THE IMERIENWE DECLARATION – AN UNBRIDLED SURGE OF EMOTIONS

MAZI EJIMOFOR OPARA

The politics of power consolidation is not new to political actors, neither is the zoning sentiment a novel phenomenon in third world politics. What we must all recognize, as a test of our political maturity, is the proclivity of politicians to scavenge for alibis as justifications for their frantic quest to acquire State powers. Trust me, no matter how lame an excuse for political miscalculation may seem, there will still be persons of closed thinking to peddle same as the truth and nothing but the truth. It is true that there is a subsisting lopsidedness in the power holding arrangement within Imo State that has kept the Owerri zone reasonably distant from the control room, even when the control centre sits on her soil. However, another truism is the fact that this exclusionist arrangement has nothing to do with the statutes of any party or even the State. Nde Owerri zone have simply been victims of their own weak or failed political strategy, which has once again been reechoed by the highly emotive “Imerienwe Declaration”.

What has remained largely opaque about the agenda of the non-clear precepts of the Imerienwe Declaration is the inability of its proponents to establish the justiceability of their case or pleas. Their claims are specious and laddened with casuistry. Such, has not boldly approached the crux of the Owerri zone sentiment, the cogency of the need to uphold a zoning arrangement and the perceived illegitimacy of the Uche Nwosu aspiration. The declaration is more of the resolve of a few friends bustling with wild ambitions expecting to actualize same by stroking the biases of the electorates who in their mind’s eyes are ignorant of extant laws.

The basic questions the declaration deliberately sublime are;

➖ Does the law preclude any zone from contesting for the Governorship seat come 2019?

➖ Does the law prohibit the incumbent Governor’s family and acquaintances from aspiring to contest for the Governorship seat come 2019?

➖ Has there been a time in post military Imo State that an Owerri zone aspirant has been disadvantaged by the laws in aspiring or contesting to govern the State?

➖ Do endorsements translate into legal votes cast during the elections proper?

➖ Are there legal restrictions to political endorsements, when it’s to be done and for whom it should be done?

These questions and many others are some of the logical aphorisms the Imerienwe Declaration is bereft of. Critical observers are worried about this hasty aphronia from persons who should know better. It is this same petty convocation of desperate and ambitious politicians of Owerri zone extraction that has seen the zone mouthing so much capacity without real efforts at building same – “okpokoro eju ele nne gi? Hooaa!”.

The Imerienwe Declaration is such a gross political offside goal as it has failed in anchoring its agitation on any plausible strategic fortress. The Orlu and Okigwe zones are right inside their conclaves moulding real and practical strategies for the possible retention of political power and relevance within the State, while some persons in Owerri zone are being distracted by endorsements, making declarations as though either of the two is an assurance of success at the polls. That this ill fated declaration was led by one of the supposed eggheads of the largest LGA in Imo State, reiterates the self derogatory epithet of the LGA as being “big for nothing” – not even the dumbest politician in Mbaise will lead such a charade.

This coalition themed “APC restoration” if left to fester, will be another sad commentary in the history books. It may be another disappointing reason behind the looming failure of the Owerri zone project come 2019. Thus, it is important to admonish our brothers on this declaration voyage to refocus and build winning strategies instead as empty declarations are as good as blanket endorsements – they do not win votes nor convince the electoral college. When logic speaks, emotion must pay rapt attention. This surge of emotion will, in the end, be counterproductive to the original intents of every sincere Apostle of the Owerri zone project.