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| Governor Rochas Okorocha |
By Ijeoma Nwachukwu
I read a recent
publication from Thisday Newspaper of 6th June 2013 where the
Imo State Deputy Governor Prince Eze Madumere, among other things, was quoted
to have stated in a press briefing he granted in Abuja recently that his boss,
Governor Rochas Okorocha would not vie for governorship seat again in Imo State
come the year 2015 but would contest for the post of president of Nigeria.
According to the story,
Prince Madumere also said that the merging political parties (APC) had the
capacity to win the 2015 general election. The Deputy Governor’s optimism was
that the North-West and South West constituted what he called ‘electoral
college’ of Nigeria.
‘What constitute the
electoral college of this nation are the North-West and South-West. But if you
look at the Electoral College in the North, they brought the ANPP and the CPC.
Whether you like it or not, the CPC will stay. When you go to the West, we have
the ACN’.
Firstly, before I look
into Governor Okorocha and his proposed presidential ambition, I wish to tell
the Imo Deputy Governor that the use of the word ‘electoral college’ in the
circumstance he used it in the above publication was wrong. An electoral
college is a body of electors chosen or appointed by a larger group to cast
votes in an election. Such is not the case in general elections in Nigeria
which the Deputy Governor was referring to.
Secondly, saying that it
is the North-West and South-West that that determine who governs the country is
a stalk misconception.
Nigeria is made up of
six (6) Geopolitical Zones namely; the North-East, North-Central, North-West,
South-West, South-East and South-South. Nigeria is made up of 36 states and the
Federal Capital Territory in Abuja. North-West and South-West have 14 states
while the other zones put together are made up of 22 states plus Abuja. If so,
it is then a great miscalculation for somebody to wish away the political
strength of the other four Geopolitical Zones in the country considering the
population of the electorates that come from them. Now to the main menu.
During the last
governorship election in Imo State, many Imo voters were hoodwinked by the
philanthropic gestures of Owelle Rochas Okorocha. The Jos-born populist took
advantage of this popularity and unleashed unusual political gimmicks
which the Imo voters never witnessed before. Some of the exhibitions were
buying and eating of akara in the streets; riding on keke bike; walking in the
street, lifting a baby for showmanship; inviting a hawker to buy gala and
chewing same to the admiration and clapping of hands by the easily deceivable
voters.
Interestingly, it is a
fact that Governor Okorocha before winning the Governorship seat in Imo State
lost almost all the elections in contested in his life. However, there were a
lot of factors that gave him victory in 2011. Some of them were the support from
the political structures of the Late Odimegwu Ojukwu, Agbasos, APGA, Chris
Anyanwu, Emeka Offor, Achike Udenwa and the ‘strategic’ one from President
Goodluck Jonathan who were all deceived into thinking that Okorocha was a
messiah.
Regrettably, today, Okorocha
is at war with all the above and other factors that helped him in the 2011
Governorship Election in Imo State.
Be that as it may, the
manner Governor Okorocha has been piloting the affairs of Imo State is going to
be a factor that will affect his acclaimed presidential ambition come the year
in 2015.
For now, the Governor
seems to be using what he claims he have achieved in Imo State to package
himself for the said presidential race. This packaging seems to be working well
on the psyche of many gullible-minded and unsuspecting persons.
However, it is a fact
that the man Rochas Okorocha is a very ‘intelligent’ man. He always thinks
ahead of time. But unfortunately, his so called intelligence is mostly applied
in the negative for selfish gains and for undue exploitation. He is good at
hoodwinking people into not seeing his real intentions. He claims to like the
people but in reality he is a sadist. He is a celebrated liar that easily makes
promises but can never keep any promise made or agreement entered into. Here is
an orator people like but takes advantage of this likeness to commit treachery
on the society.
His governance in Imo
State is a big scam. He has destroyed almost all the governmental institutions
in the state. Furthermore, he does not follow due process and the law in
conducting government business and he publicly brags over it. There is no
contract in Imo that has a known value and work design. Some do not even have
any known contractor but are done directly from the governor’s relations and
cronies. 95% of the contracts in the state do not follow due process. This the
Governor has done so that corruption, accountability and transparency will be
difficult to access. All these have also exposed many contractors as many
contracts done are not paid for.
On Rule of Law, the
governor dissolved all the statutory commissions, governmental institutions and
elected local government councils before the expiration of their tenures. He
sacks civil servants without following the law and at the end would ask any aggrieved
party to go to court. He will also come to the court and deny that he never
sacked anybody and would disobey court judgments when they do not favour him.
The case in hand is the disobedience to an Imo State High Court judgement
ordering the re-instatement of the sacked Imo State Judicial Service Commission
and the re-instatement of the sacked local government councils.
Okorocha is a man who
has great penchant for anarchy and is ready to unleash hoodlums against
anybody. Can such a man rule an educated, enlightened and sophisticated nation
like Nigeria as its president? This is a man who has no programme for human
development and uses sub-standard infrastructure which must be built on major
roads in cities to deceive the public.
Just to gain cheap accolade,
this is a man who instead of doing an on-going flyover that will decongest the
city of Owerri prefers building roundabouts of lesser value for showmanship
which will eventually cause more traffic jam. This is a man who connived with a
Lebanese to dupe Imo State of =N=458 million and still used the same saga to
unjustly impeach his deputy.
This is a man who says
that he has cut down his security vote but in reality is secretly collecting
more than what his predecessor collected. This is a man who told the world that
he was not collecting salary as a Governor but later collected the arrears of
the same salary and paid into his wife’s foundation as donation.
Roads, yes, so many
roads have been initiated but how many have been completed? Education, yes ,
free education in tertiary institutions but it is a Greek gift, giving the
people segmented free tuition yet asking the University authority to heighten
acceptance fee and other sundry fees which tantamount to robbing Paul to
pay Peter. Primary education, only many feels that the current administration
is giving the primary school children in the state free education. The truth is
that free education has been on in this country for Primary Pupils
since 1999 hence the creation of State Basic Universal Basic Education
Boards to oversee the implementation of the free education at both
Primary and Junior Secondary School. This is solely being financed by the
Federal Government. But people have been led to believe that the current Imo
government is giving free education from primary to tertiary level. What a
deceit!
Perhaps, according to Okorocha’s understanding, standing before NTA, AIT and
Channels television cameramen to distribute one hundred naira occasionally to
pupils is his own understanding of free education.
Okorocha says that he
will beat Mbakwe’s records. Mbakwe built visible industries such as Golden
Guinea, Avutu Poultry Farm, Ceramics Industry, Aba Glass Industry, Concorde
Hotel, Resin Paint Industry, Amaraku Power Station etc. These establishments
employed several Imo sons and daughters for economic and social satisfaction.
Can Okorocha’s regime mention one, I mean one industry he has proposed let
alone starting? On the contrary, what he did was to sell what remains in the
state like the Concorde Hotel, Imo Transport Company, Legislative Quarters,
ADAPALM etc to his cronies and sacked more than ten thousand graduates employed
in the state public service with a fake promise that he was only reviewing
their employment process.
How can an acclaimed
totalitarian dictator who controls both the judiciary and the legislature in
Imo State rule Nigeria that has started embracing the principles of Separation
of Powers and Rule of Law? How can we give our country to a man who hates the
civilized class and is ever ready to unleash hoodlums against intellectuals?
How can a man who has no class or course mate rule Imo State but claims to have
PH.D in law. How can a man who has no democratic principle and openly brags
that he does not follow due process and Rule of Law rule Nigeria? How can a man
who destroyed the local government system in Nigeria and replaced it with a
fraudulent Community Governing Council rule this country? How can a man who
does not seek approval of the legislature in doing things rule this country?
How can a man who pays primary teachers’ salaries but decides not to pay the
retired ones who are greater in number monthly pensions for more than one year
now rule Imo State? How can a man who runs Imo State like a private estate and
uses local government monthly allocation as pocket money rule this great
country? How can a man who in less than two years in office sold the first and
only party APGA that gave him his first political victory rule this country?
Governor Okorocha has
taken Imo back to pre-1999 era but many find it difficult to know. Many will
not be allowed to know how far this self-confessed anarchist has destroyed his
state until he goes out.
I pity the likes of the
Minister for information Mr. Labaran Maku, Jude Agbaso, Martin Agbaso, Chris
Anyanwu, Nwankwo Kanu, Prof Fabian Osuji, P.C. Onuoha etc. the Community
Speakers, Government Liaison Officers, traditional rulers other community
government officials who played into the hands of this game-master.
It is on record that whoever identifies with Governor Okorocha’s Government
will end up frustrated, exploited and left without value. Today, I know that
Maku, Chris Anyanwu, the Agbasos, Emeka offor, Capital oil, Udenwa et al will
ever regret having anything to do with Governor Okorocha in their lives.
My only gain if Governor
Okorocha wins the 2015 Presidential Election will be that he is a fellow Imo
man. But his ruling this country as a president will be the highest mistake any
human being can make. He will sack all the governors like he did to elected
local government officers in Imo State and destroy all the governmental
institutions put in place in the country. God forbid!
I know that in 2015,
Nigerians will not be hoodwinked like many Imo People were in 2011 by this
sugar-coated mouth scavenger to allow him rule this country. Also the people
who make up the merger party are more educated, sophisticated, enlightened,
sensitive and informed that they cannot make a lawless man like Rochas a
running mate to anybody not to talk of making him a presidential candidate.
It is our prayer that
this presidential ambition will be a reality so that Imo will be quickly
recovered from this sole-trader who came to rescue the state but ended up
rescuing his pocket and his bankruptcy.
God bless Nigeria.
(Mrs.
Nwachukwu is
a Concerned APGA Woman Leader. She can be reached on: 07066162992)
