Fallout Of Imo Stakeholders Meeting: Uzodimma Played His Political Detractors With Botched Naming Ceremony Of Sponsors Of Insecurity In Imo State. BY NJOKU MACDONALD OBINNA

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There exists a form of power and intelligence that represents the high point of human potential. It is a ‘native  intelligence’  that is neither  acquired by formal education,  taught  in our  schools nor analyzed by professors , but almost all of us , at some point , have had glimpses of it in our individual experiences. It often comes to us in a period of tension when  facing a deadline, while under pressure or undue expectations.  The urgent need to take a  firm stand, a proactive step  to solve a problem and  put an end to a discussion , albeit, through an intitutive reasoning , surfaces. 

In keeping up with his pledged tradition of presenting a progress report on the Rehabilitation , Reconstruction and Recovery Agenda of his Administration through a periodic Stakeholders’ Meeting;  which Governor Hope Uzodimma, this time,  promised to  throw caution to the wind and announce  sponsors of insecurity in Imo State.


As a result of the above, ndi Imo , keen observers of Imo politics,  the pundits and conservatives, Nigerian media,  critics of the 3R Government , the opposition elements and political detractors of  Sen. Hope Uzodimma prepared their minds as they waited with breathed air to hear the highly publicized ‘naming ceremony’ of  the dangerous  sponsors of insecurity, kidnapping and banditory in Imo State  at the January,  2022,  Imo Stakeholders’ Meeting, 6th edition. 


While it is not yet the season of ‘ April Fools  .’  Ironically, Onwa played his political enemies as their hopes were dashed and ego punctured  by a rather Maradonic Sen. Hope Uzodimma,  who at the end of his impressive and  entertaining long speech, reneged on his avowed promise  to name the trouble makers of a once peaceful Imo State. 

At the end of the day, Sen.  Hope Uzodimma rescinded his decision to publicly announce names of those fueling the  crisis  in Imo State,  maintaining that he was inundated with calls from Imo citizens home and abroad, and  hearkened to the plea of ndi Imo to give peace a chance to reign. Indeed, ” laughter in the midst of trajedy can never be really funny.”

Going by his  past antecedents as a ‘Lagos Big  Boy’ , Chief Hope Uzodimma, now, the Imo State governor, is a very smart guy and a good boardroom political strategist. During  the run-up to the  2019| 2020 power tussle in Imo State, he technically played Owelle Rochas Okorocha and Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume, Maradonically  dribbled Chief Emeka Ihedioha and Uche Nwosu to become Imo State governor through a  ‘ Ben Johnson Way’  with the assistance of the most controversial Supreme Court verdict in the annals of history; making one who came distant 4th position in the governorship race to eventually emerge winner of the election. What a melodrama? Imo political  signs and wonders!  I laugh in Swahili. 


However, if  he is not carefully watched in 2023, he may succeed in dribbling his opponents and the opposition elements  again  to clinch a  second term in office even when it is becoming  obvious that  ndi Imo are not too comfortable with a Hope Uzodimma’s  proposed second missionary journey given the spate of alleged extra-judicial killings of innocent Imo citizens by the joint security forces deployed in  the state to fight head-on rising  insurgency and banditry a few months ago! 

Nevertheless,  the  Stakeholders’ Meeting and its fallouts, had had some school of thoughts argued that a rather smart  Hope Uzodimma  who  wanted a massive turnout in attendance,  the attention of the Nigerian media and noise from the  political space, intentionally made the  announcement of the colorful naming ceremony of the sponsors of insecurity and banditry in Imo State even when he knew in his closet that he wouldn’t dare take such action  which is under the purview of the Nigerian  police to investigate the  crime,  while the court prosecutes  the culprits if found culpable of their  alleged sponsorship of banditry, kidnapping and general insecurity in the  State.

Meanwhile,  earlier before the Stakeholders’ Meeting, political analysts and keen  observers of the Shared Prosperity Administration, including  close  political allies of the governor , who  know the soft side of Onwa Onyoko  already knew he wouldn’t make such public  pronouncement. They rightly predicted  a governor who just wanted to catch some cruise with his usual mind games on the sensibilities of curious Imo people who waited so  tenaciously to hear the names of those behind a crisis ridden Orlu, Imo, where insecurity has almost succeeded in collapsing the state economy as both local and foreign investors prefer neighbouring states over the Eastern Heartland  for their investments  due to the highly politicized security impasse in Imo State.


Regrettably, while Imo people are going through psychological and emotional  trauma given the recurring negative reports about security situation across the state,  trusting God for an end to this social malaise,  the  political class are  busy hitting up the polity  with their sustained political fight and power tussle over party structure and leadership, and who is in  total control of state resources to the detriment of the socio-economic development of Imo State.

If one takes an unofficial inspection tour or working  visit to  emerging infrastructural developed states like Enugu,  Ebonyi and Anambra States  in the South East, one might come back to question what the billions of Naira of  our monthly state  allocations from the Federation Accounts are truly  used for? Are the executed physical projects on ground commensurate with the billions of Naira allocated to our dear  state? Where are our LGA monthly statutory allocations for 2 years now since nothing is happening in the 27 local government councils across the state. I stand to be corrected! 


Also, a casual visit to cities in  Rivers , Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Delta States in the Niger Delta region where practical  governance is on top gear,  may force one into an emergency social crusader, activist or critic of the Imo State Government wherein a  successor  state governor  finds pleasure in fighting his immediate predecessor  all in an attempt to erase his relative good record just to take the shine off him,  instead of focusing on implementing the policy thrusts of his Administration.

While the Imo  Stakeholders’  Meeting in all fairness could be adjudged to be successful and  rich in attendance as the venue was filled to the brim as  all calibre of people came with different good and bad motives, including the PDP agents of Chief Emeka Ihedioha, the APC  agents of Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s faction, loyalists of Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu’s political spies  and the   aggrieved Imo  APC chieftains who came to find faults and take home  sailent points for cosmetic analysis.  I saw a governor who is in charge  the affairs of the state. I saw an emerging  political emperor who shall soon careless about the campaign of calumny against his government. Onwa Onyoko is a dangerous dribbler and it  takes combined joint political forces , mass movement and organized opposition in Imo State to cut down such  iroko tree.

To this end, let me commend the Imo State governor, Sen.  Hope Uzodimma,  for his well articulated  public address.This time,  I doubt if it was Mr. Oguwuike Nwachukwu, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary that wrote the speech  since he is known for contradicting the stand of the State Government in  his official press releases. Everybody paid rapt attention,  including the imaginary enemies of the state. 


From the governor’s introduction, narrative, his expressed  authority and force of  argument over the  politicized security challenge in Imo State, the attempts organised opposition to distract him, his administration’s scorecard under review and intentions to complete ongoing projects, among other  points, which shall  left for independent analysts to critically dissect.

To the glory of God and ironically too , the governor   finally  disclosed his seeming  grouse against his predecessor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha,  who is now  representing Imo West Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate.


To Governor Hope Uzodimma, Owelle Rochas Okorocha is his major headache. Because  after 8 years of leaving office, he  still parades himself with the toga of being the governor of Imo State instead of maintaining decorum like  other formal  state governors like; Chief Achike Udenwa and Chief Ikedi Ohakim.


In his own words as captured by 4th Estate Reporters, the governor posited thus:
 “The difference between the other former Governors and Okorocha is that he is out of office but he still wants to be in office. Okorocha is a younger brother to me. I’m older than him, if not for anything, traditionally I deserve to be respected by him. I don’t want to join issues with him. Let him just know that he is not the Governor and for the short period I will be here God-willing, he should allow me to be Governor.” Funny enough,  I saw the governor’s ‘ Hallelujah boys’ clapping hands and cheering him up for that statement.

The above expressed palpable fear by Sen. Hope Uzodimma, although honest one, is a clandestine indictment of the governor’s leadership insecurity. Who is surprised ?A governor who doesn’t trust members of his kitchen  cabinet and other appointees can never be a secured leader.

Finally, as I had earlier advised the governor in one of my recent expositions. Let me also reiterate  as an independent publisher and opinion moulder, that Governor Hope Uzodimma should give Okorocha and his family members  some peace of mind. This political vendetta against them is appearing rather too personal as they continue to enjoy the support and love of Imo people and the Nigerian media.


Owelle Rochas Okorocha is too popular to be ignored  with his  cult-like mass  followership across geo-political zones in the current Nigerian leadership  discuss and political landscape. Okorocha enjoys a cordial relationship with the masses at the grassroots. He  is too ambitious and wouldn’t stop anytime soon because of Hope Uzodimma.


A two term State governor;  a serving Senator, a father figure to over 80 thousand indigent African students under his scholarship,  a political warlord that single handledly raised four serving federal lawmakers in Imo State;  visa viz: Chief Kingsely Uju, Chief Ugonna Ozurigbo, Dr. Paschal Obi and Deacon Chike Okafor. A role model to aspiring young Imo politicians and major contender for the  presidency. Such a glorious personality is too big to be boxed to  a corner by his successor. Owelle Rochas Okorocha is a big political masquerade with strong public appeal and goodwill in the North and across the country. Does that make him a saint? No, never! He also contributed to the present challenges we are facing in Imo State through his greed and impositions.

As  a concerned Imo citizen, I will therefore,  candidly advise His Excellency, Distinguished Sen. Hope Uzodimma to pick his battles very carefully. All of us have our shortcomings and limitations, the governor is no exception. And as humans, our energies , skills and approaches will take us only so far with time.


However, danger comes when a particular approach is outdated and should be changed, but completely ignored. Or when you try to surpass your limits.  As a governor, you must know your  limits and pick up your political  battles very carefully. Consider the hidden costs of a political battle which is a distraction to your avowed commitment to developing  Imo State.  The costs of time lost, political goodwill squandered and embittered enemies bent on revenge. 

In political war strategy, sometimes it is better to wait, to undermine your enemies rather than hitting them straight on.  I can confidently tell for free anyone who wishes  to listen that the  Okorochas are enjoying the background support of the Nigerian media and Imo people with this height of sustained political rift between the former governor and his successor -brother governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma. 


Give this man some peace and concentrate on the work you are doing in Imo State. 
Wisdom is profitable to direct .Happy new year, Ndi Imo nwem! 

+ Njoku MacDonald Obinna
Media Consultant| News Reporter|
Publisher, 
© 4th Estate Reporters
.

While the Imo Stakeholders’ Meeting in all fairness could be adjudged to be successful and rich in attendance as the venue was filled to the brim as all calibre of people came with different good and bad motives, including the PDP agents of Chief Emeka Ihedioha, the APC agents of Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s faction, loyalists of Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu’s political spies and the aggrieved Imo APC chieftains who came to find faults and take home sailent points for cosmetic analysis. I saw a governor who is in charge the affairs of the state. I saw an emerging political emperor who shall soon careless about the campaign of calumny against his government. Onwa Onyoko is a dangerous dribbler and it takes combined joint political forces , mass movement and organized opposition in Imo State to cut down such iroko tree

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