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| Imo 2015: Between Ihedioha and Rochas. Who is a better man? |
I am amused whenever people try to eulogize Governor Rochas Okorocha. These people see Governor Okorocha as a super natural politician who cannot be beaten by any individual in any political contest. To them, Governor Okorocha is the master who commands the love and respect of every Imo indigene especially those at the grassroots who the pro Okorochas believe must or will return him to office with their votes.
Yes the grassroots may vote massively for him because they believe he is for them but will not if they discover he is actually on a parallel lane with their interests without their knowing it.
Frankly speaking, they will desert him if they get to understand who he truly is and what intentions and agenda he is pursuing. They will desert him if they find out he has held them only with lies. They will not stand behind him again if they discover he has taken glory for some federal government projects including the much celebrated free education programme which a lot of them have already started complaining about. They will crucify him if they realize he has held tight to local government allocations which run into billions of Naira monthly since the inception of his government in 2011. The grassroots will be tired of him should they find out that most viable government establishments like the Adapalm and the concorde hotel have been leased out to his companies or those where he has shares through fronts. They will abandon him if they remember he promised to industrialise the state in four years which was what he asked for during his campaigns. I am sure they will abandon him if they realize he talks from the two sides of his mouth and has held them with empty promises.
To me, Governor Okorocha is not an extra ordinary politician or a spectacular one at that. He can be beaten at any time just like any other politician by a more superior and grounded politician. Any one who believes that the power of incumbency will favour him is not being sincere to himself because a lot of office holders had fallen to people who do not hold any offices. Remember Okorocha sacked the incumbent Ohakim in 2011, though with the support of the PDP who thought he was a better candidate.
Anyone that believes that Rochas is unbeatable should remember that he has not won any election in his entire political career until 2011 when he was aided by the PDP to win the governorship. Recall that he had contested for almost all the offices in the land since the present republic. He had attempted the senate, the governorship and also the presidency which he also took another shot at recently. Recall also that he contested for these offices from different political platforms which makes him an inconsistent politician.
Had he been a wonderful politician as he wants people to believe, he would not have lost Anambra state where he wasted so many billions of Imo state on campaigns to APGA during its governorship election last year. Most people do not know that the loss of Anambra to APGA reduced the standing of Okorocha in his APC which was proved at their party convention last year where he could not secure any prominent office for his subjects or even the people of the south east, whose interests he claims to be protecting.
His low standing at their party was further proved at their party’s presidential primaries where he was indirectly or practically told to sit down and concentrate on learning the game of politics. It is always amusing when his people try to neautralise the embarrassment and shame of losing an election especially by people like Rochas who the who claim the whole world clamour for them and even beg them to come and hold offices for them. To people like us, the APC just cut him down to size. That is all and we are glad they have told us he is not popular in their party since popular candidates win free and fair elections unless they want to tell us that their election was not free and fair.
On the other hand, Hon Emeka Ihedioha in all ramification is a better candidate because he understands the game of politics more than our dear Okorocha who has made politics a child’s play.
This may be the reason why he has not lost any election since his entire political life unlike Rochas who has lost some before now. Maybe, this is why he has held several plum offices in the house of representatives where he had been the chief whip and presently the Deputy Speaker.
As a matter of fact, most people do not know that Hon Ihedioha has used the several offices he occupies to help a lot of individuals both mighty and small in the state. Several out of favour politicians who have been revived and repositioned with contracts and board appointments courtesy of Hon Ihedioha will testify to the above. The multitude which he has given federal government jobs can also bear witness to the above just like many who he has empowered through genuine overseas and local skill acquisition will for ever remain grateful to him. All these he did with his slots.
Most people do not know that Hon Ihedioha has attracted a lot of roads and other projects like water schemes to not only Imo state but other parts of the south including Rivers state. There are several instances of the above.
These achievements are probably not on people’s lips because he does not believe in garrulity, noise making and boasting which we witness in the state presently, rather he believes more in issue based politics and responsiveness to his people. That makes him stand out.
His intelligence is another very big plus to his political career and growth and he has used this to consolidate and make himself a force in the Nigeria’s polity which makes the opposition very uncomfortable. But I honestly think what we need in Imo now for its growth is more of intelligence and good planning or calculation instead of smartness, con, lies or promises as we presently witness.
My happiness is that the Imo electorate who have seen the virtues and vices in both Rochas and Hon Ihedioha are more comfortable with Hon Ihedioha who they believe is a better man for the office of the governor of Imo state despite the smear campaigns launched against him by the Rochas camp who his emergence has continued to disturb.
He may not know it but the oncoming elections will prove that Governor Okorocha has lost his once large flock of followers and apostles to Hon Ihedioha, the next executive governor of Imo state because no one will prefer darkness to light.
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By Ugo Great
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