TOPE FAYEHUN takes a look at the dynamics of Imo politics and the emergence of Ihedioha as governor-elect
Since last week Tuesday when the state returning officer, for the just concluded governorship election in Imo state, Mr. Francis Chukwuemeka Otonta, announced the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Emeka Ihedioha, winner of the governorship election in the state, the political atmosphere in the state has changed.
Otonta, while giving the summary of the exercise as conducted in the 27 local government areas of the state, said that Ihedioha of the PDP, won the election with the total votes of 273,404 to humble other candidates in the race, including the son-in-law of the outgoing governor, Rochas Okorocha, Uche Nwosu.
Prior to the latest development, analysts were of the view that it would be impossible for anyone to confront the political structure put in place by Governor Okorocha with the way he had rubbished other political leaders in the state.
Pundits observed that the outgoing governor turned himself to “Mr. Know it all”, with the manner he addressed people around him, even his aides who always come to him to discuss state matters.
Some of the indigenes of the state who are not comfortable with the activities of Okorocha since he assumed office about eight years ago allege that the governor had held the state captive under what they described as Okorocha’s ‘familytocracy’ (government for the family, by the family and of the family), bad governance, sorry state of infrastructure, comatose economy, unemployment, etc.
Some Imo indigenes are worried that since the governor assumed office, he had not deemed it fit to conduct Local Government Area elections and the governor purportedly crippled legislative arms of the government in the state.
According to them, Okorocha has subdued the civil service, desecrated the state institutions, resulting in mass sufferings, salaries/pensions arrears, destruction of markets and other means of livelihoods, alleged annexation of lands/allocation to cronies/family members among others.
They alleged that apart from reducing governance to comical levels, the governor is said to have been running the state as a family affair and like a private business. According to them, the governor has been appointing family members as commissioners, directors, and chairpersons of state institutions.
Pointedly, Secretary to Imo state Government, George Etche had once revealed that Okorocha’s wife Nkechi, was in charge of Ministries of Women Affairs, Works and Health.
At the just concluded governorship and state house of assembly elections, it was obvious that Okorocha wanted his son-in-law, Nwosu, to succeed him.
The desperate attempt to impose his son-in-law as his successor, no doubt, led to the fractious political crisis in the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), leading to his suspension from party and travails in Senate contest.
Presently, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied him Certificate of Return hinging its reason on the report made available by the Returning Officer, who said he declared Okorocha the winner of his senatorial election under duress.
However, political observers submitted that the people of the state have come to the inevitable conclusion that the last eight years in Imo state are the worst in the history of the state, which once embodied so much promise and so much verve and energy.
The election of the governor-elect, Rt.Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, which has since been greeted with widespread celebration of liberation across the state and beyond, come to the majority of the electorate, as an opportunity to correct most of the mistakes made by the outgoing government in the state, according to analysts.
Pundits noted that apart from his immense national goodwill and network which will help him to rebuild Imo State as promised during the campaigns, the governor-elect also has key personality traits that stand him out as the leader to deliver on promises.
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Analysts described him as competent tried and tested politically and in governance.
The say he is somebody who with capacity, grits, determination, and preparedness to deliver on his promises to get Imo out of the woods.
While noting that Ihedioha has remained with PDP since 1999 and never decamped for a minute and has also shown stability in character politically and otherwise, pundits said Ihedioha has been severally tried and tested and adequately proven to have the capacity to rebuild the state.
Ihedioha is said to be a man who has a knack for selecting a good team that will deliver the goods. Hence, the state may be on its way back to glorious days of the late Sam Mbakwe, the weeping governor whose strides have never been matched.
However, in his victory speech, Ihedioha said the election was a fervent protest against impunity and “the celebrations in all the nooks and crannies of the state is a testimony to your belief in the rightness and wisdom of our vision for Imo state and the new path to progress which we shared with you during the campaigns.”
He disclosed that the level of decay in the last eight years makes it imperative that the redemptive work starts immediately.
He noted that the victory belongs to the ordinary men and women in Imo, the traders, artisans, clergy, laborer, farmers, teachers, students, youth and women of all ages.
Ihedioha also assured the people of the state that he will run an open, transparent and accountable government with due process as its hallmark, adding that those in positions of authority must render an account of their stewardship to the people.
According to him, “The era of brazenness in Imo State is gone.”
His words: “I will be governor to all Ndi-lmo both those who voted for us and those who did not. No part is greater or more important than the other. We are equal stakeholders in the I, therefore, and must, therefore, ensure that our people are united in the pursuant of the common good. We look forward to the future with hope.
“This election is as epochal as its outcome is momentous. It is a fervent protest against impunity and the celebrations in all the nooks and crannies of the state is a testimony to your belief in the rightness and wisdom of our vision for Imo state and the new path to progress which we shared with you during the campaigns.
“It is my duty and responsibility to ensure that we remain brothers and sisters with a common destiny. With all hands-on-deck, we shall achieve the Imo of our dreams.
“We will run an all-inclusive government and not a government of exclusiona . Ours will be a government that will promote the unity of the state, rather than accentuate the fissures that have characterized our relationship with each other in recent times. As the popular saying goes, “let us not listen to things that will divide us, let us rather listen to things that will unite us, for united we stand, divided we fall.”
“All we need to do to realise this vision is to aggregate our skills, talents, and sundry resources in our collective basket of goodwill in productive cooperation as Imo is indeed a land of peace, known for the political sagacity of its people.
“Our priority will be the reclaiming of the dignity of our people. We shall no longer be the laughing stock of Nigeria as only positive, productive and progressive stories will be told of the new Imo. Imo has always been known for the right things, with a huge reservoir of human capital waiting to be exploited for the great leap forward.
“The elections are over. What remains is the fulfillment of the promises we made to our people. We entered into a social contract with you with our manifesto and we shall remain faithful to our obligations in that contract.
“This contract seeks to substantially improve the welfare, security, property rights, economic and social advancement of our people. We shall find creative ways of funding our ambitious infrastructural projects and give Imo the quality education, healthcare and general good governance that you desire.
“To kick-start the rebuilding process, I shall set up in the coming days, a Transition team with clear terms of reference. This team will liaise with the outgoing government to collate and collect information on the state of affairs of our State.
