Oru East APC and Tussle for Supremacy

ORU EAST APC AND TUSSLE FOR SUPREMACY


Greetings brethren. I wish to commence with a candid question; have you ever wondered why the creator created both day and night? Well, if you’ve been preoccupied with such thought, I want to use this avenue to clear the air. God added night having created day with a view to ensuring that mankind would embrace a tangible rest having worked relentlessly all through the day; needless to say that, rest was initiated by God as a statutory obligation.

Thus, we all are meant to rest during the night. And it is noteworthy that such act known as ‘Rest’ remains inevitable irrespective of your status. Maybe you should take a look at someone who skipped his/her night rest, and ascertain if he/she is coping with the day. Significantly, one who missed his night rest can never concentrate during the subsequent day. This fact implies that no one cheats on nature; yes, you can never cheat nature, rather the reverse would take place.

This piece is targeted to discuss Oru East Local Government Council in respect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) – the ruling political party in Nigeria. I tell you categorically that currently there are names that cannot be left out while discussing Oru East APC, and such names include Chief Nathan Udogwu, Chief Chime Nzeribe, Dr Emma Ogbenta, Chief Augustine Onyedebelu, Barr Obinna Amagwula, Hon Osita Nnewuihe, Barr Nelson Ezerioha, Chief Nicholas Nkemdeme, Hon Nkenna Nzeruo, Chief Abu Nnanna, Hon (Mrs) Nma Nzeribe, Chief Bernard Nwanana, Chief Donatus Ejifugha, Chief Romanus Egbuladike, Hon Chidi Opurum, Hon Alphonsus Onwumere, Chief Robert Okuego, Prince Lasbery Okoroaforanyanwu, Chief Calistus Ugoeze, among others.

And, as far as Imo State is concerned, the last time I checked the bearers of the aforementioned names were invariably at the forefront of the state’s political terrain that no one would attempt to take any of them for granted for any reason whatsoever; those who are part and parcel of the Imo Politics can testify to this fact. It is also worthy to note that Oru East remains one of the hottest and most proactive LGAs whenever politics is discussed in Imo and beyond; therefore anything that affects the area would definitely affects the Eastern Heartland profoundly.

From my humble observation, one of the most challenges being faced by the aforesaid LGA is the issue of tussle for supremacy that is often witnessed among the said leaders which usually lead to creation of factions among them. Well, it is not weird or absurd to hear that such act exists between them considering their respective statuses. Of course such practice is not uncommon in any area/locality made up of men of timber and caliber or people of powerful reputations.

When Barr Obinna Amagwula came on board as the Transition Committee Chairman of the council, the first thing he made effort to achieve was to bring the men together regardless of their differences; though he tried actualizing his prime aim but it was to an extent. The young man put up every possible effort towards restoring unity in the area, and he was applauded by people like us for such giant and bold stride.

Even though the elections that were long awaited have successfully come and gone and what the electorate expect at this moment is nothing but governance since after politics comes governance, there are still many more elections to come in future. And we all are aware that there’s no politician that does not plan ahead of future polls unless he is just learning or new in the system/game. What I’m saying in essence is that every experienced politician would thrive toward ensuring that his men remain united come rain come shine.

Presently in Oru East, the reverse seems to be the case; what I see is self-centeredness. No one cares any more about the fate that awaits the LGA in future contrary to what was the case prior to the just concluded polls. It is no longer news that one of them in the person of Dr Emmanuel Ogbenta has left the party for elsewhere probably the PDP and apparently others feel less concern over the incident; rather than been disturbed, I learnt some of them are even rejoicing over the ordeal. It’s really ridiculous.

The other day, on Monday 25th of October 2015 precisely, I saw a publication with a bold headline on the cover page of the Whitepaper Newspaper that reads “APC members in Oru East celebrate Ogbenta’s exit from the party.” Doesn’t it sound irrational and absurd?

Having worked in Oru East as well as with some men of the APC, I think I have the needed knowledge about the area; I served as the Special Adviser (SA) on Media and Publicity to the former TC-Chairman – Barr Amagwula till he left the office to pursue his political ambition; subsequently, I became the SA on Media and Public Affairs to the Commandant General of the Imo Civil Guard Corps – Chief Ejifugha who also hails from Oru East LGA. I tell you unequivocally that the said Dr Ogbenta is a name that rings bell or that can’t be overlooked whenever the Oru East political terrain is mentioned; thus, no one could say categorically that the exit of the man in question from the APC is not a big blow to the party if we must tell ourselves the gospel truth.

Besides, I know Dr Ogbenta to be a stronghold in the Rescue Mission. I can’t forget in a hurry the remark made by the Imo First Lady – Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha during one of her solidarity visits to Oru East; in the gathering while recognizing the leaders of the council, when her Excellency got to Dr Ogbenta, she described him as “the man who was with us when others thought it won’t work”; the rest is history. Suffice it to say that he had been with them (the Rescue Mission) from the onset right from when it was still inborn, even when the going was tough.

My paramount interest for coming up with this very piece is nothing but unity. I want the affected persons in Oru East to acknowledge that they are headed for nowhere if they are not together – united they would stand, divided they would surely fall. Thus I enjoin them to swallow their prides and grievances for the interest of oneness because that is the only way the council would remain great. As a bona-fide indigene of the area, I’m very much concerned over its future.

Everyone is supreme or a leader in his/her own capacity, thus it is preposterous and inconsequential to fight over whom becomes the ultimate leader or the most powerful in the area. Hence at this juncture, I urge the governor – Chief Rochas Okorocha who is the overall leader of the party in Imo State to candidly intervene in the matter as a matter of urgency with a view to closing ranks as well as making amends where necessary if he’s truly concerned over the future of the party.

I want to remind us once again that we can never cheat nature; instead the reverse would be the case. There are no two ways about it. Think about it!



COMR FRED NWAOZOR
Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research
& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056
http://frednwaozor.blogspot.com
Twitter: @fdnnwaozor

Gov Okorocha, Civil Service and Pension Conundrum

GOV OKOROCHA, CIVIL SERVICE AND PENSION CONUNDRUM

        

Greetings brethren! I’m immensely glad we all made it to this juncture in spite of the fathomless hurdles that beseeched us the previous days. You might lack words at a particular circumstance, but never you hesitate to exclaim “Thank you Lord for keeping me alive” at every given time irrespective of the circumstance you may find yourself.

      
Frankly the last time I checked, most of the plights being faced by the greater percentage of the teeming Nigerians were attributable to ignorance. Yes; most Nigerians are currently ignorant owing to various factors ranging from illiteracy to lack of reading habit, apathy as regards listening to news or quest for knowledge, lack of exposure, inferiority complex, inability to ask question(s) when necessary/needed as well as the ongoing “I Too Know (ITK)” syndrome salvaging the citizenry, just to mention but a few.

      

You may tape my words if you wish or you might as well document the written ones as it pleases your majesty, but I want you to note that my prime interest in my writing/activism career is to appraise facts at all times and that is why the title of this very column reads “Fancy Facts”; ‘Fancy’ simply means special, unusual, or elaborate.

      
Lest I forget; today’s theme is strictly on the Imo civil service and the ongoing pension conundrum in the said state. Thus pardon me for the initial digression, though it was consequential and rational. It is pertinent to acknowledge that issues relating to problems faced by civil servants and pensioners are not only peculiar to Imo State; rather, Nigeria at large. But that of Imo angered my pen and the reason is obvious; of course whatever that affects the state affects me directly like I rightly stated in the last edition, because that is where I’m coming from – Imo is my heritage.

     
Please I wish to begin with history regarding the theme before us. If you could recall vividly, then you wouldn’t hesitate to agree with me that the moment Gov Rochas Okorocha stepped into the Douglas House in 2011, the civil servants and the pensioners were his priority; my dad who is an Imo pensioner can testify to this fact; though right now the old man is not happy.

     
Therein, the governor assured Imo workers that they would be paid as and when due provided he remained the governor of the great state, and he fulfilled his promise to everybody’s greatest surprise including myself. He didn’t stop at that; he thought it wise to revisit the cases of all the pensioners who had not received their pensions many years prior to his assumption to duty as the governor of the state. In regard to this, he cleared all the pension arrears, which my dad benefitted from. We should not also forget in a hurry that he was the first governor to implement the newest minimum wage.

      
To be frank with you; this was one singular fact, beside the existing free education policy, that attracted me to Rochas Okorocha as an individual. I instantly developed an unalloyed passion for his person because I was of the view that the Imo workers cum pensioners were really faced with untold hardship prior to his emergence as the state’s governor.

      
One of the retired headmasters in Imo State who I was opportune to have a one-on-one talk with told me wholeheartedly that he preferred addressing Gov Okorocha as “An Administrator” rather than “A Governor”. When asked why; he candidly said that such statement was informed by the fact that the said leader acts like an astute administrator going by the way he had handled all the pension matters that awaited him.

      
Similarly, that of my mum – Mrs Vero Nwaozor (Nee Egbuna) is what baffled my person most; someone who meritoriously retired from the civil service as a Health Personnel since March 2014 but yet to receive her pension arrears coupled with gratuity never ceases to eulogize Gov Okorocha even till date. The kind of passion my beloved mum has for the governor is so extreme that at a point I thought she had been charmed by the man in question, not until she told me the sole reason for her fanaticism. She disclosed to me that the treatment she received in civil service between 2011 and 2014 before she retired was so overwhelming that it could not be compared with the treatment she got during the several years that preceded the aforesaid period; she added that unless I was a civil servant, I wouldn’t know how a worker feels if he/she receives his/her salary as and when due.

      
Right now the heat is on; every worker/pensioner, excluding my mum who remains optimistic, is seemingly disappointed with the government. In view of this scenario, I wish to clear the air based on my understanding. In line with the recent interaction I had with a staunch affiliate to the Douglas House, it seems the governor is into what could be best described as “Civil Service cum Pension Matters Reform.” If you have been observant, you would have noticed that a lot of anomalies had been taking place in the Imo likewise other states’ civil service and pension matters.

      
The most worrisome part of the said anomaly is the issue of “Ghost workers/pensioners” syndrome. It is no longer news that over the years, the various workers’ payrolls have been filled with names of non-existent workers. Even most of them who were meant to retire years ago are still receiving salaries. Pathetically, most workers no longer receive their Leave allowance; something that’s supposed to be statutory has been made to become a privilege. Some persons would be comfortably sitting on other persons’ monies without minding the law of karma. What impunity!

      
In the same vein, that of the pensioners cannot be overemphasized; the names of most of the pensioners are still on the workers’ payrolls, and the excesses are invariably going into the purses of those at the head. That is why, in any reform process, it is often the heads that kick against it.

      
It is imperative for our people to be duly informed so that they wouldn’t misinterpret/misunderstand the ongoing process, which I personally think will go a long way to restructure the state’s civil service as well as pension matters in its entirety. This would take us back to the second paragraph of this piece where I stated that several problems most Nigerians are presently facing are as a result of ignorance. Since most of them don’t listen to news neither do they bring time to read newspapers or magazines, we ought to employ a device through which they would be thoroughly sensitized.

      
However, the issue of concession is what I would urge the government to reconsider critically especially when it has to do with the health sector, which deals directly with the people’s lives. If we must concession the management of any health parastatal; that is, if the proposed action has become uncompromising, we’re expected to be holistically careful as well as mindful of the body we’re leasing them to. A very sensitive and fragile sector like health requires nothing but adequate pampering. Hence, we must look before we leap.

     
Most importantly, the government should endeavor to carry the affected workers who are already preoccupied with premonitory anxieties along, so that there would be harmony at the long run. A word, they say, is enough for the wise.

     
Now that the government has assured the pensioners that they would be paid in no distant time, I enjoin them to continue praying for the government rather than unleashing curses on their leaders. The government must also hasten up in its ongoing reform with a view to ensuring that the pensioners experience moment of psychological rest again.

     
All the same; I sincerely wish everyone success, but we must try by all means to distance ourselves from deceit. A popular Igbo adage says “Atowa uto, ewepu awuwo”; literally it means, if a relationship is going smoothly, the parties involved ought to endeavour not to invite any element of deceit. Think about it!

COMR FRED DOC NWAOZOR

(The Media Ambassador)

Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056 

http://frednwaozor.blogspot.com

Twitter: @fdnnwaozor          

                 

    

        

While We Await Okorocha's Cabinet

WHILE WE AWAIT OKOROCHA’S CABINET

       

It would be preposterous and ridiculous to commence this piece without letting people realize where I’m actually coming from. I may have been known as an analyst or activist as it pleases the people but the gospel truth remains that I’m putting up this critique not based on the aforementioned facts but owing to the fact that I’m a bona-fide Imolite; suffice it to say that, whatever that affects Imo State affects my person directly as well. Thus I sincerely present this piece as an Imolite.

      

The last time I checked, if I’m not mistaken, the entire Imo populace was preoccupied with the urge of meeting the set of persons that would make up Gov Okorocha’s cabinet to include the commissioners as well as special advisers just as the tradition demands. In the same vein, the last moment I also checked, none of the said group of people was aware of the reason for the delay. In view of this, I wish to start with a clarification note; let me hurriedly use this avenue to clear the air.

       

Ordinarily, the ethics of the game is that immediately after an election has taken place, those who emerged victorious in the various states as the governors would appoint some gentle men and ladies to assist them in running the affairs of their respective states. The appointees are often referred to as members of the governor’s cabinet. This step is invariably necessary because a tree cannot make a forest.

    

It is apparent that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently occupying the number one political seat situated in Aso Rock villa. It is also noteworthy that, same political party happens to be in charge of the Douglas House found in the Eastern Heartland. These two obvious facts indicate that Gov Rochas Okorocha was not meant to form his overall cabinet until President Buhari had concluded his; such approach is consequential and rational because the governor wouldn’t know the Imolites that would make it to the Mr President’s incoming cabinet.

        

If you take a close observation, you would notice that virtually all the progressive governors are yet to constitute their cabinets; please ‘progressive governors’ literally means governors of the APC. Needless to say that it is not only Gov Okorocha that is putting on such shoes. Of course it was barely few days ago that the Lagos state governor Mr Akinwunmi Ambode brought out his own list, simply because the man who hails from the state Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN that made it to the ministerial list had been cleared by the Red Chamber of the National Assembly.

        

Frankly, it is politically wise for any progressive governor to wait till the man in charge of the Aso Rock had constituted his cabinet because he wouldn’t know if any of the persons he would like to include in his awaited cabinet would be adopted by President Mohammadu Buhari; that is politics for you. But the problem is that such practice is often at the detriment of the electorate due to the fact that it would be delaying the good governance they all pray for, or that awaits them.

         

Now that the long awaited ministerial list is out and almost all the names in it had received favour from the Senate, though that of Imo State is still pending, Imolites in their entirety including my humble self - Fred Doc Nwaozor cannot wait to see the amiable governor tendering his own list, which is long overdue according to the people, to the Imo House of Assembly for onward scrutiny and confirmation.

        

But while we await the governor’s cabinet, there are some rudimentary facts I would like to present to the leader in question via this medium. Undoubtedly, it is my individual social responsibility to disclose the needed facts towards ensuring that there wouldn’t be any iota of derailment while the process lasts.

       

First; I wouldn’t like what happened at the apex level regarding exclusion of the youth to repeat itself in my home state. It is no longer news that the said ministerial list never favoured any youth; it is so appalling that among the whole thirty-seven (37) names released by Mr President lack a name belonging to a youth. It is humiliating and unfair that the people who are ubiquitously referred to as ‘the leaders of tomorrow’ are often relegated at the background; it’s indeed a paradox. Sometimes I see it as a thing of mockery whenever the youth are classified as the leaders of tomorrow that cease to come considering the contemporary Nigerian society.  

        

Similarly, I want the people’s governor to detest the language of ‘recycling’ that is usually practised on the Nigerian socio-political platform, which is drastically becoming a norm, with passion. Yes, he ought to passionately detest the anomaly because it is severely telling on our polity.

       Unequivocally, it sounds absurd and disgusting to my hearing each time it comes to my notice that the same set of names that were being heard far back thirty years ago are still roaming about in the Nigerian political setting. I’m not saying that the names ought to be scrapped; but for crying out loud, the owners of the names are supposed to act as elder statesmen towards actualizing good governance rather than posing as the main actors. They have acted in the past and this is the time for their young ones to follow suit, or start from where they stopped.

      
Most importantly, I want Gov Okorocha to note that including technocrats in his awaited cabinet is meant to be seen as an uncompromising gesture if truly he is keen to actualize the anticipated outcome of his industrialization and massive job creation mantra. Let me quickly define a technocrat according to the BBC English Dictionary, before we contradict it at the long run. A technocrat is ‘a scientist, engineer, or other expert who is one of a group of similar people who have political power as well as technical knowledge.’ Please, we need nothing but cognoscenti.

       So as we await the quintessential governor’s cabinet, I wish to state candidly at this juncture that, every good thing that has happened in our lives happened because something changed. Hence, we ought to endeavour to change some norms that seem outdated. Think about it!

 

FDN NWAOZOR

(The Media Ambassador)

Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056 

http://frednwaozor.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/fred4nwaozor

Twitter: @fdnnwaozor