The political diary of Uzodimma’s ally
By Ochiagha Nnanna Okere
As our plane landed in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, I was filled with mixed emotions. My thoughts floated between my dead Mum, who had been dead for over year and whose memorial service was one of the key reasons I was back in my country; the insecurity in Imo State that I have read and heard so much about and the preparation for the 2023 general election by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ngor Okpala my hometown and Imo State in general.
Being the Christmas season I met my people in festive mood and that special joy that the birth of Jesus Christ brings was on the air this was despite all the fear spread by sections of the mainstream and thesocial media. I met a state where the state governor His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodima as the chief security officer of the state had provided an enabling environment for the peaceful celebration ofChristmas. And to the credit of His Excellency Imo people had a peaceful and merry Christmas against the wishes of the naysayers and political jobbers trying too hard to make the state ungovernable.
Returning to the motherland from Europe was not a hundred meter dash, it was a marathon. My return to Nigeria and my ancestral home Ngor Okpala was a marathon. This was how the race went. There is a popular saying that charity begins at home. Therefore it shouldn’t surprise anyone reading this, that the first thing I did on getting to Ngor Okpala was to have a discussion with my elder brother Chief Dr. Evangelist Ethelbert Okere, who is the Director General Imo State Orientation Agency (ISOA). He briefed me about the policies and programmes of the Imo State Government under His Excellency Governor Hope Uzodimma that is anchored on his 3Rs mantra.
The issue of blackmail and fake news targeted against the governor by the opposition parties dominated our discussions. He assured me that thegovernor was on top of the situation and that all this challenges will fizzle out soon and Imo will be great again. I saw the evidence of the governor’s Midas touch throughout my stay.
After the one year memorial ceremony/service of my late mother Ezinne Cecilia Onyemaechi Okere held on December 26, 2021, I visited some of our APC leaders in Ngor-Okpala LGA and also attended some political stakeholders meetings.
First, I attended a breakfast meeting at BarristerGeorge Eke’s house in Umuoye Imerienwe. It was a kind of courtesy visit by the Interim ManagementCommittee of Ngor-Okpala Council led by theChairman Hon. Chief Major Obinna Nweka and Ngor-Okpala APC Executive led by the Chairman Engr. Jude Ukaegbu. The visit was to thank Barrister George Eke for his support and leadership in the party. The issue of having befitting party secretariat was raised and some donations were made by party members and leaders. The host Barrister Eke gave out piece of wrappers to all the women present as Christmas gift and cash donation as transport fare for members for coming to the meeting. It was in thatmeeting that Hon. Mrs. Chika Ibekwe SSA Community Relations to the governor informed that Ngor-Okpala House of Assembly Seat has been declared vacant by the Imo House of Assembly.
On January 2, 2022, yours sincerely also attended a stakeholders meeting of our great party APC at the Imerienwe country home of High Chief Dr. TOE Ekechi, who is the member representing South East at the North East Development Commission (NEDC). The palatial, magnificent, intimidating and yet welcoming country home of Dr. TOE Ekechi, which has the capacity to host the president of the United States attracted who is who in APC Ngor-Okpala. The list of eminent personalities present include; Prof. BG Nworgu Commissioner for Science and Technology; the host himself Dr. TOE Ekechi; Dr. Ethelbert Okere DG Imo State Orientation Agency (ISOA); Barrister George Eke formergovernorship candidate; Hon. Chief Barrister Enyinnaya Unuegbu, former Commissioner Lands and Housing; Okenze Blyden Amajirionwu, Specialadviser to Governor Hope Uzodima; Hon Chief Mayor Obinna Nweke IMC Chairman Ngor-Okpala LGA; and Attorney Mathew Nwaoguala,
Others are Chief Barr Soronnadi Njoku (former Attorney General); Hon Chimezie Nweke, SSA on Project Monitoring; Chief Bona Nwoke; Hon Cajetan Duke, State Publicity Secretary APC; Hon (Mrs) Chika Ibekwe SSA Community Relations; Chief Val Okere (Amadioha Ngor-Okpala); Hon Jude Ukaegbu, APC chairman Ngor-Okpala; Hon Ugochukwu Okere Blakkie, former IMC Ngor-Okpala; Hon. Chidi Eke, former IMC Ngor-Okpala; Hon Eziefula Opara; Chief Clifford Akalonu; Hon. Vitalis Opara; Hon Remi Okere, leader IMC Ngor-Okpala; Hon Isaac Nze PG Nguru Umuowa Autonomus Community Hon. Don Chris Okere Hon. Mrs Georgina Onyeulo Women Leader Ngor Okpala APC and many others.
At the meeting the issue of how to move Ngor-Okpala APC forward especially on the need to accept the newly elected officials were raised and motions was adopted by the leaders. The issue of Ngor-Okpala House of Assembly seat that was declaredvacant by both INEC and the leadership of Imo State House of Assembly was raised and the Ngor-Okpala APC leaders present at the meeting frowned at the embarrassment and disgrace brought upon Ngor-Okpala by the PDP in producing a man of questionable character as representative of the local government at the Imo House Of Assembly. Aside condemning the ignominy brought upon the council by PDP, the APC leaders vowed that the next person that will represent Ngor-Okpala must be a person of unquestionable character whose source of livelihood is known and established. As the bye-election is around the corner I hope that the leaders would stand by that commitment to choose a man of impeccablecharacter to represent APC and Ngor Okpala in the State House of Assembly in line with the shared prosperity government of our beloved GovernorHope Uzodimma, At the end of the meeting motions was adopted by the leaders. In his magnanimity the host High Chief Dr. TOE Ekechi popularly known as Araba donated the sum of N1million as transport fare for members for coming to the meeting.
On January 8, 2022 I also attended a stakeholders meeting at the Ngor-Okpala council headquarters in Umeneke, convened by the interim management committee chairman of Ngor-Okpala LGA Hon. Chief Mayor Obinna Nweke. The meeting was to interface with APC members in the LGA and share the Christmas and New Year gifts of the shared prosperity government of Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State. The gifts were shared by all the eleven electoral wards in the local government area. These gifts were the first of its kind by any government in Imo State since its creation in 1976. The peopleappreciated the kind gesture of the governor and prayed for him.
The meeting attracted some stakeholders of the party which include, Hon Chief Obinna Mayor Nwaeke IMC Chairman; Dr. Ethelbert Okere DIG (ISOA); Hon Cajetan Duke State Publicity Secretary APC, Engr. Jude Ukegbu APC Chairman Ngor-Okpala, Hon Chike Ibekwe SSA to the government, Hon Chimize Nweke SSA to the governor, Chief Uju Madu Okenze.Blyden Amajirinowu SA Special duties to the governor, Hon Gozie Nwachukwu (former IMHA member); Hon Nkem Nwankwo; former IMHA member; Hon. Chidi Eke, former IMC Ngor-Okpala; Hon. Vitalis Opara; Hon Remi Okere, Leader IMC Ngor Okpala Hon. Mrs Georgina Onyeulo Women Leader Ngor Okpala APC . Hon. Magnus Nlemadim Councillor Ward 6, Hon Festus Obilor APC chairman ward 6 Hon. James Emeahu, APC ward 6 Publicity Secretary and host of other party leaders. At the occasion yours sincerely voluntarily chose to pay one year rent for the party secretariat.
On January 12, 2022, I and my elder brother Chief Dr. Ethelbert Okere hosted our Ward 6 APC members where the Christmas gifts item byGovernor Hope Uzodimma was shared to the APC grassroots members of the wards. The meeting attracted over 500 members of the party. Speaking at the occasion the chief host Dr. Elthelbert Okere advised members on the need to work together to make sure that the party is more united ahead of the general election. The state publicity secretary of the party Hon. Cajetan Duke stressed the importance ofpeace and unity amongst party members in the ward, and admonished ward officers to embark on political evangelism as directed by the governor.
On January 15 2022, I had the privilege of attending a stakeholders meeting convened by Chief Clifford Akalonu (Mayor Ngor Okpala) where the issue of who will represent the local government at the Imo State House of Assembly was raised. The meeting agreed to work out a modality that will produce a candidate that will answer the clarion call to represent Ngor Okpala at the House of Assembly.
As Ngor Okpala moves to fill the vacant seat at the State Assembly it is incumbent upon us to elect a capable and strong force that will bring home the dividends of democracy to the local government area. We do not need a person of questionable character again as our representative. We need to elect a person whose source of livelihood is known. We need a strong voice. We need a man of integrity and capacity to speak for Ngor Okpala.
.Ochiagha Nnanna Okere hails from Umuowa and is the Convener and Coordinator Imo Diaspora Support For Governor Hope Uzodimma.
