NJOKU MACDONALD OBINNA
Since the inception of our modern democracy in 1999, elections have always been bloody and a major source of insecurity in Nigeria as most politicians usually resort to desperate or foul means of either accessing power or retaining same. Some of them who did not do well during their first tenure in office or previous outings and wish to correct their mistakes by seeking a re-election also get mischievous and dangerous in the murky waters of politics. They are the ones who engage paid media hirelings and professional propagandists to dent the image of their major rivals through campaign of calumny and gorilla online media attacks.
While objectively previewing and reviewing the ongoing campaigns in some parts of the country ahead of the 2023 general elections, one will find out that the attacks have not only been between and among politicians across party divides, but the personnel and assets of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which is also on the receiving end of this political brouhaha.
Over the years, many violent cults and criminal gangs have owed their origins to political campaign organisations that empowered them with arms during elections. It is also a fact that most of these notorious criminals usually graduate from motor parks to political thuggery before venturing into the more lucrative business of robbery, kidnapping, and banditry. Which is why it is always laughable when politicians declare their endless ‘wars’ against those felons considering that there is a nexus between do-or-die politics and organised crime in Nigeria.
Following the above, a powerful apolitical socio-cultural group of professionals and technocrats in the United States of America, Orlu Rebirth Group with the slogan: “Emezie Orlu” has commended the campaign organization of the Labour Party candidate for Imo West Senatorial District, Chief Charles Ugochukwu Ahize-Chukwu, for adopting a most civil, pragmatic and robust campaign strategy of issue-based engagement by presenting the legislative agenda of the senatorial candidate to the electorate instead of resorting to unnecessary media war and cheap propaganda as adopted by their opponents in the race.
According to Dr. Amaechi Ukachukwu; the Convener of the Orlu Rebirth group, who spoke via telephone, the assertion was made on the heels of their keen observation of the activities of the Charles Ahize Senatorial Campaign Organisation led by its Director General, Dr. C. C. Ubah, as his team has traversed the length and breath of over 100 communities in the 12 LGAs that constituted Orlu Senatorial Zone, tirelessly consulting with different groups; the traditional rulers, religious leaders, political support groups, youths organisations, market women, presidents-general of town unions and other critical stakeholders in the Imo West Senatorial District, as the senatorial hopeful, Charles Ahize, during the social engagements with these leaders, urged them to present their communities’ needs and challenge that would form part of his legislative agenda if elected into office.
Speaking during the political parley, the Convener of Orlu Rebirth Group, Dr. Ukachukwu, urged the supporters of the APC senatorial candidate, Chief Osita Izunaso, to focus on issue – based campaigns rather than criticising and castigating candidates of other political parties with major target on the Labour Party senatorial candidate, Chief Charles Ugochukwu Ahize-Chukwu, who has suddenly become the toast and new bride of Orlu politics ahead of the Saturday, February 25, 2023 general elections.
The group made the call in a statement, a copy which was made available to newsmen on Friday, in Owerri, the lmo State capital. They said that the call was necessary in view of the fact that some supporters of the APC candidate had resorted to ‘clandestine social media attacks’ on the personality of other senatorial candidates with Charles Ahize of Labour Party as their main target, urging them to focus on the achievements of their principal in his 8 years stint in the National Assembly, if there is.
An obviously elated Dr. Ukachukwu, did not hide his feelings in expressing some gratitude on the improved road maintenance in select Orlu communities as initiated by the Labour Party senatorial candidate, Chief Charles Ahize, while challenging those who tagged it as politics to emulate such ‘politics of humanity’.
– Njoku Macdonald Obinna, writes in from Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State, Nigeria.
He is a Media Consultant, and the Publisher of 4th Estate Reporters; a widely read online newspaper.