OUR HEARTHS ARE BURNING FOR IMO

Our hearths are burning for Imo

BY Jimanze Ego-Alowes

Simply put, Imo State gubernatorial race has taken shape. Barring any unexpected developments the big parties are PDP, APC, and APGA. So the question is who do we vote for.

Lately APC has come under severe management and internal cohesion stresses in the state and beyond. What is clear is that the ambition of the sitting governor Okorocha, to foist his in-law as dynastic successor has come to naught. And Senator Hope Uzodinma has emerged. Give it to Uzodinma, Imo State owes him a lot. If his political career started and ended only in his now successful effort in unplugging the planned for Okorocha dynasty, he is assured of our eternal gratitude.

And that makes his petition for being made a governor to be in the good books. But all Uzodinma did in his life and career is not the anti-Okorocha gambit for which we repeat the state is grateful. He is been senator and other things. But a penumbra patch zooms across in his past. As a businessman, if he ever was one, his past is too colorful. There is too much of a kaleidoscope of things he did or didn’t do, that are not the best a putative governor should be associated with. We are not culling for angels. We only ask that men come to office not as wondrous characters. So coming from a past of too much color and shades, Imo can’t risk the governance of Uzodinma.

APGA makes even an equally interesting case study of internal wrangling. And it so happened that Senator Ifeanyi Ararume who up until a week to, was a member of the APC, washed up.

And just as he defected from APC to APGA, some wondrously again, he was rewarded with the governorship ticket of APGA in Imo State. There have been accusations of all kinds. It has been put on notice that the APGA party lords for instance sold Imo State to the highest bidder. And that brought APGA to its knees. Next, what was once a fairly cohesive party has suffered an exodus. Even those who can’t or won’t leave have let it be known that Ararume is strictly on his own.

But that is not our real fears. It is that if Ararume ever won the Imo governorship he will play an Okorocha. He is all too likely to decamp and join his old co-confederates. And they are in APC. That is to say to vote for Ararume may actually amount to voting for APC by proxy. Ararume is too much of a big center player to be an APGA – nke anyi bu nke anyi – man. Or perhaps it is that APGA, which has served the men of hidden ambitions as a cuckoo vehicle, should be exposed. Nearly one and all who rose with APGA have jumped ship abandoning APGA in shallow waters. There are no reasons to believe that Ararume will be any better. This is especially so given his many movements and gyrations across parties and party lines. In other words, to vote Ararume is to vote APC, even without intending it. It is likely to be the same Okorocha sleight of hand, repeated.

This leaves the PDP as the party, as the default choice, one way or the other. Emeka Ihedioha may not be a perfect choice, nobody is, but he comes with some valuable credits. As much as one can recall he is been PDP. That shows some character and dedication to a cause. Many may argue that it was fortune that favored him and held him back from moving. But how does one then explain Senator Godswill Akpabio? He too had the best of fortune on him, but is now left his hallowed hills for a new hunting valley, of APC. So it is not good fortune that holds men back. What holds men back is their sense of grand gravitas, not lack of opportunisms. Plus or minus, Ihedioha has shown a world of moral weightiness and gravitas.

Additionally, his party primaries have come without issues. Or at least, was one of the best ever. And there has not been any corruption accusations or sleaze on him. It is not that these are any guides to the future. It is just that there are no such guides. So we must make up with what the past of these contender-governors teach and tell us. So, if your past is that good we can risk picking you to help guide and guard our future as governor. One for instance is likely to bet that an Ihedioha as governor will not decamp to any other party – and sell off Imo state – to prosper his careers. With our experience that’s the man to go for in these uncertain circumstances. Repeat, that is the man to go for. These are uncertain times.

Finally, it so happened that of all the Imo senatorial zones, it is that of Orlu that we are fully seized of. The leading candidate is Jones Onyereri. Onyereri is a member of the Federal House. And he represents us. And all the reports are that he is such a great rep. Everybody is proud of him. We endorse him. This is especially so since it is agreed he is the only fellow who can beat Okorocha down to his pants. And finally bury Okorocha’s delusion of being made Obi of Imo dynasty. Our hearths are burning to keep these dreams warm and achieved.

culled from DAILY SUN OFTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH,2018:PAGE 47

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