BY CHIEDU UZODINMA#
I wonder why Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State always put himself ON the firing range all the time. Some say it is so because he is too loquacious. And I tend to concur. But I pitted him when he dabbled into Femi Fani Kayode’s firing range, a former Minister of Aviation.
Kayode is a die- hard publicist and because he enjoys the sympathy of the Lagos- Ibadan media and gets all the attention on the social networks, he gets all the publicity whenever he speaks or writes. Okorocha should not have engaged Kayode in a verbal war. It was unnecessary. Whoever advised the Imo Governor to do so wanted him to show his hand to the butcher! And Femi Fani Kayode did not waste time to “butcher” the Governor with his acidic press statement that has fetched mockery and laughter for Okorocha.
Okorocha has squandered the gains and overall intents of the visit to Buhari in London by the APC Chiefs. No one cares to listen to him to anymore on what transpired at the London meeting. The attention of Nigerians seem to have shifted from the London visit to Kayode’s outburst or “acid bath” on the governor.
Kayode as an experienced media guru tactically engaged Okorocha on the visit because he knew that the latter will goof considering the fact the Governor in the words of former Governor Peter Obi “gets high when he sees a microphone” And the game-plan worked out the way Kayode wanted.
The former Minister has succeeded in puncturing the objectives of the APC Chiefs visit to Buhari in London and Okorocha should be blamed for giving him a helping hand. Having joined other APC chiefs to see the President in London, I do not know why the Imo State Governor elected to be the spokesman of such an important visit.
John Odigie Oyegun, the APC national chairman was among those on the delegation that visited the President. He should have been saddled with the task to speak as the highest party official present and not Okorocha who has so many controversies surrounding him. It is disturbing that in less than a week, he has been fired two salvos. One from Uche Onyeagocha, a former member of the House of Representatives who said he should be sewing his prison uniform and now, FFK. This further distorts the image of the Governor.
Sam Onwuemedo, Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary goofed when he joined issues with Kayode. And this could be reason why the Presidency has tactically stayed away from Okorocha’s point of view since he stirred the controversy that trailed the APC chiefs visit to Buhari. I read where Femi Adesina was quoted to have disowned Okorocha’s comments that the President will return in two weeks time.
An open media war with FFK by Okorocha’s media handler will be counter productive for the Rescue mission exponent. The argument that Kayode has no right to insult Okorocha, as one of the Igbo leaders is untenable.
UZODINMA WRITES FROM OWERRI