Our attention has been drawn to a publication by a so-called OKIGWE YOUTHS MANDATE evidently reacting on behalf of Professor Maurice Iwu on the issues we raised in our previous statements. We find it quite interesting that Professor Iwu, who claims to be the darling of everybody in Imo state, could descend so low as to channel his defence through a non-existent group.
If Professor Iwu is the quintessential leader of Okigwe zone as he claims, how come that no identifiable group or individual from the zone has come to his defence since this controversy started? In the publication, the group claimed that it met at a hotel in Owerri. Really? Why a hotel? Why not in Iwu’s house? Why would a matter concerning such a personality like Professor Iwu be taken to a hotel if the persons involved are real? What a shame!
In our first publication, we demanded that Professor Iwu tenders an unreserved public apology to both Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie and the entire people of Orlu zone for publicly denigrating the former. We insisted on that ultimatum in our second public statement. But rather than do that, Iwu, through his fictitious group, went ahead to throw darts at another illustrious son of Orlu, Chief Rex Anunuobi, the leader of the Orlu Political Consultative Assembly (OPOCA).
In paragraph four (4) of its publication under reference, the faceless group claims as follows: “We have details of his SHABBY DEEDS as Commissioner for Transport”. We are not holding brief for Chief Anunuobi but we want to place on record that Ndi Orlu will stop at nothing to ensure that Professor Iwu and his group come up with a substantiation of the “Shabby Deeds” they are accusing Chief Anunuobi of. Needless to say, we want to bring to the notice of the whole world that Professor Iwu has began a deliberate attack on prominent Orlu indigenes for no offence other than the innocuous request that candidates of Okigwe and Owerri extractions at the last governorship election should withdraw their petitions against Governor Hope Uzodimma in order to foster a more amicable atmosphere for pursuing the implementation of the much talked about Charter of Equity. For just that, Iwu has taken up arms against the entire Orlu zone.
To further demonstrate how determined he is, Professor Iwu and his group have even dragged Governor Uzodimma into the controversy. In paragraph five (5) of the publication under reference, the Iwu group claimed as follows: “We know the role Professor Maurice Iwu and Okigwe zone as a whole played in the emergence of Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma as governor of Imo state”.
We ask: what is the purpose of dragging the governor’s name into this matter if not to insinuate that Senator Uzodimma is conniving at the misdemeanor of his kinsmen, or indeed collaborating with them in attacking their principal. Is that fair on His Excellency, who has been carrying Iwu and his entire family along since he assumed office as governor of Imo state? Besides, Iwu and his group moved a step further to bring the rest of “Okigwe Zone” into the matter which is also an insinuation that Governor Uzodimma has not carried the zone along. This is not fair in the face of the situation on ground. What better proof do we have when we say that Professor Maurice Iwu is known for fanning the ambers of discord in the state?
In paragraph six (6), the faceless Iwu group alluded to his commitment to “fairness and equity”. Interestingly, the group’s only evidence of that is that Iwu “championed the emergence of Senator Patrick Ndubueze as Senator that represents Okigwe zone from the Otanzu Otanchara block of Okigwe zone”. Even though we are not from that area, it is not a hidden matter that the Okigwe zone senatorial seat vis-à-vis the so-called Otanzu Otanchara debate is a big issue for which there is yet to be a consensus among the good people of the zone, especially as it concerns the last senatorial election.
Even so, Professor Iwu lacks the credentials to talk about that election because the All Progressives Congress (APC) which he claimed to have worked for lost in his polling unit both in that election and in the last governorship election. Besides, what has the Okigwe senate got to do with the viral video where Iwu debased the integrity of Professor Awuzie and which is the very origin of the current provocations. In any case, it is left for Okigwe people to say how a fellow who lost the senatorial election in question in his own booth and ward could have single handedly installed their senator.
It is clear that Professor Iwu has assembled more arsenals against the good people of Orlu zone for simply asking that he shows remorse over an unwarranted attack on one of its most illustrious sons, Professor Awuzie. By the last count, the viral video in which he described Awuzie as a “rascal”, has been viewed by over two (2) million people all over the world. Is Iwu saying that Orlu people should not defend their own? We understand that Maurice Iwu has been going about claiming that his reputation is being destroyed. We shall come to that at a later date but in the time being, the question to ask him is, who fired the first salvo? The answer is there for anybody who has been following this matter to see.
We will conclude this statement by rephrasing the concluding part of our last publication thus: Professor Iwu may hire millions of phantom groups and manufacture millions of names but we will not stop until the collision is completed. We stand by our ultimatum. Iwu must apologize to Ndi Orlu and now that he has “shabby deeds” to unravel, we assure him that we will match him SHABBY for SHABBY and DEEDS for DEEDS!