RE: OHAKIM AND IHEDIOHA, WHO IS PREFERABLE? Ordinarily, we would have overlooked the write-up written by Onwuasoanya FCC Jones where he presented a pejorative comparison of the above mentioned personalities to favour his preferred aspirant Chief sir Ikedi Ohakim but for the sake of clarity and truthfulness, we are prompted to respond adequately. To start with, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is a man that had a humble beginning and self-made, not born with a silver spoon but his parents were comfortable enough to train him. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha went to school and graduated at a rare age of 23 in those days. This graduation age is not suggestive of someone who just went to school for the sake of it just as his classmates have attested to the high level intelligence and wisdom he exhibited as a young man. Such intelligence and wisdom still radiates in him today as he has held offices that only such people can hold and has indeed proved his worth. Anyone who has watched Hon. Emeka Ihedioha preside over the house or any of the committees will simply fall in love with his wisdom and intelligence. Apart from his first degree in Food science from the University of Lagos, he also took courses in leadership and management at Stanford and Harvard Universities in USA as well as Oxford University business school and the University of British Columbia. All these were in a bid to improve his capacity towards quality service delivery to the public. Also, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is a fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Food science and Technology, a fellow of the Institute of Chattered Mediators and Conciliators as well as a Fellow of the Chattered Institute of shipping. It is pertinent to note here that the level of one’s education is not the only criteria to measure the person’s love for education for there are illiterates who love education a lot. Granted also that Education is a necessary tool for good governance, it is not a guarantee for that. Sir. Ikedi Ohakim who I know is a graduate for I have seen his classmates and perhaps a Masters Degree holder is not better educated than Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as the later has acquired a good knowledge in the former’s area of specialization hence, more diversified and the education he has gotten so far as a legislator is another edge. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was able to develop some good writing skills before graduation and upon graduation ventured into the Media world. The prowess he exhibited in this area got him the job of the Press Officer to the then Senate President, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu. This was in 1992 and he grew from there; serving in different offices and capacities within the corridors of power. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha eventually joined the People’s Democratic Movement PDM which eventually became PDP in 1999. Let it be noted here that while Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was serving as a Press Officer, he was investing a large percentage of his salary in the small Media outfit- First Page Communication which he earlier started. During the time of Military truncation, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha went back to his media outfit and served as the CEO but was able to get employment when the whistle of civil rule was blown again still based on his competence as a Publicist just as the First Page Communication grew to a good extent and is still standing. It is therefore preposterous to say that Hon. Emeka Ihedioha lacks the experience of public service. What are all these years experience? A man who was in private business, according to FCC Jones, for the period Sir ohakim did, is well experienced in PRIVATE BUSINESS. It is also sad that FCC Jones forgot that with that number of years in a private sector where the ultimate goal is making profit for self good; the mentality of such a person which is ‘selfishness’ is therefore the last requirement for a democratic setting where selfless service to the people is the goal. We will also like to use this opportunity to task FCC Jones to find out what the so-called Mekahog Group of companies was actually used for and who Sir Ohakim really was. Now, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha while growing up may have been helped in one way or the other by his Aunt, Ndi Okereke. Let it also be known that Hon. Emeka Ihedioha got his first employment in the office of the then Senate President when Ndi Okereke was an ordinary staff of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Her help to Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was such that any kind-hearted working class Aunt would render to her upcoming cousin and she did this within her capacity as an ordinary staff of her organization. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this except we want to encourage wickedness and stinginess. Also, Hon. Emeka was already a legislator when Ndi Okereke was made the Director of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. These two individuals worked very hard to merit the different positions they enjoyed or still enjoy. There was an allegation of financial misconduct leveled on Ndi okereke by the then Obasanjo’s administration of which she was asked to resign. Let it also be noted here that the likes of Okonjo Iweala also resigned her position during the Obasanjo’s administration. It is very likely that Ndi Okereke was a victim of false allegation as she was not probed or prosecuted for the so-called offense. It is therefore mischievous to say that she was disgraced out of office. Be it of note here also that if Hon. Emeka Ihedioha did fight for Ndi Okereke, what it means is that she is likely to be innocent because as a lawmaker with no immunity; the last thing he would do is dabble into a true corruption case. Meanwhile, an impeccable source we consulted has it that Ndi Okereke was a victim of blackmail and that hers was a case of giving a good dog a bad name in order to hang it because of certain irregularities discovered by her. Away from that, mischievously playing down on the legislative experience of Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and the advantages of that towards an elective position is highly condemnable. An o-level holder, well-groomed legislator of say, four years experience is better qualified for an executive position than a Professor of zero legislative experience. This is because legislation is the axiom of democracy. In the womb of legislation has the laws guiding the executive been knitted thus; the dos and don’ts of the executive office is well known by a legislator and as such, better equipped for an executive office. Is eleven years of legislative experience not over qualification? Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is the no. 6 citizen of this country and as such, his office is very qualified to make use of a private jet not for the luxury of it as insinuated by FCC Jones but for issues bothering on safety, security and duty call just as Hon. Emeka Ihedioha does not own one as there are so many of such jets belonging to our dear Nation which will always be at his beck and call. Also, if the few properties mentioned by FCC Jones are the only properties owned by Hon. Emeka Ihedioha since he found himself in the corridors of power then; he is a saint compared to the crop of politicians we have in this country. Also, if actually Hon. Emeka Ihedioha owns such properties, it should also be noted that the cost of acquiring such things say ten years ago is not the same with what is obtainable now so; they may not really have cost outrageous sums of money compared to when Sir. Ohakim was in power. We do not want to bore the public with the properties owned by Sir. Ikedi ohakim but the little research we did on that was quite revealing with addresses, prizes and other wonderful information. On the issue of party loyalty, we want to state it here that Hon. Emeka Ihedioha apart from being a founding father of the PDP has remained steadfast, committed and loyal to the course of the party and comparing him to Sir Ohakim in this aspect is a misnomer. One who is loyal to the party will remain with the party no matter what. Leaving the party because your interest was not favoured speaks volume. Hon. Emeka ihedioha is a federal personality who has and still works with different people from different regions and political parties; but as a mature mind, he does not practice politics of antagonism and acrimony. He has always maintained a peaceful relationship with people irrespective of their differences as this does not also make him lose sight of where he really belongs. The storm which Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has withered and keeps withering for the PDP and Mr. President is such that cannot be overemphasized. It is therefore laughable when people that should learn from his wisdom and intelligence begin to make a mockery of them. Be that as it may, the questions we want to ask FCC Jones are when APC was formed and why Hon. Emeka Ihedioha will fund such when everything he needs is at his beck and call in PDP having contributed overwhelmingly to the good of the party? We cannot conclude without saying here that Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is not desperate. No!!! Never!!! Apart from gubernatorial ambition, other juicy positions in this country will always smile at him but Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is coming to serve Imo state; to prove to Imolites that good men still exist. It is wrong for FCC to say that Sir. Ohakim is not desperate for power otherwise what has he come out to do? How many years did it take Dee Sam Mbakwe to achieve all that he achieved? If Sir. Ohakim did achieve half of what Dee Sam achieved in office, would he have been rejected by Imolites?
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 21:21:39 +0000
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