Artcle: From Rochas Okorocha To Emeka Ihedioha Is Jumping From Frying Pan Into Fire

Okorocha(L) and Ihedioha

By Kenneth Uwadi

The point should be noted that the Rochas Okorocha led government of Imo State does not deserve to stay a day longer in power, let alone stay till 2015, not with the 'miserable 20,000 naira a month' called salary he pays to some selected Imo youths who are placed as casuals. Casual work status is a crime against humanity.

Yes we must fight to remove this 'vagabond in power' plunging Imo State into the bottomless pit of unlimited poverty and misery. Truly he does not deserve to stay a day longer in power , not with the sale of government houses and properties at give away prices to himself, the collapse of Imo Oil Producing Area Development Commission, dead of ADAPALM, the crisis in Imo oil producing areas, his ill motivated presidential campaign where he wasted billions of Imo monies and the handing over of APC Governorship ticket to his son in-law (Uche Nwosu) to hold for him and his shamelessly coming back to be declared the sole Governor candidate of APC in the 2015 election aimed at perpetuating himself and family members in office beyond 2015 . Is Rochas the only one in Imo that only him will be presidential aspirant, governor aspirant, councilor , LGA chairman, accountant, contractor etc.

He does not deserve to stay a day longer in power , not with his colossal failure in all aspects of governance, the ill use of public funds, the use of forces of coercion against critics, law abiding citizens and perceived political enemies, the enthronement of godfathers at all levels of politics in Imo State, numerous lootings of our council funds , sham and inflated contracts, disobedience to court orders etc. The points raised above are more than enough reasons to immediately remove such opportunist and thieving politician from power; as his programmes and policies are totally antithetical to the plight of the poor. With Rochas Okorocha in power beyond 2015, Imo will remain a one man’s family business for more 4 years. With Rochas Okorocha’s victory in 2015, Imo will remain in a one chance bus.

Now, with less than three months to the elections scheduled for 2015, it is imperative for pro-poor organizations and individuals including workers and students to organize themselves in such a way as to rally round the candidates that are emerging from the political parties we have on ground in Imo State with the sole aim of wrestling political power from the hands of this current exploiters and thieves in Douglas House Owerri so as to transform the Imo society.

Who will save Imo State? The deceptive announcement of Emeka Ihedioha as the winner of a PDP governorship primaries in Imo State in an election that the total number of votes cast is greater than the total number of accredited voters constitutes a pointed signal that the Imo PDP is not prepared to give Imolites the needed change in governance. We now have the choice to choose from the candidate of APGA, Labour Party, Accord, PPA and other political parties that are not PDP and APC.

I have been an admirer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State and I wrote series of positive articles to enhance their chances of capturing the Imo governorship in 2015. I strongly believe my over 212 write ups played a greater part in getting PDP up their feet. I remember the insults and abuses that were hurled at my person and family as I boldly condemn Governor Okorocha and his thieving cabals such as Benjamin Uwajumogu and Jude Ejiogu. Uwajomogu is still keeping his former media aide (Citizen Samuelson Iwuoha) and his wife in jail since June 2014 just because I and Iwuoha spoke against his corrupt practices that are stinking to high heavens. Yet this same Uwajumogu wants to be a Senator in 2015. I will come back to the Iwuoha issue in subsequent write ups.

As I was saying, announcement of Emeka Ihedioha as the winner of a rigged Imo PDP governorship primaries is criminal. We have not been fighting for a change in government in Imo State for us to hand over governance to cheats and fraudulent persons. Like me or hate me, I must speak the truth. If you like put me in jail. An election rigger is a cheat and a fraudulent person that is not to be trusted.

28 Imo sons and daughters aspired to govern Imo by picking PDP Nomination form at the cost of 11 million naira each. In a primary that will select the party flag bearer.
Total number of Votes cast = 1,017
Total No of Void Votes = 11
Total no of Valid Votes = 1,006
Votes obtained or scored by all Aspirants excluding Rt Hon Ihedioha = 681

Now 1,006 Valid Votes minus 681 Votes scored by others Aspirants will give you a balance of 325 Votes not greater than 346 Votes Scored by Senator Araraume. Why was Emeka Ihedioha declared winner of the primaries? Where are the extra 21 votes coming from?

By openly rigging the Imo PDP governorship primaries, Emeka Ihedioha has shown us that he is a cheat and a corrupt man , a man not to be trusted with leadership of Imo State . Imo will not move from frying pan to fire. A Party that wants to rescue Imo from the hands of the current marauders in Government house Owerri will show example by allowing delegates decide the flag bearer through a free and fair voting process not to criminally rig the election. Never again will Imo fold its arm and watch while a few politicians hire professional election riggers to carry out their criminal activities against the wishes and aspirations of majority of the people.

I strongly believe that as democrats we should not keep quiet when wrong things are being perpetrated by people we admire or respect. Later when the chips are down, they will ask us what we did when such evil was being perpetrated right before our very eyes. We will not want to see one corrupt crew in Imo State simply being replaced by a new gang of criminals.

Those who rigged the PDP Governorship primaries should not forget what happened to King Belshazzar when he ordered that the holy vessels being used to serve in the House of the Lord should be brought to his palace. He wanted to desecrate the Church by drinking his wine from those holy glasses. The Bible tells us of the fate that befell this proud and arrogant king.

(Uwadi is from Mmahu-Egbema, Imo State, Nigeria. He is the Coordinator of Youths against Human Rights Violation and Corrupt Practices (YAHVCP))