OGU BUNDU NWADIKE, M.A
Power comes from God, the creator of heaven and earth. God shows mercy and compassion to whomever He deems fit. Man proposes, God disposses.
In spite of normal struggles by people and parties during elections, truth is that there’s the element of God and fate in in elections.
That’s why it’s generally believed that after all said and done, whoever that emerged winner is the will of God Almighty. God chooses. God gives power.
Hence, discerning people with the inner man and mind agree that His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, is the will of God for Ndimo at this time.
If it weren’t so, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha would have been upheld by the Supreme Court of Nigeria as governor. But he became Ichabod! Hence, he was eased out of Douglas House at the end of everything. Fear God!
Therefore, those fighting Governor Uzodimma at all fronts are misled and are missing the main point of the matter, which is that his serving out his first term of four years is a divine endorsement by God Almighty.
Of course, Imo PDP and Ihedioha have done a to z of what’s humanly possible to push Governor Uzodimma out of Douglas House, but they have failed in all their schemes.
The reason being that God wants Governor Uzodimma to be the governor of Imo State. The hearts of men is extremely wicked, who can know it. With men nothing is possible, but with God all things are possible.
Now, constitutionally speaking, Governor Uzodimma is entitled for another term of four years if he so wishes and decides to appropriate his constitutionally stipulated right to second term.
That’s a decision between him and God at the appointed time. For now, Governor Uzodimma is focused and indeed engrossed with the present deliveries of good leadership and good governance than with the next election.
However, with about 12 months to the next election and with potential aspirants for the office of the governor subtly expressing interest and testing the waters to determine their chances, it’s not out of place for citizens to wonder a’d worry whither the governor.
And in the course of researching for points for this short essay, we encountered the concept of “auto-renewal” and “one-off” subscriptions.
Auto-renewal indicates automatic renewal, whereby no real effort is input to renew the subscription.
One-off on the other hand means only one and a single subscription, which requires some efforts to renew the subscription.
In all honesty, what the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) is conversant with is the “one-off” term for each elective office. It’s silent on the concept of “auto-renewal” of a term.
Yet, Governor Uzodimma has so excelled in good leadership and good governance deliveries in his first “one-off” constitutional term that he has qualified for the “auto-renewal” of his service to Ndimo as governor.
No day passes without the good news of one new achievement and accomplishment by Governor Uzodimma gracing and news media.
It’s such that with his 1065 days in office thus far, Governor Uzodimma has achieved and accomplished at least 1065 things, even though there are days when there’s a surge of achievements and accomplishments.
With that same calculus as a guide, by the time the governor completes his first term, he’d have been in office for 1460 days, meaning that he must have achieved and accomplished at the least 1460 things in Imo State for Imo people.
Of course, if Ndimo count their blessings and name them one by one, it would surprise them that Governor Uzodimma must have achieve and accomplished millions of things for the overall good of Ndimo.
It’s on that backdrop that the thoughts and thinking of an auto-renewal of his occupation of Douglas House becomes germane and sacrosanct.
Some schools of thoughts and thinking have already sent the early warnings that “there’s no vacancy in Douglas House in 2024”!
That mindset supports the auto-renewal will and wish of Ndimo to re-elect Governor Uzodimma for a duly merited and well-deserved second term in the 2023 gubernatorial election in Imo State.
There’s a parlance that avers that “you don’t change a winning team”. Governor Uzodimma and his government have proved to be the winning team that need not be changed in 2024.
As already posited, the governor isn’t in the mood or mode for next election yet. Rather he’s bothered with how he would get more Imo roads constructed to make commuting on the roads a pleasant experience for Ndimo.
Governor Uzodimma is engrossed with sanitizing the civil service system once and for all so that his successor-in-office and those coming after him won’t have a compromised criminal civil service system to contend with.
Governor Uzodimma is burdened with stabilizing the payment of salaries and pensions to workers, pensioners and all that the government should pay.
Governor Uzodimma is working tirelessly to see a healthy population of Ndimo and a good school system, with all school-age Imo children and youths in school.
Governor Uzodimma wants to standardize and stabilize the markets and market systems in the State. He wants a good transport and transportation system.
The governor is very much committed to see the sports and entertainment sector vis-a-vis the tourism and hospitality industry attain international standards.
Governor Uzodimma envisages an Imo State that’s a safe, secure and peaceful haven for living, where Ndimo can be very happy and proud to call their own dear native land.
Indeed, the foregoing and much more are the things that preoccupy the governor at this point in time, not the next election.
And without sounding immodest, when he successfully recovers recoverables in the State, reconstructs reconstructables, and rehabilitates rehabilitatables, if he decides to go on with serving Ndimo, then it’ll be by auto-renewal by the massive votes of the people, the real owners of political power in democratic system of government.
For now, however, what we can avail is that on the hunters’ hunting day, we’ll hunt at Owere nchi! God help us all!
By God’s grace, Imo State is being rehabilitated, reconstructed and recovered by Governor!
Always expect the best from Governor Uzodimma!