By Agunwa Emeka Nzeribe_
This piece should serve as last lap of my campaign series going into 2024 Imo State Local Government elections. We are in politics for different reasons. I am in politics to add value to humanity, not for personal aggrandizement.
My track record speaks volume. I decided to pen this before the close of campaigns in line with relevant laws of the land. This piece is coming on the eve of my 57th date of birth celebration. I give God all the glory.
Let’s roll;
Politics in modern times globally, has become a way of life. It is so because, it’s a process which confers legitimacy either rightly or wrongly on certain persons to govern a particular constituency. However, politics is a social contract entered into for provision of good governance. Is it normal to impose someone on others or roguishly take political power by force?
There are three types of political systems more pronounced in present world. They are; democracies, totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. Democracy is a government of, for and by the people, while totalitarian regime is a direct opposite of democracy.
Authoritarian regime is a system which sits in-between the first two systems. In present circumstance, it is safe to say we practise authoritarian regimes in most states of the federation as made manifest by conduct of our elected governors.
A system is as feasible or important as it’s operators. In June 19, 2024, Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) under the Chairmanship of Chief Charles Ejiogu in a stakeholders meeting at Rockview Hotel, Owerri announced conduct of elections into the 27 local government councils and 305 electoral wards in the state to be held on September 21, 2024.
In this regard, the commission released a timetable for its actualisation. Some political parties like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced willingness to participate in the elections and subsequently, released a timetable for intra party elections. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conducted its primary election in the 305 electoral wards of Imo State through direct primaries on August 20, 2024 under the watch of officers of Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC), security agents, etc.
After a successful and peaceful conduct of the primaries followed by declaration and retuning of elected candidates by respective retuning officers of various Wards and LGA’s, the State Working Committee of the party inaugurated a Post Election Appeal Panel.
The Panel received petitions from aggrieved aspirants. Invitations were extended to affected persons to attend sittings of the panel in person and respond to issues as alleged therein. Within time frame, the panel submitted its report to State Working Committee of the party. As at today, there’s no pre-election matter pending in PDP as all issues arising from intra party elections have been resolved. This is the process. This is how it ought to be.
At about noon on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, I read an online press release from my brother, Cajetan Duke (JP), Publicity Secretary of APC, Imo State Chapter. In that press release, the state publicity secretary of APC informed his party members and by extension, the public that intra party election of APC is ongoing in the state. It came to Ndi-Imo as a surprise as there was no earlier press release informing members of their party and the public about this all important political process.
Prior to the notice as released by the State Publicity Secretary of APC on September 3, 2024, the leader of the party and governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma while addressing members of his party at a stakeholders meeting informed them that primary elections to choose flag bearers of the party will be through consensus.
Apart from direct and indirect ways of choosing candidates, consensus is an option as provided in APC constitution. Yes, consensus is an option. The question is, who and what forms a consensus in a political process? Note, the word consensus is derived from consent.
First, the announcement made by the governor at APC stakeholders meeting on the choice of consensus as option ought not to have been done by him but the party through the State Chairman. But in reality, it was done by the governor who has no backing of the party’s constitution in doing so.
The party through state publicity secretary of APC ought to have notified members in advance, days or weeks before date of the primaries. In reality, the party through her publicity secretary only notified members of their party and the public when the process was ‘ongoing’ according to his press release.
Every aspirant who duly purchased nomination form ought to have been involved in the consensus process at their respective constituencies. In reality, not more than four persons were mandated to choose Chairmanship with Vice Chairmanship candidates of the 27 local governments and 305 councillorship candidates for the party in the state.
According to the publicity secretary of the party, the process through a consensus ought to be concluded on Tuesday, September 3, 2024 and names of favorable godsons announced. In reality, there wasn’t any official release of list of APC candidates not until today, Thursday September 19, 2024 at Heroes Square, now called Ndubuisi Kanu Square, Owerri.
It is an open fact majority of APC members in the state are presently not happy with the system. Do they have options, yes, I think so? Part of the problem of such people is they still look up to a better tomorrow which may not come in present dispensation.
The clock is ticking. The four year term is winding up. Some of them are afraid to speak up or challenge the ugly procedure in order not to be blacklisted completely. They know their interests are not under any protection. Meet such people on the sidelines, you will hear the truth directly from their mouth.
The fact is *’onye ga ekwu’*. This is where characters like Agunwa comes in. Those of us who do not give in to materialism will always speak out. According to Democritus, one of the earliest proponents of democracy and a pre-Greek Socratic philosopher said, “the man enslaved to wealth can never be honest”. I have chosen to speak truth to power. I criticise constructively for improvement of the system. I do equally applaud whenever it’s necessary.
As APC officially today released list of candidates of the party, I ask, did they adhere to tenets of consensus? Did the unfavorable aspirants give their consent to consensus candidates in their constituencies? Or, they are suffering and smiling under an authoritarian regime while they gnash their teeth’s in their private homes? Before you address me as an interloper or call what happened in APC a family affair, you should know t
hat head of a family must have the interest of, at least, if not all, majority of the family members at heart. Is interest of the majority of APC members protected in this consensus arrangement?
Since my emergence as candidate of my party, I have received barrage of calls and text messages by friends, relatives, supporters and admirers. Most of them are afraid of the system and it’s practitioners.
As a prognosticator of repute, they see my participation in this process as a huge miscalculation. Yes, given by what happened in the process, how APC chose its candidates, no sane person would want to participate in the forthcoming local government polls apart from anointed APC candidates.
I am not oblivious of what is happening or what majority are envisaging. I am participating in this process to change the narrative. Yes it ought to be changed by men of conscience.
In every contest, you either win or lose. I am in the race to win. As I plan a life after victory, I equally plan for life after defeat. Though, I am convinced of victory, all things being equal. This is a pure grassroot election and only those with grassroot support base ought to win. We shouldn’t allow a likelihood of reality of only those adopted to be declared winners. This is our chance.
For the umpteenth time, I am in this race seeking to be hired by the good people of Oguta LGA as a servant leader. My election would bring into existence the much desired moral rearmament in our body polity. We can’t make a progress without a paradigm shift. And only one with good character and strong content can make a difference in governance. Only a determined people can stand against imposition.
To the good people of Oguta LGA, my numerous supporters and admirers, I advise you to do the needful by coming out on election day and vote for me. To salvage the system should be our collective responsibility. There is no better time than now. Let’s get to the polls and take back our local council.
I will mark my 57th date of birth tomorrow with my immediate family. I have been advised not to allow this year’s date of birth celebration to be misconstrued.
With Agunwa, Oguta LGA Shall Prevail.
Agunwa Emeka Nzeribe is the PDP Chairmanship Candidate, Oguta LGA, Imo State
