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Last week, when the first part of this article was published, little did we know that the Frank Story would arous a development of very great proportions.
Over the years, Okigwe Zone, otherwise known as Imo North, has suffered neglect on a large scale. The reason, perhaps, is traceable to the fact that, of the three zones in the state, Okigwe has the least number of local governments. This disproportionate allocation of the seat of governance in the grassroots means fewer opportunities for development. The zone has also suffered because of inability to secure employment for its teeming population.
Nevertheless, this article is not about inequities in the structure of the zones, even though, as we call for the restructuring of Nigeria, we should also see the need to also restructure the states so that other parts could be fairly and equitably treated.
This write-up is about putting in place a system that would catapult Okigwe Zone to enviable heights despite palpable challenges. Methinks that should be the fulcrum of the senatorial by-election coming up on October 31 this year.
There is no doubt that in the race are prominent Okigwe sons who are qualified for the job. However, bearing in mind that there is only one slot, it is very significant to sift through them so that only the best would be elected to the Red Chamber to complete the great job Senator Ben Uwajumogu was doing before the cold hands of death snatched him, unfortunately.
Actually, the sifting started from the political parties, which have brought out their best. Without disregard to other candidates, it seems we are going to witness a two-legged contest between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While Sir Frank Ibezim (SFI) is the standard-bearer of the APC, Chief Emma Okewulonu is flying PDP’s flag. Like already stated, the two gentlemen are qualified and well accomplished in their fields.
Nevertheless, considering the situation at hand, it is important that Okigwe makes sure that the better of the two goes to represent them in the Ninth Senate for the remaining two and a half years left of Uwajumogu’s tenure. Put side by side, Ibezim is highly favoured and light years ahead of his opponent, not just because he is from the ruling party in the state and that the seat originally belonged to the party, but also because of his pedigree and sterling antecedents.
Only a couple of months back, this former commissioner for agriculture and natural resources had visited the Uboma Rice Settlement, a project covering over 127 hectares, which is designed to empower rice farmers in nine communities in the Ihitte Uboma axis of the zone. It is part of a grandiose design of the Imo State government to become number one rice producer in the South-East. During that visit, Ibezim, who has set his eyes on making the entire Okigwe Zone green, urged the project coordinators to spread it throughout all farming areas in Imo North, positing that the project was calculated to make the zone prosperous by transforming it into a food basket of the country.
Now, Ibezim, even before taking up his seat in the Red Chamber, as he certainly would, by God’s enabling grace, has caused quite a stir by initiating moves to electrify the zone. Only lovers of darkness would vote against the light that is set to illuminate the entire landscape of Okigwe Zone in the next few months.
As a prelude to the what to expect from the humble giant, all roads led to Umuelemai, the headquarters of Isiala Mbano LGA, when the APC candidate flagged off the electrification project through collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). This was preceded by an assessment tour of the area by a team of engineers to map out all the areas yet to be electrified, with a view to connecting them.
It is noteworthy too that this effort could not have been possible without the support of the state governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba (HCN), who shares close rapport with Ibezim. It is inconceivable how people could even contemplate that any candidate could do much for Okigwe without the support of the governor and collaboration of the minister. Okigwe does not need a bench warmer at the Senate, no matter his self-trumpeted qualities or noise-making by insincere sycophants.
So, before Okigwe votes, there is absolute necessity to do an objective and fair valuation of the situation of things. Imo State is currently governed by APC. The Speaker of House of Assembly is also APC and hails from Okigwe; so are the Secretary to the State Government, SSG; all six House of Assembly members from Okigwe as well as two members of the House of Representatives. The APC also controls all chairmen and councillors in Okigwe, all the commissioners and Senior Special Advisers and Special Advisers to the governor alongside several board and council members at the centre and state. I have also noted that the minister, Nwajiuba, is also from Okigwe. Moreover, none of the other candidates can come anywhere near Ibezim’s charming and charismatic appeal.
It is apparent that the battle is unmatched and if I were any of these other candidates, instead of facing humiliating defeat after ploughing much resources into a lost battle, I would embrace Ibezim, support him and wait for another day.
My personal conviction is that Okigwe’s interest should subsume personal and party interests. That is why people like us have staked everything, turning deaf eyes and blind eyes to entreaties and overtures from opposing quarters because we have been able to identify common sense when we see it in Ibezim and, instead of turning it on its head, so that we personally benefit while the generality of the people lack, we decided to flow with it.
We need a senator that can leverage on the advantages listed above and cause developmental revolution in Okigwe; we don’t need a senator that would be content enriching his resume only but to the detriment of the zone, and making a singsong of being vitiated because he is in minority or opposition. Okigwe cannot afford to dither at the moment when we need synergy to unlock the great potential hidden in the belly of Okigwe’s backwardness.
There are also yet untapped benefits that could accrue to Okigwe, which only close collaboration with the seats of power at the centre and state can make manifest. That is the senator we need, not a moneybags who might not be well disposed to certain moves he might consider beneath his affluence.
Of course, Ibezim is a cat with nine lives who, despite all that had been done to truncate his candidature, beginning from the manipulated disqualification, has continued to outshine his traducers. Baffled by his renascent power, they have sworn to pull down the APC on everybody instead, if that is what would stop Ibezim. The hot bile is not necessarily a battle for today but strategic warfare ahead of 2023, which a former governor of the state is supposedly sponsoring.
It is salutary that Ibezim has ignored the opposition and weird court cases to concentrate on his campaign blitzkrieg, sweeping from ward to ward in the zone. The rush of love and accolades being heaped on Ibezim by the electorate has made it obvious to everyone that this is a project whose time has come, and cannot be stopped.
Nevertheless, I am concerned about the APC as a political party. Their lack of cohesion fuelled by the obstinate vaunting self-ambition of some members may do more harm than the opposition. Therefore, I wish to appeal to all those working hard to obstruct this dream from berthing to soft pedal in the collective interests of Okigwe; we are all brethren. Moreover, the APC leadership should step up efforts to mollify the aggrieved aspirants. It is necessary to bring all of its chickens under one roof because of the lurking hawks overhead who are in fact stoking the fire in their belief and trust that money can buy anything and anyone. Frankly speaking, Okigwe must choose to either play mediocre, regardless of the opportunity to play in the big league, or allow reason to prevail; that is the Frank Story.
(Concluded)
