82 Year old elder statesman, Paddy Obinna, has advised political leaders in Owerri geopolitical zone to drop their governorship ambitions and support Okigwe zone to produce the next governor of Imo State by 2027.
He said that if the grave mistake of 2011,which about 80% of Owerri zone political leaders orchestrated, must be corrected, Okigwe zone should be allowed a seamless completion of the remaining four years of its abridged tenure .
Obinna, who spoke during an exclusive interview in his Emekuku country home, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, argued that for a healthy political climate to thrive in Imo, former Governor Ikedi Ohakim should be encouraged to make himself available for 2027 governorship.He pointed out that constitutionally, Ohakim is the only Okigwe zone person who can not stay beyond four years in Office and afterwards pave way for Owerri zone to take its turn.
Obinna asserted that at the moment, Owerri zone do not appear ready for the governorship position, stressing that “if justice is to prevail,and for even development of all geopolitical zones in the State, Okigwe zone should succeed Governor Hope Uzodinma from Orlu zone.”
The art curator recalled a famous old song that all areas in Imo have developed remaining Okigwe and Orlu, and contended that now,Orlu has equally developed like Owerri courtesy of Governor Uzodinma, leaving Okigwe behind.
He blamed Owerri zone political leaders for undermining Ohakim’s re-election in 2011 and for also indulging in intra-political rivalry amongst themselves.
“Let me tell you, there are sub-nations in Owerri zone who can never agree with one another. Each is willing to pull the other down,” he stated.
He lauded Uzodinma for his insistence on a successor with capacity and proven leadership credentials for the sustainability of his legacies,thereby de-emphasizing zonism.
He averred that by so doing, the governor has shown commitment to ending the era of experimentation in the governance of Imo State, adding that it can only take a man of “unique quality, a visionary, team player,and contented person with leadership pedigree like Ohakim” to ensure that the legacies of the incumbent administration do not go down the drain after Uzodinma leaves office.
“I agree with Governor Uzodinma. There should be continuity and sustainability in governance. Good legacies must not be destroyed or sacrificed on the altar of politics as it happened before Uzodinma came in. So many good projects by previous administrations between 1999 and 2011 were either destroyed or abandoned because somebody felt they were not his own until Senator
“Uzodinma came in. Governance should be for the common good of the people and not for personal aggrandizement. It will, therefore, be a grave mistake to allow such callousness to repeat itself after Uzodinma leaves office, and this is why Ikedi Ohakim is very relevant for the preservation of these populist legacies of the incumbent administration. Imo is a complex State, and any form of experimentation again with a green horn must be avoided at all costs,” Obinna asserted
According to him, “Within these holiday periods for Ohakim, he has added to his knowledge, upgraded himself in many facets and garnered more experiences. He is the only person qualified for what Governor Uzodinma is seeking in succession because he has studied him over this period of time and will be meticulous in following his tracks in addition to other experiences acquired over the years. You know that experience is the best teacher,and Ohakim now has it in abundance,unlike these beginners aspiring to succeed Uzodinma.”
He expressed unflinching confidence in Ohakim’s leadership credentials, pointing out that as an octogenarian and elder statesman, he is committed to sustainable socioeconomic, infrastructural, cultural, and political development of the State.
On why he is not favourably disposed to Owerri zone’s governorship aspiration come 2027 amidst agitations from his people, Obinna explained that “I repeat, Owerri zone should allow Ohakim and Okigwe zone to complete their two tenures truncated in 2011, which 80% of political leaders from Owerri zone were even instrumental to.”
“Within that four years, we,in Owerri zone, would have used the opportunity to profile or assess our numerous brothers angling for the governorship, in order to make an informed and acceptable choice to be presented to Imo people” he opined.
He described the events that preceded the 2011 governorship election in Imo State as a big miscalculation by Owerri zone. He argued that political leaders in Owerri zone should have been more circumspect before unleashing the falsehood, propaganda and blackmail against Ohakim, pointing out that “If truthfulness, equity, fairness and justice are to be the criteria for determining who governors Imo after Uzodinma, Okigwe zone through Ohakim is unassailable”
The 82 years old art curator described the allegations that Ohakim flogged a Catholic Reverend Father, Eustace Okere, as “a fiction and destructive fabrication which the media and the Catholic Church amplified. Ohakim was and still remains very innocent, but before the truth could surface, the harm had already been done to an innocent man”.
He averred that “I apologize to the world that the Obinnas are sorry about what happened to Ohakim in 2011. As Catholic faithful, we go to confession when we sin. There is an atonement. But, there is also the need to let the public know this.”
He stated that his younger brother, Archbishop Anthony Obinna,who was in charge of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese when the 2011 incident happened, “on realizing the error, gave Ohakim an Award then, just as Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka of Adoration Ministry Enugu, who composed the now infamous song against Ohakim also apologized publicly. But then, the harm had already been done”, he regretted.
Obinna further implored Nigerians to have faith in the polices and economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu, describing the present hardship in the country as unavoidable if the nation’s economy is to be positively rejigged
“There is suffering in Nigeria, no doubt. But even in our homes, it is work before pleasure. Let me tell you, we, Nigerians,are contributory to the problems because we always want to cut-corners in anything we are given to do for the public interest. We are selfish and unpatriotic. Tinubu didn’t create these problems.He met them on the ground. It will,therefore, be unfair to blame him. He is only one man and not a magician” the elder statesman emphasized.
He, however, pleaded with Nigerians to exercise patience with President Tinubu, stating that he cannot deliberately choose to inflict pains on fellow Nigerians.
“Let us not be in too much haste. Soon, the economic reforms would begin to bear good dividends for Nigerians. Mr. President should also ensure that those he entrusted with the welfare of Nigerians are patriotic and not persons propelled by self aggrandizement” he advised.
