*Sam Mbakwe And Tales Of Two Political Combatants.
By Charles Edet
nationaldetectivemagazine.com.ng
If the late Chief Sam Mbakwe were to be alive, what would he have told his two political children at war?
This was against the background that Chief Samuel Mbakwe was the first Executive Governor of the old Imo State, who ruled with humility. His humility was partly, demonstrated when as a Governor of an opposition party, Nigeria Peoples Party, (NPP), 1 October 1979- 31 December 1983, he never antagonised the ruling National Party of Nigeria, (NPN) Federal Government of the late former President Shehu Shagari.
He provided land for the Federal Government to execute its Housing for All Programme in Imo state, when other opposition states refused to do so because he felt it was the right of the Imo State people to benefit from the mass housing Programme, regardless of the political party executing it.
Under him, Owerri, was adjudged the neatest State capital in Nigeria because he took environment issues seriously, and his road construction projects, added aesthetic value and transformed the social and economic out-look of the state.
It became easier for citizens to drive on smooth tarred roads into their state capital as a matter of pride, different from the close to rural state capital he inherited from the military.
When the state was hit by devastating flood, Chief Sam Imbakwe, PhD, became the weeping Governor, when he could not suppress his emotions while conducting President Shehu Shagari round the disaster area.
He broke down in tears. Tears for the love of his state, tears for the love of his people who where rendered homeless and their farms destroyed, and tears to seek quick federal government intervention. He became popular as the weeping Governor.
It was a disaster, too much for the weeping Governor to swallow, hence, he dragged the president to down to the affected areas to demonstrate why the quick benevolence of federal government intervention was necessary.
He left behind the Imo State University and his dream was to leave behind a state every “Imolite” could be proud of before he was kicked out of office by the military coup of December 31, 1983, but expected that future generation of Governors after him would take the state to greater heights.
Ever since other Governors, military and civilians, have come and gone, but worrisome is the ongoing political war between two of the late Mbakwe’s political children, both of them rich, prosperous and powerful.
This big fight between two giants has turned Imo state into the proverbial “grass” that suffers, as both men are ready to fight dirty. This combative posture threatens all that the late politician and father of the state, stood for.
The combatants in the Imo State political war, are serving Governor Hope Uzodinma and immediate past Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Governor Hope Uzodinma is not a baby in the politics of Imo State. He cut his political teeth at the second republic politics, when he was Imo State Youth Leader of the National Party of Nigeria, (NPN) in 1983.
At the truncated third republic politics, he was a member of the United Nigeria Congress Party, (UNCP) and joined the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in 1999, found his way into the inner caucus of the party and became a member of the National Working Committee.
He became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in May 2011, following Supreme Courts Judgement and pushed Osita Izunaso, out of the Senate.
At the Senate, he was not a bench warmer because as a fresh Senator, Hope Uzodinma, grabbed the microphone to sponsor a motion at his first plenary. Until he left, his voice was very loud on critical national issues that came before the Senate.
Back home in Imo State, he fell on the political bad side of former Governor Rochas Okorocha, when he endorsed former Governor Ikedi Ohakim to run for a second term, when Rochas was warming up to unseat him.
At the contest, Rochas Okorocha floored Ohakim to emerge as Governor against the endorsement of Hope Uzodinma, who remained in the black book of Okorocha throughout his tenure as Governor.
Owelle, Rochas Anayo Okorocha, is a serving distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Imo West Senatorial district.
He was once a Federal Commissioner at the Federal Character Commission and became a member of the National Constitutional Conference that fashioned the 1999 Constitution.
At the end of the Conference, he returned to Imo State where he contested the Governorship primaries leading to the 1999 election and lost to former Governor Achike Udenwa.
He moved on with his political career and crossed over to the All Nigeria Peoples Party, (ANPP) where he became a Presidential aspirant and ran against incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari but lost.
He quickly decamped to the People’s Democratic Party, where left previously, and was appointed as Special Presidential Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs.
He became the arrow-head in the formation of Action Alliance (AA) to contest the 2005 presidential election but later abandoned the project and returned to the People’s Democratic Party, where he nursed the ambition to be National Chairman of the Party.
He fell out with Governor Ikedi Ohakim in 2009 over the leadership of the PDP in Imo State and contested for the 2011 Governorship ticket of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, (APGA).
Although he was suspended from the party, he put his popularity to test and campaigned outside the party. He won the election that pursued Governor Ikedi Ohakim out of the Imo State Government House, while he took over.
As a sitting Governor, he decamped to the All Progressive Congress, (APC) and won the 2015 Governorship election for a second term despite all odds but took sides with his son-in-law against Senator Hope Uzodinma, in the election to succeed him in office in 2019.
His move against Hope Uzodinma, in the 2019 Governorship election was, therefore, interpreted by analysts of the state politics, to mean vengeance and both men have, indeed, been fighting dirty and left many wondering, if the late former weeping Governor would have again, wept for his two political children to stop fighting, if he was alive.
But a popular proverb says “he who lives in a glass house does not throw stones.” This was an advise by the Founder of the Movement for the Consolidation of Democracy, World Wide. (MOCODE) to the Governor Hope Uzodinma, the governor of Imo State, who in the first week , January 2022, declared former governor of Imo State , Senator Rochas Okorocha and his Son in-law, Uche Nwosu as sponsors of Kidnapping and banditry in Imo state drew the ire of the Founder of MOCODE, Charles Edet.
Briefing the press in Abuja, Edet said that the organization totally disagreed with governor Uzodinma’s deposition that Rochas is behind insecurity in the state. He decried the extent of bitterness and unhealthy abuse between the governor, Rochas and their supporters which is escalating insecurity.
Speaking further, Charles urged the two illustrious Sons of Imo, to tow the path of peace to enable him deliver the dividends of democracy that is being yawned for by the people of the state.
“ I urge the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma to forge on with the democratic itinerary mantra of his government, rather than allowing himself to face distractions that are always imminent in every democratic settings, because there are no perfect persons, no perfect leaders and no perfect society “ said Charles.
The democracy advocate , called on well meaning Senior citizens of imo state and the people to stand-up together in unison to end this ongoing siege on the sensibilities of the people, their right to peaceful governance, peaceful movement, peaceful interactions and go about their peaceful business in a democratic setting such as it should be in a democratic state that is an arm of a democratic nation. “
Charles, called on the governor of the state , to make peace with members of the opposition, considered to be a pain in his neck particularly with Owelle Rochas Okorocha a prospective President of Nigeria of Imo origin and Mr Uche Nwosu for peace to reign in the state.
He stated further that Owelle Rochas Okorocha is a politician whose virtuous political weight in Nigeria cannot be reduced to a book shelve or would he succumb nor be undermined with intimidation and name calling.
“Senator Rochas Okorocha is not only a household name in Imo state but also of Nigeria ‘gburugburu’ ( as a whole), he is number one proactive former governor of Imo state , not sleeping politically like others, but has remained vocal within the committee of political who is who in Nigeria. “ He added that “Most importantly Senator Okorocha is not the devil as painted, but rightfully engaged in ensuring that his rights and privileges as former governor of the state are not eroded, as I can observe “ Charles averred.
Rochas can only become vituperative when pushed to the extreme wall as in the case of his Son-in-law being arrested and humiliated in the church at his mothers funeral. He also reacted by reporting to the president when EFCC invited him embarrassed him , after his declaration for presidency. That’s is who Rochas is . Having carved a political niche within the democratic arena of the nation, he deserved some modicum of respect by his state governor , Senator Hope Uzodinma.
I therefore call on the parties to accept the olive leave being flown by the traditional leaders from the south east.
In another development, the traditional rulers and religious leaders in the South East expressed their sadness over insecurity in Imo State.
The monarchs and clerics made their frustration known in a statement jointly signed by the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, and Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia, Chibuzo Opoko.
The leaders frowned that Imo had become a war zone and those responsible for the worsening security situation in the South-East state should be wise to embrace peace.
They also condemned the recent invasion of a church in the state by some policemen to arrest a former governorship candidate in the state, Uche Nwosu.
They, therefore, urged all the political leaders and their followers to desist from all actions that will jeopardize peace and unity in the state
Insert is the full statement: “The state of affairs in Imo had led to the loss of many lives, property, toxic business environment and debilitating public culture and trust.
The dramatic and condemnable invasion of a place of worship by officers of the Nigeria Police Force on 26th December 2021 ostensibly to effect the arrest of a former governorship candidate in Imo State has brought to the public consciousness the long-running troubling state of affairs in the state, which has led to the loss of many lives, hundreds of millions of Naira of property, a deterioration of the environment for business and a debilitating poisoning of public culture and trust.
“Even as we write this statement, a report is breaking of an exchange of gunfire between unknown gunmen and law enforcement officers, which may have left several people dead.
“We, as the clergy, traditional rulers and elders of conscience of Alaigbo, under the auspices of the Joint Body of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers and the Representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops on Peace and Conflict Resolution are compelled to intervene.
First, we urge all the political leaders in contestations and their followers to cease and desist from all actions that’ll escalate or compound the situation on the ground in the state.
“Next, we ask for an examination of conscience of the actors in Imo State, FCT, Abuja, or elsewhere. We trust that the Igbo spirit, which guided our intervention in the run up to the recent Anambra State governorship election and resulted in peaceful and salutary outcomes, will lead the key antagonists in Imo State politics to collaborate with us to help reconstruct the social order in Imo to greater civility.”
