As Uzodinma weeks respite in Blantyre
Governor Hope Uzodinma is obviously not the happiest of men at the moment. And his supporters and hangers-on are not in the least among the most comfortable politicians at the moment.
Like a castle built on shaky sand, the landlord at the People’s House may not really be jittery that his mansion is collapsing, but, is obviously not oblivious of the fact that he might not have a hiding place.
Acclaimed as the biggest beneficiary of one of Nigeria’s most controversial judicial interventions in the history of politics, the Omuma politician seems to have lost his wand in the judiciary, as some recent pronouncements have been welcomed by a wide range of commentators and legal experts as being in line with justice.
But trust the man whose role model is the corner cutting Ben Johnson, he might feel that the Supreme Court is always at his beck and call, hence, his alleged importuning of the Party hierarchy and other highly connected Party chieftains to ensure that the rulings which didn’t go in his favour are challenged in higher courts.
While it is undoubtedly within the governor’s rights to seek reprieve from wherever he can in order to remain at the driving seat of politics in the State, such moves must not be made at the detriment of the Party or the State.
The APC has constantly made clear its intentions to achieve total reconciliation within its ranks. And one of the ways it feels it can do that is by discouraging litigations against and from it, to the barest ‘unavoidables’.
Persuading the Party leadership to appeal any of the recent Court judgements affecting the Party in Imo is like asking the Party to further self-destruct.
For instance, the restoration of Ararume’s candidature by a Federal High Court is both justice served and political respite to the Party in Imo State. By now, other Parties fielding candidates in the Okigwe senatorial bye-election have become jittery, as they know that they do not stand any chance against Ararume in that election.
The appeal court judgement restoring the Party executive led by Daniel Nwafor is one of the finest judgements that could have been delivered on the matter and it serves the Party’s best interest, as it holds the best prospects for peace in the Party than the continuous bickering and unending tussles by those who seem to have been contracted to destroy the Party in the State.
With this judgement, the original members of the APC in Imo State have been given good reasons to rebuild their confidence in the Party. They will not only throw themselves wholly into Ararume’s campaign but will work assiduously to heal the Party, which has been bleeding for sometime now.
The Party has given Chief Hope Uzodimma everything, including things he doesn’t deserve. So, he should fall in line with the ideals of the Party and stop seeking self-serving agenda that end up injuring the Party’s chances at elections. He should work hard for the victory of Senator Ararume and also work with the Dan Nwafor led exco to revive the Party and return her to winning ways.
The respite the governor seeks is not in Blantyre, but in Imo. It would serve his and the Party’s best interest to return home and discuss with his brothers and fellow leaders for complete reconciliation within the Party and as well borrow some governance ideas from them on how to meet the many urgent needs of Imo people. thanks
