Who is afraid of Hon Emeka Ihedioha: Re: withdraw from Imo Governorship race now By Kissinger Ikeokwu My attention was drawn to an advertorial supposedly sponsored by a faceless group under the aegis of “Concerned Imo PDP Youth”, Published on page 8 of May 12-13 2014 Edition of the Nigerian Horn Newspaper. It is not by accident that the same group sponsored an advertorial in the Announcer Express and Daily Sun Newspapers titled; “OPENLETTER TO PDP NATIONAL CHAIRMAN ALHAJI ADAMU MUAZU’ RE: PAARTISAN AND SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES OF DR KEMA CHIKE, NATIONAL WOMAN LEADER IN IMO STATE”. The piece were said to be sponsored by the trio of Engr. Eustace Okere, Justus Okpalaeke and Hon. Jude Onwumere who are unknown in the Imo political circle lacked tact, reasoning and failed the basic test of logic going by the political realities of the time in Imo. The most captivating verse in that piece was the third paragraph where they wrote in quote; “Your Excellency Sir, a case in point is what the PDP National Woman Leader and Dr Kema Chikwe is doing in Imo State. She is openly and braising campaigning for one of the governorship aspirants, Hon Emeka Ihedioha who is the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative”. This piece exposed the motive of these group of individuals whose only interest is to rundown the over-whelming support and rapid momentum Hon Emeka Ihedioha has gained in the race for 2015 Imo guber. While we thank the group for publicizing the obvious fact that Hon Emeka Ihedioha has worked very hard to emerge the PDP governorship flag bearer of the people’s Democratic Party in Imo come 2015, it is imperative that the selective ignorance of the authors of that ignoble piece be cured by some cogent and verifiable facts to show that Hon Emeka Ihedioha is indeed in the race to in and not for child’s play. Recently the fear of Emeka Ihedioha is becoming a growing epidemic in Imo political circles. This development followed the recent political trend which has pitched Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as not just the man to beat in the PDP gubernatorial primaries, but man who has the what it takes to kick the incumbent, Governor Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha out of office. While Governor Okorocha and his men are grappling with how to tackle the new colossus in Imo politics, some members of the People’s Democratic Party have caught the fever. The renewed media onslaught against Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is sponsored by the paymasters of the faceless authors whose interest is strictly, to stop Emeka Ihedioha from contesting the election. The theory seems clear now in Imo. “Stop Emeka Ihedioha now or he wins the race”. It is clear to every intelligent observer that amidst the many aspirants to the office of Imo Governor come 2015, Emeka Ihedioha has been singled out as target. Even the incumbent has recognized Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as the sole potent contender to the Imo Douglas House come 2015. Little wonder the calculated media campaign devised to distract Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. The faceless authors of the article failed to deliver any reasonable message. Their call that Hon. Emeka Ihedioha should withdraw from the race for Imo Guber is not only laughable, immature but sounded infantile. It is unfortunate that people can sit in the comfort of their home and pen down such incredulous piece. It is unfortunate that while Honourable Emeka Ihedioha is busy consulting, mobilizing and receiving faithful who left the party, some people within the ranks of the PDP are bent on how they can scuttle his move to the top. Such plot has snowballed into the sponsoring of unintelligent articles against a man who has refused to engage in the politics of name calling and mudslinging. Emeka Ihedioha is campaigning on his merits and not running under any mans shadows. It is surprising therefore that those who say they aspire to be Imo Governor are rather interested in attacking a fellow contender, than concentrate on strategies that will market them to the party delegates and Imo electorates. No amount of attack will stop the Hon. Emeka Ihedioha movement from achieving its major aim which is the Imo Government House come 2015. It is however important to address the disingenuity in the piece by the group. The group laboured strenuously to paint Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as an anti-party man judging by his emergence as Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps against PDP zoning arrangment. They failed to realize however that Hon Ihedioha emerged Deputy Speaker by reason of the resolve of the House of Representatives to choose its own leadership as against imposition by the Presidency. If Emeka Ihedioha was empty, the House of Reps members would not have chosen to elect him against zoning lines to preside upon their affairs. It is clearly in recognition of his sterling leadership qualities that made the House members rally round him, beyond party lines. It is that same confidence and character that has sustained Hon Ihedioha’s leadership of the House of Reps. It is on record that since he became the Deputy Speaker House of Reps, Hon Emeka Ihedioha has carried himself, Imo, southeast and the entire Igbo nation high in all his dealings. Contrary to previous trends in the nation’s parliament, this man has not been caught up in any scandal or controversy that will bring his family, state or tribe into disrepute. It is this credential that has become a nightmare to those who seek to contend with him in the Imo guber race 2015. The House of Representatives has never had it so good than under the current leadership. Emeka Ihedioha who though Deputy Speaker, but reputed for the stability in the House of Representatives. His charisma and charm cuts across party affiliations. That is why he has the entire Imo caucus in the House of Reps in his firm grip. Those who tried to make a heavy weather over Hon Emeka’s third term venture at the House of Reps as an injustice against Ngor Okpala failed a simple logic that if there was no Hon. Emeka Ihedioha in 2011, Imo state wouldn’t have had the No 6 citizen of the country today. Hon Ihedioha was chosen because of his vast experience and leadership qualities. That alone made him a great asset to Imo State and the southeast In general. The numerous federal projects all over the state and the major southeast roads are pointers to the fact that Imo and southeast in general are lucky for the third return of Honourable Emeka Ihedioha to the House of Reps. It is ridiculous that a well thinking Imo man would analyze the emergence of Hon Ihedioha as a curse rather than a blessing not only Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala but to the entire Imo state and southeast geo-political zone. Since the return to democracy in 1999, the last time Imo State came close to the top six ranking in the distribution of the nation’s political offices was the few months of late Evan Enwerem as Nigerian No 3 citizen. Since then, Ebonyi, Anambara and Enugu state has held the ace. Even after the 2011 elections, The Deputy Speaker stayed back in Enugu, while the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was bound for Ebonyi State. If there was not an Emeka Ihedioha, Imo will not be reputed today for the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives. Therefore the benefit of Hon Emeka Ihedioha at the House of Reps in 2015 cannot be made an Ngor Okpkala affair. The cynics must be meant to understand that Hon. Emeka Ihedioha emerged Deputy Speaker House of Reps on merits. Never in the history of the House of Reps did the House independently commence its search for its principal officers and concluded it without recourse to party cleavages or ethnic or zonal sentiment. Hon Ihedioha did not emerge by sympathy or patronage for zonal considerations. He won because his colleagues felt that he was the best to lead the House. Initially, the House members urged Hon. Ihedioha to assume the Speakership position. They however down-tooled knowing that the northern majority in the House was needed to make their goal a reality. It is foolhardy therefore for one or a group to say Hon. Ihedioha orchestrated a rebellion against the PDP. He sure could not have emerged in a House with comfortable PDP majority, if the PDP members didn’t want him and Hon Tambuwal to emerge. The overwhelming vote and bi-partisan consensus that brought Hon. Tambuwal and Hon. Ihedioha into office as leaders of the House of Reps, was unprecedented in the nations history. Therefore the reference of Ngor Okpala betrayal is so frivolous and unwarranted. Thus If Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency could not have presented a better legislature than Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. The emergence of Emeka Ihedioha as Deputy Speaker showed that the good people of Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala did not make any mistake when they sent this man to go and complete his program in 2011. The office of the Deputy Speaker places Hon Ihedioha in a position to fight for the rights of the entire southeast and not Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala. Therefore any attempt to trivialize the good works of this man by making it a localized Ngor Okpala debate is too cheap and pedestrian. No Imo man can safely say that Imo State would have faired better in the 2011 political arrangement of Nigeria without an Emeka Ihedioha. Anyone who conceives it must and should have his head re-examined. Emeka Ihedioha is a blessing to Imo State. Every Imo man should be proud of this great man’s scored card in the National Assembly. Another goofing by the hack writers is their assertion that Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is not a loyal PDP. I submit that a man who held the party firmly after the 2011 Imo gubernatorial disaster cannot be anti-party. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has been funding the state branch of the party and has ensured that the effect of the failure of PDP in Imo did not lead to the extinction of the party in the state. Were it not for the benevolence of Hon Ihedioha, PDP would have suffered mass defection of its supporters following their loss of power. Rather than accuse Hon Ihedioha of anti-party, PDP National leadership ought to be grateful to Emeka Ihedioha for galvanizing the party and repositioning it to the attraction and admiration of members of the ruling APC party in the state, whose members have been defecting in mass to the PDP. The office of Deputy Speaker has brought to many benefits to Imo people. Political aides of the Deputy Speaker are spread from across the state. Contrary to insinuations, Hon Ihedioha has been the most selfless person. He welcomes all with open arms. It is understandable that the preponderance of recommendations for political officer in Abuja would be from his own federal constituency. The reason is that Hon. Emeka Ihedioha owes representation to the people of Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency. It is after that that he can now be judged on the basis of those outside his federal constituency. People should learn to sell their products without attacking persons. Hon Emeka Ihedioha is too busy to be distracted by faceless people who hide under the masks to take a swipe on the Deputy Speaker. People must learn to face their business and not making Hon. Ihedioha their major target. The attacks against Hon Ihedioha are a pointer that he is the man to beat in the race for the Imo guber come 2015. In every generation, God produces a Joshua to show leadership and point the way forward. Honourable Emeka Ihedioha is the Joshua whose time to shine has come. If the only thing Hon. Ihedioha’s enemies have against him is the fact that he rebelled against PDP, then those who are up against him have no case at all against this man.
Posted on: Thu, 15 May 2014 20:16:46 +0000
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