By: Sam Onwuemeodo.
May 3 (Newshour.com.ng) – The President-elect, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, had come back to the Country, penultimate week. He had spent about a month overseas. According to him, he had gone to rest, following all that transpired during the campaigns and the elections proper.
He was moved into the Defence House, as protocol demanded. As a matter of standard or courtesy or practice. The rule.
Having moved to the Defence House, only Nigerians with the “approximate or commensurate clout” have been allowed to see him or to meet with him there. No “thoroughfare”. His level changed overnight. Only Nigerians with long antennae have been granted access to him. To BAT. No longer all comers affairs. Not WhatsApp platforms again. WhatsApp, adjudged to be a leveller.
The only reason, whoever that had met with him there , had tried to take photographs with him as evidence. And had also ensured that the pictures were circulated. lt tells a lot. Do you understand?.
The crux of the matter, however, is that, four of our own people, lmo sons, had visited Tinubu at the Defence House and all within three days. And also took their own photographs with him, respectively.
Governor Hope Uzodinma was there .We have seen the pictures to that effect. Distinguished Senator Rochas Okorocha was there too. We have equally seen the photographs. Distinguished Senator Osita lzunaso had also gone. We saw the relevant pictures to confirm. Chief Tony Chukwu, Ehime Mbano born contractor of note, had also visited. His photogenic photographs with BAT have been in circulation. Have been trending.
That’s to say, lmo has gotten four of her own who had also gone to the Defence House to meet with BAT and few days to his inauguration as the President and Commander in chief of the armed forces of Nigeria. About twenty five days to go.
With all these, the expectation on the side of lmo people is that, these photographs or closeness should attract or bring bumper political harvest for lmo and her people. Let not these visits and photographs only end up on social media platforms. May they bring good tidings to lmo people. Let the visits to the Defence House and the photographs attract good things different from what the State experienced with Mohammadu Buhari’s government or Presidency for eight years
The APC government under Buhari, for the eight years, obviously let lmo and the people of the State down. To a very large extent. The government never showed any regard for the State. Nothing to write home about. For Buhari and his APC government at the Centre, lmo never existed. ln their calculations. ln their operations.
Under the PDP government at the Centre, from Olusegun Obasanjo to Musa Yardua and to Goodluck Jonathan, lmo was given high sense of belonging. lmo was made to raise her fingers or nod her head to be counted.
His Excellency, Chief Achike Udenwa was full minister of Commerce and lndustry. Dr Mrs Kema Chikwe was full minister for Transport and later Aviation. She was also Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland. All under the PDP government. She was very powerful in the government of the PDP. Associated with Baba Ashi, Baba Ashighi. She was a very active Minister.
Prof. Chinwe Obaji was full minister for Education. And she holds the record, as the first female Minister for Education. She was incharge. Fully incharge. And she used that opportunity to do great things for lmo, to the best of my knowledge.
Prof. Viola Onwuliri was minister for Foreign Affairs and later that of Education. She also lived above board. lmo also benefited, a great deal. Captain Emmanuel lheanacho was Minister for lnterior. Dr. Chuka Odum was Minister for Environment, Housing and Urban Development. And later , Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Chief Greg Mbadiwe was the nation’s Ambassador to the Republic of Congo.
Prof. Maurice lwu was appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by the PDP government. That was in 2005.
Under the PDP government, Evans Enwerem became Senate President. Emeka lhedioha became Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and later the Acting Speaker of that Green Chamber.
With the PDP government, an lmo son became the lnspector General of Police, IGP. l am talking about Chief Mike Mbamala Okilo, from Oguta.
Emmanuel lwuanyanwu was the Chairman of Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FEMA. Okorocha himself was Special Adviser on lnter-Governmental Affairs. Martin Agbaso was Special Adviser on Ecology.
Another lmo son, Rt. Hon. Godfrey Dikeocha, was federal Commissioner representing South East in the National Assembly Service Commission.
I won’t bug anybody by mentioning other appointments by the PDP government to lmo sons and daughters, including that of the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, occupied by Dr Kennedy Opara from Nguru , Aboh Mbaise. A good number of other appointments. All courtesy of the PDP government at the Centre. The state was bubbling. And the development equally helped to reduce the pressure on the State Government.
Unfortunately, under the APC government at the Centre, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, a former Vice Chancellor, was made the Junior Minister of Education, with someone far below his status being the Senior Minister. Barr . Emeka Nwajiuba also Junior Minister of Education. Ditto, Rt. Hon. Goodluck Opiah. As if junior minister of Education is the sole inheritance of lmo . The portion of the State.
The position of the membership of the National Assembly Service Commission, an lmo man was to occupy under Buhari , has remained vacant till today.
The appointment of Senator lfeanyi Araraume as the Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission Limited, NNPCL, which would have calmed some itching or frayed nerves in the State, with regard to APC”s maltreatment of lmo and her people, was also dashed or sacrificed at the altar of disturbing politics. The issue has become a matter of litigation.
In few days time, Buhari would leave as the nation’s President after eight years. And lmo has nothing to show for that eight years. Nothing to celebrate. Nothing to point at. Adamu Adamu has remained the Senior Minister of Education. He sits in his office to determine what happens in the Education sector. Who takes what or who gets what in the Education Ministry. While any of our own people made junior minister of Education at a given time, would always be flying from one State to the other, attending ceremonies and making beautiful speeches. That’s all. Beautiful speeches that would not be translated into action(s) or implementation of policies. And the irony of it all is that, Buhari got 25% in lmo in 2015 and 2019 respectively . So, he has no reason to have treated lmo state with high degree of levity.
Against the backdrop of these narratives, one hopes that the visits to the Defence House and the attendant photographs taken by our own people with the President-elect, Tinubu, would change the story for better . Change the tide for good . Bring good tidings. Attract regard for the State. Something completely opposite of what Buhari did to lmo. May Buhari and his government not be the portions of lmo again. May Tinubu’s presidency not treat lmo the way Buhari’s Presidency treated the State . My own Amen here is thunderous.
This is all we are saying. There is also nothing wrong if these visits to Defence House and the photographs thereto and therein, start bearing fruits immediately and even with Izunaso becoming the Senate president. lmo
needs “diversification”. The reason for so much endorsements, both real and smokescreen, is because, the whole attention is on what the State Government and Governor Uzodinma can offer. Are able to give. And you don’t blame anybody. The “relief materials” are coming from one source. An ugly situation Buhari’s Presidency created in lmo.
We shall be reminding Uzodinma, Okorocha, lzunaso and Tony Chukwu about these their visits to the Defence House and their photographs that are already in our custodies. We shall draw their attentions to all these ,from time to time. And as situations or circumstances demand. The ball is now in their courts. And the way or the ways they are going to play it , would determine the justification or otherwise of these visits and the photographs in question. Under scrutiny. Under survey. Chief Tony Chukwu should be going beyond NDDC contracts. And so on.
While we continue to clap for Jesus.
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