ShortStory I Decisive Decision (II)

                          DECISIVE DECISION (II)

        In 2005, which marked the end of his first tenure, Chief Dele Adelakun was determined to re-contest for a second-term in office as the extant law permitted having made his intention known to the members of the party as well as the electorate. Hence, he gained the support and encouragement of virtually all citizens of Ojeiran Local Government Area (LGA) owing to his tremendous and overwhelming performance during his first term. Consequently, he re-emerged victoriously during his party’s primary election thereby placing him as the party’s flag-bearer in the area.

        On a very sad note, on Sunday, 11^th September 2005 just less than eight weeks to the election, something unimaginable and horrific transpired. At the night of that very day, around 8:30pm to be precise, Chief Adelakun – ‘the People’s Choice’ as he was fondly addressed, was brutally murdered alongside his driver in his black Range Over Jeep while returning home as soon as he finished attending to a very crucial meeting involving leadership of his party in his office. Ascertaining the assassins or persons behind the bloody killing remained far-fetched and a mirage to the Police fraternity.

        His party, Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) was left with no other choice than to provide a substitute as their flag-bearer as the awaited election, which was scheduled for Saturday, November 5, 2005, was already by the corner. So, they had to organize a primary election for other interested members of the party.

         Fortunately, Chief Abiodun Olatunji emerged victoriously. Chief Olatunji was the runner-up to the late Chief Adelakun during the previous primary election of the party that produced the deceased as the party’s flag-bearer for his second term bid.

         In one month’s time, the LG polls took place as planned and amazingly, Chief Olatunji won the election. No doubt, his anticipated victory was not unconnected with the fact that his party, CDC remained the greatest as at then coupled with the remarkable footprints his immediate predecessor, Chief Adelakun left behind.

       It suffices to say that the electorate were of the indisputable view that CDC was determined and consistent in producing sincere and distinguished individuals as its flag-bearers. According to them, such tradition as presumed was an uncompromising principle as well as the watchword of the political party in question. Thus, they sheepishly concluded that any aspirant coming under the aegis of the party was definitely flawless.

         On the contrary, Chief Olatunji’s administration was completely opposite that of his immediate predecessor, that, the people’s optimism faded up. In the first and second years of his tenure, nothing new was done or implemented in the whole of the LGA and the worst was that maintenance culture was thrown to the waste bin. Rather than doing the needful, Chief Olatunji was obviously busy enriching himself and his entire household.

         As a result of Chief Olatunji’s nonchalant and lackadaisical attitudes toward good governance, there were speculations and insinuation among the people of the area that he could be responsible for Chief Adelakun’s demise, but there was no tangible proof to nail him down even though it was apparent.

         The most interesting aspect of the ordeal was that, the electorate learnt a lesson that a political party wasn’t meant to be dependable or reckoned with by the people during any electioneering era when it called for good governance; rather, whom the party uses as its flag-bearer.  
         In view of the lofty observation, they concluded that they were supposed to concentrate mainly on the antecedents and accomplishments, or the individuality of the aspirants, instead of laying emphasis on the political party they intended to contest under. Needless to say; Chief Olatunji’s misdeed served as a deterrent as well as an endpoint to their longed nurtured fallacy.

          Subsequently, the people were placed on an untold hardship that they were pushed to make a decisive decision. Hence, the leaders among the electorate with the consent of the entire electorate forwarded a Vote of No-Confidence on Chief Olatunji to the Legislative Council of the local government.

         After all the consequential investigations carried out by the ad-hoc Committee set up by the local parliament, a unanimous motion was moved by the majority of the members of the council for immediate removal of the alleged culprit from office for gross-misconduct and misappropriation of funds.

         In consequence to this development, a letter of impeachment was served on Chief Abiodun Olatunji. Furthermore, precisely on Wednesday, 17^th October 2007, almost two years of his stay in office as the Executive Chairman of Ojeiran LGA, he was successfully and duly impeached by the parliament, thereby authorising his Deputy to take over as the Acting Chairman prior to when he would be duly sworn in substantively.

         Few days later, he was arrested and thereafter arraigned by the country’s anti-graft agency. It’s noteworthy that he was eventually sentenced for twenty years for gross misconduct.

        The rest is history, please.

FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

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