…IMO STATE BELONGS TO ALL IMOLITES!
By Ogu Bundu Nwadike, M.A
January 14, 2021 marked Senator Hope Uzodimma’s full year in office. That’s in relation to January 14, 2020; the day the Supreme Court removed His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON as Imo governor and made Uzodimma governor in his stead.
After one year, very few Imo people are enchanted and excited by Uzodimma’s first year in office. The predominant attitude among Imo people, across Imo State is that Uzodimma failed woefully in his first twelve months in office.
Expectedly, Uzodimma’s absmally poor performance increased the numerical strength of the Organized Opposition in Imo State, heightening the rate of agitation and demand for good governance from the bad governor, that lacks capacity for delivering good governance.
Not a few supporters of Uzodimma have abandoned him, after they discovered his lackluster, wobbling and fumbling performance. A check on the social media will establish that those who fought behind Uzodimma at the beginning of 2020 are no longer seen behind him.
They’ve developed sytematic and systemic reticence and taciturnity as evidence of their tactical withdrawal from supporting the failure in office. They learnt their lessons the hard way!
Incidentally, an expected new attitude has been identified among many Imo people. The unhappy, saddened, and weary Imolites are thinking of abandoning Imo State to Uzodimma. They’ve been hit by distraught and depression. They resort to “sidon look”!
But that’s an unnecessary shirking of responsibility. It’ll amount to self-immolation. It’ll be tantamount to playing the literal Roman fool that committed harakiri. If you don’t stand up for your right, who’ll stand up for your right?
Having successfully contended and contained Uzodimma robustly and ebulliently for full one year, and discovering that he doesn’t know his left from his right about public administration and management of men and materials, it’ll be a great disservice for any true Imolite to jump out of the sinking Imo ship for the clueless, inept, and incompetent captain.
If Imo State is left in Uzodimma’s hands and expectedly he goes on to utterly disorganize the State, who loses? Of course, all Imolites, including Uzodimma himself will be losers. But should Ndimo allow the ship of the State to be sunk by the amateur seaman called Captain Uzodimma? No!
Africans say nobody becomes wealthy with the habit of financial profligacy. You don’t a child or a neophyte and novice adult to destroy your yams in your barn.
Earning and wasting your earning, as Uzodimma is doing in Imo State since January 2020, will never upgrade anybody from below poverty line. Imo State is below poverty line. No thanks to Uzodimma. He needs help!
Therefore, now is the time for honest, sincere and genuine Ndimo to buckle up their seat belts and sit up to speak truth to power. It’s time for Ndimo to be asking Uzodimma pertinent questions about how he’s leading Imo people in Imo State!
The truth is if Ndimo don’t ask Uzodimma questions, then they must blame themselves after he must have completed the plundering of the commonwealth of the State and the people, and utterly looting and dry cleaning Imo treasury, and sneaking out of Imo State with his loot!
Steady demands by citizens for accounts of stewardship of their representatives are their constitutional rights. The represented must hold the representative accountable. Many citizens don’t know their rights!
That’s why the enlightened Imolites must sacrificially wake up to help their less privileged fellow Imolites, by boldly and courageously asking Uzodimma relevant questions!
Requests for quarterly or mid-yearly statement of account of the financial status of the State isn’t a treasonable felony, punishable by law. What use does Uzodimma put Imo revenues? Freedom of speech is a major pillar of democracy. Nobody has been prosecuted, convicted and incarcerated for asking relevant pertinent questions!
Asking why roads across Imo State have been abandoned by Uzodimma since he took over power is very much allowed. It may not matter whether or not he answers promptly, but such questions will inevitably keep him on his wobbly feet, and possibly push him to start using Imo money to work for Imo State and Imo people. Let’s start asking!
This is a corporate social responsibility service that we, in the Organized Opposition in Imo State, render to the good people of Imo State. We feel we owe Ndimo as much!
It also fits in well into our shadow government roles of helping Uzodimma with constructive criticisms that will enable him provide good governance to the entire people of Imo State. Trouble is he’s unappreciative of our pro bono helps to his failed regime!
By God’s grace, Imo State must be rebuilt!!
