THIS WAR AGAINST OLD BRIGADE POLITICIANS IN IMO

THIS WAR AGAINST OLD BRIGADE POLITICIANS IN IMO

By Ogu Bundu Nwadike (08037146635 sms only)

RT HON EMEKA IHEDIOHA

An Igbo adage that inspires people to responsible action is “agbara aka na azo ala onye ji ji na akonye”. The simplest transliteration of that would realize something close to the English axiom “If wishes were horses, beggars will ride.” Both sayings instigate upon people’s sense positive action for desired great expectations. There has been what is assumed to be a war against a class of politicians in Imo State that is best described as over-50 politicians. That means politicians that have crossed the golden wisdom age of 50.

Some young men and women in Imo State have taken it as a preoccupation to freely fling abuses, insults and hate speeches at the so-called over 50s politicians that they exuberantly refer to as old brigade politicians. Ordinarily, their exhibition of natural youthful exuberance, restiveness and tantrums occasioned by their impulsiveness and impetuosity should not bother any responsible adult. But the present day misguided youth in Imo have taken their war against the old brigade politicians to a height that makes them appear to be planning to seize power at all levels by the illegal instrument of force and violence.

And as Igbo proverb says, when an animal runs in a fury, the good hunter fires bullets of fury at it.” The ill-advised youths in Imo have acted so foolishly that they must be helped to recover their apparently lost decorum and circumspection before they over-step their legal boundaries. Igbo say a fly that lacks a wise counselor often escorts an attractive odiferous corpse to the grave where it dies untimely death. Out of love in the hearts of their progenitors and predecessors on the political turf of Imo State, let the youths be properly guided on the need for good behavior that their days in the realm of politics may be long.

Let Imo youths remember that the old brigade politician was only recently a young brigade politician. A young brigade politician will soon be an old brigade politician. The vice chancellor was once in primary one. The Pope was once a pupil in the parish catechism class. It is a natural process. Therefore, let aggressive Imo youths that seem hell bent at mocking and molesting old age because of their inordinate ambitions remember that they will soon become old brigade politicians, if tarry enough to see tomorrow at the rate they wage this war against their parents and elders.

Somebody near any restive youths that see over-50 politicians as their walls of Jericho should please help them with the good counsel that the old brigade is not the cause of the frustration on the political turf. Let them be taught that the measure with which they relate with the old brigade politicians will be the measure they will be related with by the young brigade politicians when they, in this present class of young brigade politicians, turn old brigade soon. Let somebody tell them that in clear unequivocal terms. It is a process.

It is on record that the ongoing war against the so-called old brigade politicians was triggered at the magnitude it is now by the rather irresponsible declaration by Governor Rochas Okorocha sometime in 2017 that nobody above 50 years will become Imo governor again. It has since been established that he made the rather senseless flippant comment to pave way for his illegal third term bid through the proxy of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu. Ironically, it is that same declaration that has turned to be the iceberg that hit the Okorocha Titanic ship that is now irreversibly sinking.

Now that Rochas’ dream has hit the rocks, thwarting his nefarious plan to impose Uche Nwosu on Imo APC and foist him upon Imo State as his successor-in-office as governor, it is hoped that the young brigade politicians that Okorocha armed with crude political thoughts in Imo will learn their lessons, sheath their verbal swords, down their verbal weapons and let peace reign in the political class of Imo State.

As I am wont to reiterate, Imo is now wiser. Imolites are wiser now than ever before. How wonderful it would be if all young brigade politicians that Rochas confused and misled would receive wisdom and join other Imolites to fight against the bad leadership that Gov. Okorocha represents in the state. Igbo adage says the club used in murdering an elder is kept at a conspicuous corner of the hut awaiting the next elder. Young brigade politicians must be more careful and more responsible in their thoughts, utterances and actions. They must not allow a sinking old brigade politician to drag them down into the deep of the sea.

There is no law preventing any legitimate person from participating in elective politics. The Nigerian Constitution 1999, as amended, is clear about the age qualifications of citizens to participate in elections. This can be found in sections 65, 131 and 177 of the constitution. The specially designed youth participation in politics law, the “Not Too Young To Run” has made it easier by further reducing to 25 years the age a Nigerian citizen would attain to qualify to contest elections.

The old brigade politicians, whoever they are, have never staged a protest against allowing children or youths aged 25 years to participate in elective politics. It is not understandable why some incensed youths would insist on verbally attacking old brigade youths that are not constitutionally prohibited from contesting in elections. The constitution of Nigeria guided on minimum age for various elective offices. It says nothing about maximum age at which a citizen may no longer qualify to contest in elections.

That is why it remains a provocative irony that those youths that attack old brigade politicians in Imo State also support the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari who is about 80 years. Somebody described it as a hypocrisy of supporting youth o’clock in Imo and supporting old o’clock in Abuja. If a 50-year old cannot be governor of Imo, why then does the same illegal lawmaker support that an 80-year old soldier must be president of Nigeria in 2019? Umu youths Imo nakwa echekinu!

As 2019 approaches only politicians that have been tested and trusted will emerge as Imo governor. As I posited at another platform, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha commenced his active elective politics in 2003 at the age of 38. In 2007 at age 42, he became Chief Whip the House. In 2011, at age 46, he became Deputy Speaker. And in 2015, at age 50 he became the Speaker, albeit for a short period. By the special grace of God that has ordained it so, Ihedioha will become Imo governor at age 54 in 2019. Dear beloved young brigade politician, what in heaven and earth is wrong with that? Nothing!

Therefore, instead of continually rousing the rabble with irresponsible war against old brigade politicians, let the young brigade politicians imbibe responsible character and conduct, while preparing to take over power from the old brigade politicians at the appropriate time in the near future. Let me reiterate that ideally political power is systematically taken and never sentimentally given.