Saving Okorocha from himself

CHUKS OLUIGBO

The prevailing perception across Nigeria, even among those who have never been to Imo State, is that Rochas Okorocha, the state governor, “is performing”. And not a few Imo people accept this verdict, given the many years of utter misrule they had suffered in the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) locusts. This piece does not intend to assess the performance of the Okorocha administration. Since the people themselves have rated their governor high on performance, we will suffer it to be so for now. As always, let history be the judge.

My concern, really, is that Okorocha, no doubt an orator, seems to be full of boasts. On the outside, he presents the picture of a decent politician and a great intellectual whose ‘words on the marble’ could inspire the younger generation and win him good followership. However, when he speaks, he reveals a character no different from the everyday loud-mouthed Nigerian politician.

As 2015 approaches, it is pertinent to remind Governor Okorocha, a man who rode to the Government House in 2011 on the back of people’s goodwill, that unnecessary braggadocio was former Governor Ikedi Ohakim’s cardinal sin against Imo people. If he had not laced his “misdeeds” with those empty boasts and abusive language, often referring to himself as “ikiri” (an animal known never to give up on whatever it grabs) and “agu ji egbe” (a gun-toting lion), perhaps Imo people would have forgiven him. But not Ohakim. It was as if abuse was his very lifeblood. And he was full of fake promises as well. He said he was transforming Imo into a one-city state, a modern model state and tourist destination of the world. He introduced Imo Rural Roads Maintenance Agency (IRROMA) and promised to grade 300 roads in 30 days. He said he was constructing the most ambitious road project ever in the history of Nigeria, a 150-km boulevard called Imo Interconnectivity Multilane Freeway, which would pass through 500 communities, 19 local government areas, 39 markets with 13 electronic tollgates and connecting Oguta Resort and the entire state. He said he would dredge the Nworie River, establish Agro Nova Farm Project, Imo Airline, Oak Refinery at Ohaji/Egbema, the Oguta Wonder Lake Resort and Conference Centre, among others – but none of these projects ever left the architectural drawing board. That was why when he crashed from the inflated heights of his vainglory, I described him as “oturukpokpo” the bird (the woodpecker), which boasted that on the day his mother would die he would bring down the iroko tree with his long beak. Unfortunately, the day came and he developed a big boil on his beak.

Essentially, Okorocha has not departed from Ohakim’s boastful ways. Like when he was quoted as referring to himself as the only Igbo leader standing, now that Ojukwu is dead. Like when he was said to have boasted, during the launch of Bola Tinubu’s book in Lagos, that everybody knew he was already a billionaire before he became governor.

It is this same braggadocio that fuels Okorocha’s messiahnic I-was-up-there-on-the-mountaintop-when-you-guys-came-and-begged-me-to-come-and-rescue-you attitude that he flaunts to Imo people at every turn. But we know it’s all fallacy; we know that Imo governorship is the highest office he has held in this country – even if he has contested, and lost, the presidential primaries a million times. So, my candid advice is that if Okorocha wants to rule Imo again, he must cast off his airs and become truly one with the people, not through these pretentious acts of hugging cripples and wiping saliva from the corner-lips of beggars. He really needs to come down from his imaginary high horse and work for his return to Douglas House. Imo people may have begged him in 2011, but this time around, he must beg for their votes.

Another thing is to remind the governor that no matter how highly rated he thinks he may be, party affiliation also matters. He should already know that his presidential ambition, for which he purportedly joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), will never be – at least not in 2015. APC has not hidden the fact that the only consideration it has for the South-east in 2015 is the position of vice president. And so, he has in turn told Imo people that he is not done yet, meaning he intends to seek a second term in 2015. I think that’s wise enough.

But then, on what platform? When, few weeks ago, I wrote “Why PDP may reclaim Imo in 2015”, I stated clearly that APC won’t fly in Igboland. This may not sound well in some ears, but I have a feeling that Igbo people generally see the party as an extension of ‘Tinubudom’ into Igboland. The events in Anambra in the past few weeks may have vindicated my stand. The signs are crystal clear. The inability of Chris Ngige, in spite of his touted popularity, to win beyond two local councils in the governorship poll (this is without prejudice to the outcome of INEC’s planned supplementary election) signals the rejection of APC in Igboland.

So, what’s Okorocha’s next move? Return to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)? He dares not, not after declaring the party dead. Stay put in APC? I doubt so. That may mean bringing his rather promising political career to a tragic, abrupt end. So what?

In that article, I also wrote that PDP seems to be the only formidable party in Imo State. In spite of the earthquakes that have hit the party in the state these past years, an analyst told me: “PDP is intact, very strong, very much on ground in Imo. The pre-2011 implosion caused by Ohakim’s imposition of candidates in the 2010 LG elections has been resolved. PDP is 100 percent united. Ward tours are currently ongoing. Reconciliation meetings are being held across board spearheaded by PDP Reconciliation and Mobilisation Committee.” Based on available facts, I said the party’s prospects in 2015 look bright, plus there are predictions that all politicians in the state who were frustrated out of the party may return – even Okorocha himself.

Well, the predictions are already coming true as Achike Udenwa, former governor of the state, who left for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and then APC, has made the first move. As reported, weekend, by the Owerri-based Imo Trumpeta, the public event to mark Udenwa’s formal declaration back to PDP – the party on whose platform he ruled Imo State for eight years and later became a federal minister – is expected in a matter of weeks. And, expectedly, all Udenwa supporters are moving with him. This move, plus the combined forces of the presidency (which is said to be behind Udenwa’s return) and other party stalwarts, including Hope Uzodimma, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Arthur Nzeribe, Emeka Ihedioha, Kema Chikwe, Ikedi Ohakim, and others, may finally nail APC’s coffin in Imo State and South-east.

So, to save his political career, the safest and surest move for Okorocha may be to rejoin PDP, which, no doubt, may want to piggyback his relative popularity to reclaim Douglas House. If he does, it will be a win-win. Anything to the contrary may spell doom.