In just a couple of weeks, the esteemed people of Imo State will have the opportunity to cast their vote for candidates to office of Governor. Perhaps it is appropriate to remind ourselves of events in the Middle East and the toll of blood now being shed to be able to express their will as to who and how they should be governed. The only thing worse than living under an authoritarian governance is to live in a "sham democracy" that scuttles the will of the people. All over Africa and the Middle East is one story or another of mans inhumanity to his fellow men. We seem to have become comfortable in Nigeria with mediocrity and corruption in government circles. Most people don't think the Country and their God given rights of self determination is worth fighting for or preserving. Better still, they are so willing to look the other way if they get "settled" or can gain from the corruption at the expense of fellow Country men. With all the wealth and resources that the Almighty endowed on our Country, my people are still content to willingly slave in foreign lands. What about our Children. They will never know our Country the way me and you do. Their endearment and true allegiance, as it should be lies with the United States and Europe where they are born and raised. That is all they know; that is where they have their friends. We have another opportunity to elect the right people to offices and demand that they repair our National pride. Will Nigerians demand that their votes actually count this time around. Suddenly, but not surprisingly, the drumbeats to thwart the will of the electorates is in top gear. The Nigerian Press corps a while ago reported on Governor Ohakim's voter intimidation and electoral process irregularities spanning from INEC Voter registration boxes that disappeared from polling registration centers to an official INEC citation against the Imo government for double registration of voters and this March, the directive by Governor Ohakim for all civil servants in Imo State to show their voter registration cards before they could collect their salaries gave everyone enough to ponder. Ohakim is what I call a "lucky Strike" of history in Imo politics. He is the undeserved benefactor of the political power play in Imo State by Obasanjo and the PDP bigwigs to scuttle the good fortune of Senator Ifeanyi Ararume. In the interest of full disclosures, my brother in law, Chief Noel Chukwukadibia Agwuocha is the gubernatorial running mate to Senator Ararume. But the more I read up on this guy, Ararume, the more he earns my respect. Obasanjo insisted that Ararume being an outspoken senator must stay another term at the senate to push his plan to abrogate the two term limits so he can rule a third term. He defied him and even though he won the PDP mandate, it was wrested from him. Ararume then resorted to the Courts and the Supreme Court rightly declared him the winner of the primaries... yet PDP chieftains had their orders from "above". Does this look like the profile of a "trouble maker" to you. I will tell you what a trouble maker would have done, he would have financed enough tugs to cause mayhem in the State for a long time. No, not Ararume, he put the interest of the State above his personal ego and rights to govern. He is back now four years waiting asking for Imo people to give him a chance to restore good governance and integrity to the Imo State House. I will dare to submit that in todays Nigerian politics, when you refuse to go with the herd; when you have the moral audacity to stand up and speak up for your believes or what is right they get rid of you and if the can't, you will be tagged a "trouble maker". I could not find any criminal reports on this guy for a successful international businessman that have business interests in many Countries of the world. He is one of the few Nigerians able to hold his own in the fish import business in Nigeria prominently held by the Indians and Lebanese and has distinguished himself as a stand up politician not to be taken for granted. I want a fighter like Ararume leading the way to break down the embers of corruption and maladministration in Imo State, especially now that we need it. Ararume has proved he a team player by promising to serve for only one term in order not to affect the current zoning formula.
Yet there is the looming question for the electorates to answer at the ballots... "Are we better off today than we were at the beginning of Governor Ohakim's reign" We have heard the scandals, the incompetence and treachery that has trailed this regime, too many to mention; there is one probe after the other by EFCC and other government accountability agencies against the Imo State Government, too numerous to enumerate, etc. If where we are, which is nowhere because we are regressing as a community rather than developing is the best Ohakim can offer, why should we take another chance with him. Why is he spending so much time and government money wooing and paying people off to support him. You would think that his achievements should be recommending him for our votes after four years at the saddle. Little wonder none of those endorsing him can specifically identify the reason for their supposed loyalty. Morally bankrupt is the way to describe these people who have sold our future for a pot of Ohakim's porridge. Tufiakwa!. But much more revolting than Ohakims charlatans to me is this seemingly cohesive exploit to remain in power in spite of his governments ineptitude. As the National Secretary of MbaiseUSA, the umbrella organization of Mbaise peoples regional and State chapters in the United States I know how many invitations I have received from friends to "share money and support Ohakim". Rather than paying people off for votes or alliances to rig Imo State elections, Ohakim would have etched his name in the history books by just doing due diligence in managing the affairs of the State. Shame on us all that sell our souls and our birthright for Ohakims loaf of bread. I remind you that this same tendency is the same thing that have kept Imo people running all over the Country and the world for livelihood. I happen to think that the Igbos are by God's grace the smartest and most hard working people on the face of this earth. Don't we deserve a government that at least works as hard to improve our circumstances. Don't we deserve people who can serve with the fear of God and the hope for our posterity. I have avoided talking about Chief Agwuocha because of my being part of his family, but perhaps too, that affinity makes me the best person to tell Imo people much more than they already know that he excelled as the most memorable Speaker of Imo House of Assembly in a long time. Noel was just a boy when his father, Arch Deacon Eleazer Agwuocha moved him and his siblings all over Imo State building new churches and uplifting failing Anglican Dioceses. He learned true service to the people and the fear of God from his own father. He has been in politics all his life spanning from Students Union President at both Imo State University and the University of Lagos. He has served Imo government as Commissioner and in other respects and has not unjustly enriched himself in spite of all the opportunities. Ararume proved his seriousness to govern and gave a promise of the caliber and temperament of the kind of people he will surround himself with with this stroke. Also, in the interest of full disclosures, I will vouch for Mrs. Viola Onwuliri because I know her well. She loves Imo people. My uncle, Engineer Livinus Ibekwe and Professor J.C. Ododo knew the Onwuliri's as colleaques in academia. So they gave me letters to the Onwuliris when I gained admission to Unijos Law Department. When I finally met them, they wrested me from School hostel and gave me a room at their boys quarters and we ate dinner with them every evening (but I still missed Naraguta hostel... Great JOSITES!). When I left Jos three years later, she and her husband were already Heads of their respective Departments in far away Plateau State. But we all watched how Ohakim used and dumped Ada Okwuonu giving her only forty eight hours to resign for his own political exigencies. I will hate for my "auntie V" as all of us fondly called her at Unijos be disrespected in the same manner or put in a position that denies our beloved Imo people her strength and gracefulness. Ohakim proves at every turn that "winning is the only thing" for him in politics, and I am offended that somebody in such high office still has no regard or respect for women in this century. Not even a Military head of State will summary dismiss and disgrace a deputy governor the way Ohakim did just reposition his political exploits.
Going forward, and for the sake of my State and my people of Imo State, irrespective of who wins the elections (if the integrity of our ballots is protected) I am laying down a set of goals that will guarantee the fastest road to Imo State development in the next four years. I will as your Governor put in place on the first day a Government Accountability Office that will vet all government accounts, all contracts and bid submissions, including inter and intra-ministerial accounts. The objective is to be transparent and restore financial dealings as a public record option. I will direct that all Imo contracts be from all agencies be subject to vetting by the Accountability office made up of tested Statesman from each Constituency. Investment or bids by non-Nigerians will require a fifty percent participation or equity holding in the company by Nigerians. My government will make no compromises in ensuring and enhancing the quality of education and training of our youths. I have met too many college graduates that cannot communicate coherently in English or adequately express original thought process. The problem must be met with good "foundation learning". Early standardized education (elementary and primary) learning is vital to shaping the mind. There must be an accountability process to reward good teachers and get rid of redundant ones. I want a learning process that emphasizes hands on approach instead of theory alone. Imo people initially flocked to Chief Rochas Okorocha because of his reputation as an educational philanthropist but most are now finding out that education is not even in his Party's Manifesto. I wonder if he had set this NGO up as a pedestal. Our people are already too battered for games. I am also very big in transparency in government. It is the bedrock of a successful democracy. I want to see the scheduling of my Governor, what meetings and the reciords of those meetings as public records; I will appoint a Press Secretary that is accountable to the Press Corps to give full information on the activities of governance and answer their questions. You never know how wiser and how much insight you gain by listening to your critics. Nigerians are irritated by critics instead of trying to learn from their mistakes. Most criticism in good faith usually helps to mirror your actions and fine-tune them. But beyond a concrete plan to ensure that our kids are educated and more access to our people to their government, I will bring Imo citizens home. Am I the only one who is ashamed that all my life, we have remained a "developing Country" "LDC's" "Africa" and other like terms. We have the example of the developed world and industry of our people to change our fortune. I will force the hands of the Federal Government to Dredge the River Niger. There should be a major sea port in Eastern Nigeria. Our people import and supply the rest of West Africa. Why should all that hard work be exploited by Lagos and Abuja. I will get a consensus from all South Eastern States to Sue the Federal Government and if that does not work, I will find some "developmental need basis" to partner with a foreign business interest to cite a sea port in Imo State. Yes, I want more accountability for the oil from the East. Time to hold the oil Companies to do what they already do in Europe and America... develop the towns where you earn your livelihood. I will underlie that I have no sympathy for "secession baiters". There is enough to go round in Nigeria for everybody if we have good accountable governance. When I create the jobs and infrastructure, not only will our traders return from Lagos and Abuja, I will set up favorable investment and residential havens to attract Igbos and investors from all over the world. I want a united front of South Eastern Governors, not as a threat to other States but to bridge our complexes. Igbos will achieve more and our children will be better for it than the current rivalry and complexes of Anambra Vs. Imo, etc. In doing that, I also want Northern Nigeria to trust us. If we prove that we can govern well, transparently and fairly, they may want to trust us with the entire Country. So far, all they are hearing is that if an Igbo man ascends the Presidency, he will divide the Country or at least fan the embers of Biafra. Enough of that. Europe and the rest of the world are finding out the gain in numbers. If Nigeria educates her citizenry, the fear mongering by tribe and religious exploitation of our Country by politicians will become laughable.
Trade, Trades and more Trade. I am a big believer in Privatization. Igbos are by their nature entrepreneurs. It is the duty of government to create an enabling environment for all citizens to attain their full potentials. Time to do something about NEPA. I strongly believe that if regional or State governments begin to assert themselves for good the federal government will do more. I want electricity and telecommunications Privatized or I will ask Imo federal representatives in the House and Senate to bring a Law in Motion for States autonomy to pursue alternative "developmental power generation" Under such powers, I will fund and partner with investors to make sure there is electricity and other major developmental infrastructure. Care must be taken not to "sell" the Country. By this I mean to say that all Privatization and foreign investment in major or National Security interests must at least require an equity share of any foreign investor to be held by Nigerians with a funded Development Bank that will help Nigerians find initial investment capital to own their own businesses. With over fifty billion Naira that Imo State gets from the government, we ought to show more for it in enhancing the livelihood of our people rather than fueling foreign bank accounts. The best way to stop kidnapping and hopelessness in the South East of Nigeria is not by banning "Okada". It will require concrete job creation and reeducation of youths. My government will in addition to funding and improving our current school systems will emphasize and fund trade and technical community colleges. We need to train factory workers, drivers, mechanics, tailors, bakers and small time manufactures. Igbo people are thinkers. Many dreams and inventions are wasted for lack of funding. My administration will emphasize education of women and encourage alternative trade and talent hunt for inventors and industrial entrepreneurs. I will require each local government to be involved in trade and retraining of young people to acquire skills to be employable or able to be independently employed if they choose to.
As we go to the polls, this April, let every citizen vote their conscience. Let our votes count. Lets speed up development for our people so that the best minds that can help to build our Country do not continue to seek pastures in foreign lands. As a start, I want the next Governor of Imo State to issue an order that requires the Electoral administration to count Nigerians wherever they live in the world. There is technology to do that accurately. If enough States insist on it, it will become the Law of the Land. I see no reason why the governments cannot saddle State liaison Offices around the world to electronically tabulate the votes of citizens during national elections. This is one way to encourage participation in our home politics. It will as well ginger more debates about the kind of leadership we want for our State and maybe pave an inroad into bringing our people home. I will challenge the census and electoral records in Nigeria any day because it does not take into account the vast majority of Igbo citizenry living abroad. May the best candidate win and may Imo State be a shining example for emulation by others.
May God Bless Igbo people.
May God bless Imo State of Nigeria.
Charles Abiahu.
Facebook/Twitter handles ... "@charlesabiahu"
