By Batos Nwadike
One of the new found voices in politics actually a green horn, a political just become; names withheld told me jubilant the other day in a political discourse that the ruling All Progressive Congress( APC) will win Orlu Senatorial election in 2023. Hear him; “Izunaso will win. It is the Governors election” he enthused!
I didn’t wait so long than to tell him that he is living in a political pimpers paradise. I said so because I know he does not have the history neither does he have the political dialectics to interrogate nor peep keenly into what makes Orlu Senatorial elections tick. He has never been one nor has he at any time been part and parcel of any construction of power. My friends only reference is as a beneficiary of power in the present conundrum of the nascent power calculus of Imo politics.
In the collollary, I am a chattered politician of round about three decades and still counting. I have ran my own elections, went to court on my own election cases. I have put up candidates for elections and followed and assisted them to victory. I have put Senatorial candidates in Orlu with allies, removed them at the turn of election years, put another candidate and removed them. I have also put up Governorship candidates and assisted them to become Governors. So, I am not speaking from the blues but from a deep, strategic, fundamental front of rich experience and capacity.
Therefore, as we discuss the upcoming elections as per Orlu zone, my views must be taken seriously by any discerning person with an eye for victory. I mean it. It is not a fluke but reality.
We all know that Barr. Osita Izunaso is the Senatorial Candidate of the APC in the 2023 elections. Our new political kingpin earlier mentioned but names withheld concludes he will win because the Imo Governor is from Orlu zone and would by every means necessary make sure he wins to prove that Orlu is his stronghold. So, it is for the four House of Representative elections in Orlu zone. Even, he claims that the Governor will use sledgehammer to ensure and effect his desires.
Sledgehammer? In a democracy?
I doubt that will ever happen because the days of sledgehammer are gone forever and ever in Nigeria democracy.
Take a read: In 1999, Chief Senator Arthur Nzeribe won with the ANPP against the popular and grassroots PDP. The ANPP won three of the four House of Reps election. In 2007, the incumbent Senator Nzeribe was defeated by newcomer Izunaso to clinch the Senatorial ticket. He went ahead to win even against the infractions of the incumbent Governor then Chief Achike Udenwa. In 2011, the incumbent Senator Izunaso was defeated by newcomer Hope Uzodinma even against the infractions of the incumbent Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim. Yet, again in 2015, Senator Hope Uzodinma won the Senatorial election against the sitting Governor of the APC, Rochas Anayo Okorocha and took with him the three House of Reps elections.
Therefore, the ruse that an incumbent government or an incumbent Governor holds the patent of Orlu Senatorial election victory is a ruse. Today and I am very clear about it, is that the upcoming elections in that zone is between Chief Charles Ahize( Akpuruka n’ Orlu) of the Labour Party and Sir Jones Chukwudi Onyeriri of the PDP. Give and take and under normal temperature and pressure, the Labour Party candidate has since won the election and is browsing through his Recover Orlu papers waiting for inauguration in June 2023 as the Senator representing the twelve Local Government Areas of Imo West Senatorial Zone in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly.
Dr. Batos Nwadike( Oyi of Igboland) is the President General of Orlu Senatorial Zone Consultative Assembly( OSCA) and writes from Mgbidi in Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State.
NIGERIA NEWSPOINT
