and witty dispositions of Mbakwe or any of his contemporaries in the 2nd Republic, Ndi Imo must come out to vote. READ ALSO:
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Fear of violence should not discourage the Imolites from coming out to vote. Lock-down directives by amorphous groups in the state will not hold water on Saturday. There shall be no voter apathy by the electorate towards the election.
Notwithstanding, the issue at stake, is the soul of Imo. That is why the people must stand up to exercise their rights to vote and defend democracy in the state.
There is need for defined leadership recruitment process in the state, contrary to the present culture of failed businessmen and fleeting characters being in the saddle at all layers.
The first step in bringing back Imo to the path of honour, is the return to the days of hard work, as opposed to the current trend in glorifying sudden and rootless wealth. The youths must be made to understand that there is no shortcut to enduring wealth, other than industry and perseverance. Every segment of the society, including the family, the religious and traditional institution, should be involved in this process of ethical reorientation.
Getting the right person elected on Saturday will signal the commencement of this reawakening.
Arise Oh Yee Imolites
Let us take back our state, Chief Sam Mbakwe’s Imo State.
Long live Imo state
Long live Nigeria
