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Odokara Sam Nwosu
The 2019 elections have made Nigerian politics more intriguing and fascinating. The multifarious political pandemic that emanated from the polls has indeed redefined the political architecture of Nigeria. The application of Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power further made it to be highly complex and puzzling. As a power game, politics seems to be going coronavirus in Nigeria with losers litigating the Supreme Court to do the unthinkable of reversing itself. Now that the unforeseen legal jigsaw that unsettled Imo, the heartland state that produced K.O. Mbadiwe, Mbonu Ojike. Dick Tiger, Sam Mbakwe, Arthur Nzeribe and Iwuanyawu, is gone, Ndimo should join hands together to actualise Governor Hope Uzodimma’s messianic agenda.
“In a democracy, power belongs to the people and not the other way round. I pledge that we shall be responsible and accountable to the people. Today, I present my manifesto to the good people of Imo State, which highlights my 5-point blueprint agenda for their economic survival. Under my leadership as governor, our administration shall be purpose-driven and anchored on the following 3 Rs – Recovery, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation.”
Several reasons abound why every Imo patriot must support Governor Uzodimma’s messianic mission of hope for socially vulnerable. The Washington University graduate of International Studies/ Diplomacy is not a political rookie. As a highly respected political titan and papa in the state, his experience, which spanned for almost 30 years, will take Imo to the next level of change. Apart from his political tutelage as NPN Youth Leader in 1983, Onwa Oyoko exhibited selfless service as UNCP stalwart; pioneer BoT and NEC Member of PDP (1999-2017); PDP Senator (2011 – 2019); APC Senator (2019); a PDP gubernatorial primaries candidate (2006); AD gubernatorial candidate etc. When Rochas Okorocha was celebrating his picture with Obama via billboards, Uzodimma had similar pose with President George Bush Jnr in White House years earlier.
For several years the FUTO graduate of Maritime Management Technology has endeared himself to the Imo people as a gifted and humble leader with passion for the development. As a devout Catholic and successful businessman, his philanthropic giant strides earned him the prestigious chieftaincy title of Onwa-Netiri Oha of Omuma. God in His infinite mercy can repay a person for his past role in societal transformation in a way that is beyond our imagination. This has influenced the thought that as a child of destiny, the predestination, which played key role in Uzodimma’s meteoric rise in the human realm, equally aided his emergence as gubernatorial candidate in APC. If indeed his political ascendency was an act of immortal God, there is nothing mortal man can do to stop him. Since the era of Dee Mbakwe, Ndimo has been yearning for messianic change, which has come now through Hope Uzodinma. Possibly, his victory could be God’s divine intervention of liberating Ndimo from past maladministration. As politics is often defined as a game of who gets what, when and how, Uzodimma has played the human part to get what and when of the game, while divine grace powered the how of it.
This reasoning is imperative because destiny first favored Uzodimma when the Federal High court gave his victory to Izunazo in 2011 Imo West Senatorial race before the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court rulings not only restored his mandate, but repudiated all charges of misconduct by the petitioners. This hand of God in his life must have influenced Uzodinma’s inaugural speech, which tagged his victory as `rare’ and a reminder that God is faithful and does not abandon those who trusted in him.
And Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka’s prophesy adds “Many things are going to happen in Nigeria this 2020 that will shock countrymen and women; but all would be to God’s glory In spite of all that would happen this 2020, there is hope. In Imo State, there is hope. Hope, hope, hope in Imo State. Lift your candles as I bless Hope Uzodinma; and I empower him to spiritually to take over.” This divine unction is enough for aggrieved Imo politicians to shed their swords and learn from the lessons of nitty-gritty of politics for posterity.
Politics is not mathematics. Anything can happen. In 2010 Anambra influential PDP bigwigs never believed that APGA’s Peter Obi could defeat them. Ararume is yet to fathom how strange politics made Ihedioha to emerge during 2015 PDP gubernatorial primaries. Nothing on planet earth could have made diehard apologists of Okrocha to believe that Uche Nwosu will not become governor. Who could believe the Saraki dynasty will lose their political grip of Kwara? What could have made PDP’s Dankwambo who worked miracles to lose Gombe to APC? Ajimobi APC’s powerful federal might was not able stop PDP’s Makinde. APC chieftains who swore to capture Sokoto, the spiritual home of Arewa met their waterloo in Tambuwal. Despite massive grassroots support, Kwakwanssiya power could not unseat Ganduje in Kano. PDP’s General Jeremiah Useni slogan to liberate the Christian-dominated Plateau from Fulanisation fell like pack of cards. Rotimi Amechi felt that no man born of a woman will take Rivers but, Wike, the Duncan proved him wrong.
Initial winners in Zamfara and Bayelsa elections are still in ‘coma’ with the judicial coronavirus that technically decimated them. Since power really belongs to God, the loser and their supporters heating up the polity in Imo; those shouting blue murder should concern themselves on why did the highly respected legal luminaries that led the Ihedioha’s team forgot to institute a case against the disputed result sheet at the tribunal and Court of Appeal. What made them to wait till the beans were spilled at the Supreme Court? They should worry if Ihedioha actually met the 2/3 spread allowed by law.
Since everybody rigs in Nigerian politics, the excess votes could possibly come from manipulations originally perpetrated by all the contestants in their places of dominance. Instead of crying wolf, the losers should allow sleeping dogs to lie by either accept the governor’s olive branch of decorum or quarantine themselves. Four years is not far to challenge Uzodimma in 2024, when INEC will open the floodgates for new elections. This time around, they should get better prepared so that they will shout blue murder if Hope adopts the power of incumbency to win.
Nwosu writes from Port Harcourt
