It was in 2007, February 12 to be
precise, that I was almost drowned by Njaba River situated in my lovely home
town, Awo-Omamma when the construction of the bridge biding the said river was
in progress. At the night to the day of that misfortune that befell on my
person, I had a terrifying dream. None of my dreams had failed me since my
childhood. Suffice to say; I wouldn’t had gone to that river due to that dream
I had, talk more of indulging in a swimming exercise. In other words, I was
extremely stubborn that I couldn’t listen to my dream unlike me. The incident
was indeed a quagmire.
In the same vein; the night to the day of the gubernatorial election –
Saturday April 11, 2015 that took place in my beloved home state, Imo alongside
other twenty eight states in the federation that needed to have/witness the
said election, I encountered a horrible dream. In the dream, someone heckled
the amiable seating governor of Imo State, Chief Owelle Rochas Okorocha in a
public gathering that took place in the state Capital Territory – Owerri.; and when
the governor’s aides wanted to take care of the person who displayed such an
intolerable antics, the governor asked them to remain calm.
Similar incident was what transpired on that very day the election was
conducted. Denying the seating governor’s victory at the polls, which was
obvious, is no doubt not unlike heckling him while addressing a public
gathering or attempting to slap the ‘number one’ citizen of the state. Yet,
when Imolites wanted to react to such cruel maltreatment, the governor
instructed them to remain calm.
I’ve been observing Chief Rochas
Okorocha with keen interest since he assumed duty as the governor of Imo State
– the Eastern Heartland. And so far, what I’ve enjoyed mostly from his person
remains his high level of tolerance. Surely, the man in question is too
tolerant that, even a tree can testify to the fact.
Let’s delve into history. In the first place, it was between the
governor and Cletus Ilomuanya – the dethroned Traditional Ruler of Obinugu
Autonomous Community in Orlu. Gov Okorocha remained resilient until he was
pushed to the wall by the traditional custodian. The one I cannot forget in a
hurry was the one that had to do with him and some youths of Oguta extraction;
on that fateful day, the governor’s entourage was assaulted, but the governor
resisted the venom of his aides when they made effort to retaliate. Another one
was between him and the former interim state Chairman of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Prince Marshal Okoroaforanya – a promising young man the
governor brought to political limelight but along the line he became a rebel.
Let’s ride on!
As if we have forgotten, the one that happened between the governor and Mr. Charles Oputa (Charlie Boy) during the burial of the late father of the latter at Oguta clan. The governor was heckled when he wanted to make his speech at the church; and he exhibited his usual tolerant posture. As if that was not enough; the current Minister of State for Education, Prof Viola Onwuliri of Mbaise extraction came up with hers, to the extent that the governor was almost treated like a ‘house boy’ in a state where he is the ‘number one’ citizen. Yes it sounds paradoxical, but it occurred. Honestly, tolerance is a distinguished quality I have observed in Gov Okorocha’s person; without mincing words, I’m yet to see a leader who possesses such high level of maturity. Apparently, he is leading by a good example.
Please let’s discuss what we have
for today. Surely, the just conducted Imo gubernatorial poll, which I tagged an
‘epitome of masterminded quagmire’, is a scenario that I shall live to
remember. It would be recalled that the said election was declared inconclusive
by the INEC Returning Officer, Prof Oye Ibidapo Obe on Sunday April 12. An
election that was duly conducted in the twenty-seven (27) Local Government
Areas in the state, and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Chief Rochas Okorocha who happens to be the seating governor, won in twenty
(20) LGAs against his closest rival Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha of the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) who recorded victory in the remaining seven (7) LGAs.
An election in which the APC
candidate is leading with almost eighty thousand (80,000) votes coupled with
the fact that he emerged victorious in more than two-third (2/3) of the total
number of LGAs in the state. What additional prerequisite is required to
declare him the winner or to return him as the governor of the state? even if
the PDP candidate is leading with the highest number of votes but only recorded
victory in just seven LGAs, which is less than one-third (1/3) of the total
number of LGAs in the state, will he be qualified to be declared the winner of
the poll? Who is deceiving who? I’m just thinking aloud.
Please the electoral umpire should do what is right and justifiable.
They ought to note that Imo State is too old to be treated like a kid. How can
irregularities that transpired in a few polling units result to
inconclusiveness of an election that took place in all the 27 LGAs in the
state? If such principle holds water, or if the electoral act permits such,
then the just concluded Presidential polls would have been declared
inconclusive by the INEC boss, Prof Attahiru Jega because election never took
place in all the polling units or even all the LGAs in the country during the
said election. For instance, there was no election in my beautiful Local
Government, Oru-East during the Presidential poll.
Even, going by what the Returning
Officer said, that, the margin with which the APC candidate is leading is lower
than the number of cancelled votes; if such inconsequential logic was to be
applied to that of the Presidential election, then the latter would had as well
been declared inconclusive, or Mohammadu Buhari wouldn’t have been returned as
the President-Elect. Because, going by the statistics or the logic; if
painstakingly considered, we would notice that the number of votes the
President-Elect had ahead of his closest opponent, Dr Goodluck Jonathan was
lower than the number of votes cancelled across the federation. But the man in
question was declared the winner of the poll because he fulfilled other major
requirements as stipulated by the electoral act.
They can’t continue to sing the same
chorus every four years simply because some persons are of the view that the
state belongs to them. Enough of this cock and bull story. Whosoever that is
involved ought to acknowledge the fact that Imolites cannot be taken for a ride
because they are socially, politically, academically, and of course intellectually
on ground. While we await the so-called supplementary poll, I will not cease to
pray for Imo because the state is in a comatose state.
When the World Trade Centre was bombed on September 11, 2001 via a
suicide mission, the former President of the United States of America (U.S.A),
Mr. George W. Bush who was then the seating President of the country said ‘Our
great country has been tested again; but I tell you, we shall prove to the
world that we’ll pass this test.’ And they passed the test just as the
President assured. Similarly, Gov Okorocha’s level of tolerance has been tested
again; thank God he passed this one. But that he has passed it doesn’t imply
that he is a fool. Think about it!
COMR
FRED NWAOZOR
(The Media Ambassador)_____________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056
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