Recently, I read a well-detailed and couched piece captioned Imo 2027 Gubernatorial Eyes on …. The author went ahead to list names of likely contenders. Regular names but one name by my assessment that hasn’t gone deep swimming into the political dirty water of Nigerian politics.
These are great, amazing, and wonderful names who have paid by their individual assessment their dues, though arguably. Their footprints not faint, their marks not blurry and their blunder and the attendant banters of their doings very clear on the public space.
Kudos to Governor Hope Uzodinma for his thoughtfulness on Imo Charter of Equity. How this charter of equity would be equitably midwifed, another equity test in the coming years.
The race to Douglas Government House is two years and plus away, however, a lot of horse trading are on, allignment and repositionings going on by day.
Politics today has become one of the easiest ways to hit stardom, relevance, and financial freedom, though laced with pebbles, thorns, slippery, and heartbreaking spots. Those who walk pass these elements with their medals and crowns of victory would become the new Sheriff in town.
The challenges are there, but the benefits very burgeoning beyond an average realm.
Going by the short profile of all the possible contenders, on face value one may see Mac-donald Ebere as closest to Gov. Hope. The language used by the author of the piece seemed to me strongly strategic, possibly to cast more light on the deep relationship that exists between Hon. Mc-donald Ebere PhD and the Governor.
The off the cuff reaction or rather impression by any politically conscious person is to begin to see Mc-donald as one sharing same fraternal bed-space with the Governor, making picking the ticket under APC one which Halo effect syndrome would cross the T’s and dots the I’s. The author was strategic about it. 70% of information he shared about Mc-donald was needless and very inconsequential to the meat of the matter– competence, value and capacity.
In this era where Godfatherism thrives, when Governors would orchestrate whoever would succeeds them and make sure such would be a porous and pliable channel to bring to fruition their hidden third term bids.
The closeness of Mac and the attendant political gains as enumerated by the author from such fraternal closeness with Gov. Hope are everything but halo effect orchestrated. More of competence; capability, capacity, value and passion for integrity.
For the records..He was my classmate both in the secondary and tertiary. He stands shoulder over and above those the author presented as Imo Governor hopeful..He may not be a saint but he has conscience. He may not be a Deputy God but he has fear of God. With Mac-donald , Imo wealth and resources won’t be expended on “Big Ikebes”, the trending practice among politicians.
This isn’t a PR thing from me . No! It isn’t a brotherhood projection, more of standing for quality, value and competence. Tested with assignments and portfolios. Seemingly, he has proven to be a servant who isn’t subservient but one who is result-oriented and reasonably loyal to the hand that lifted him to access opportunities, not with an empty head and mind but one full with readiness, skills, and depth.
The peace that exists between the APC party structure in Imo State and the Governor is a peace brewed not out of truckling, fetching and carrying of the former to the latter. It was rather one that was weaved with on the canvass of mutual respect, honour, loyalty, born out of equal respect not one between a servant and a master.
For those who may think, a choice of Mac-donald by Governor Hope would be a choice for a lap dog. Mac has never been a lap dog since our days in school, he won’t start it now.
When I say that Mac-donald is the new hope, raising for a new dawn in Imo politics believe me. He is, among other contenders a “Political Virgin” in fraud and corruption for lack of better word.
Others we know them. Their political harlotry well known and the stink of their deeds and misdeeds very offensive.
We need a new dimension. A dimension that hasn’t tested the addictive murky waters of politics. He isn’t a green horn and isn’t either an arch Maradona of political mischief.
I may be accused of being used as a paid claw to get the nut for him. How I wished it was so. But it isn’t. I am rather driven by the drive and passion to see Imo raise above average to a level so enviable in development, security and economic growth. Anyway, we are just talking based on personal conviction and facts available. For APC the bulk stops on the table of Hope and for other political parties, their games and strategies to re-occupy the Douglas House very uncertain to political watchers.
For Governor Hope Uzodinma, the choice of who flags the flag of APC in the next Gubernatorial election, one that he plays close to his chest as a brilliant Maradona of Niccolo Machiavelli block he is.
He is that proverbial Elephant before blind men. Their impression of what the Elephant is, far beyond what it is in reality. Only him knows who he would like to succeed him..For now, it is all a guesswork by us, the analysts. The journey hasn’t begun and the miles to cover before the gun is shot for the race to start still far. A day in politics is huge enough to change status quo.
Dr. Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
