By Duke C. Duke The last time I was in Abakaliki, I was discussing with someone about the political aspirations of Distinguished Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume. Amidst the discussion, he asked me, “what exactly does this Ararume do? I mean, what exactly is his job outside politics?”. That question called my attention back to a scenario in this part of the world. We have chequerred system in this country where some political players do not have a substantive means of livelihood before their now celebrated political entrance. And unfortunately, the…
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Hubbub and Yabing over Jonathan’s book: The other side of the coin
On Tuesday the 21st November, 2018, the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan presented to the public his book which is in fact his memories entitled MY TRANSITION HOURS. According to every available information including those from people who simply don’t like Jonathan and from his admirers, the gathering of his book presentation was tremendous and almost all inclusive. The occasion showed evidence of good planning for such event. The calibre of personalities who attended the event cut across all the spectrum of National and…
Read MoreOwerri Senate: Mike Nwachukwu, only hope of effective representation
A transverse of the local government areas that make up Imo East senatorial district, otherwise known as Owerri Zone, will reveal a total neglect of infrastructural development in virtually all the nooks and crannies of the senatorial district. The situation is more worrisome given the dense population and electoral relevance of the senatorial district. Unfortunately, successive political office holders from that zone at various level of government see this all important geo-political area as a mere platform to ascend to power. That explains why the baffling ignominious attitude towards infrastructural…
Read MoreOnwuemeodo and his unwarranted attack on Chief Charles Amadi
The Monday November 26 edition of the White-paper newspaper had a back page article with the title “CHARLES AMADI (CHAVON) MAKING HIS OWN UGLY POLITICAL HISTORY” written by Sam Onwuemeodo. As lacking in decency and grace as the article was, one would have ignored it; but for the obvious fact that it was a rabid, rancid ranting capable of misleading the author to bask in the illusion of journalistic achievement, if ignored, compelled this writer to embark on this corrective indulgence to clip the narration of its deceitful wings. Indeed…
Read MoreWhy Buhari is angry with Rochas
When Adams Oshiomhole was elected as the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress in June this year, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State was exultant that his mission of foisting his son-in-law as his successor was accomplished. When also one of his protégées, Chief Emma Ibediro, was elected in a very controversial manner as the National Organizing Secretary of APC, Okorocha, in his heart could have concluded that no Jupiter or a man born by a woman could stop him as long as Imo APC was concerned. Alas, he was…
Read MoreLinus Okorie: Imo State’s best bet in 2019
In recent time Imo State has been marred by enormous challenges especially in the area of true leadership. Good governance and people oriented policies have been a far cry from reality as Imo is continually faced with leaders whose main priority is to enrich their pockets with the state’s treasury and that explain why Imo State is where it is today; the leaders don’t care about the people. This breed of leaders without honour and integrity occupied the sensitive positions of governance of Imo State and brought setbacks to the…
Read MoreImo: The Emperor loses his empire
One of the most celebrated Emperors in Nigeria is fast losing his empire. He is working very hard to cling to it. But the empire is slipping. The once beloved Emperor is on a long lonely road. For him, sunset beckons. And dreams seem to be dying fast. And hard. The Emperor’s admirers are bewildered. They want to be woken up from what they think is a nightmare. But not a few people are laughing at him. And the chorus is: Serves him right. If anybody ever doubted the Law…
Read More“Rescue Mission” comes to grief
For starters, “Rescue Mission” is the name the incumbent Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha gave his political organization, under which he structured his rise to power in 2011. Before Okorocha, Imo had witnessed such political structures before; the Chief Achike Udenwa’s era came with “Redemption 98”, Dr Ikedi Ohakim was the proponent of “New Face”. And Senator Araraume called his own, “Destiny Group” under which he has prosecuted Imo Governorship ambition without success till date. However, under Udenwa and Ohakim regimes, “Redemption 98” and “New Face” were simply…
Read MoreImo Guber: What Okorocha never knew about Oshiomhole
When RochasOkorocha was fighting to unseat Chief John Odigie-Oyegun in order to enthrone Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as National Chairman of the APC, some of us who have closely associated with Oshiomhole immediately knew that the fall of Okorocha was near. Okorocha vigorously mobilised and lobbied against a tenure extension for the APC NWC members. Vowing never to allow his party’s constitution violated which would have been the implication of a tenure elongation for Oyegun and co, Okorocha made himself an emergency advocate for rule of law and constitutionalism. At last,…
Read MoreWeep not for Fayose, weep for Nigeria
When Fayose won in 2014, the whole of Ekiti erupted with joy. In 2018 the APC “won” and all the streets of Ekiti are looking so gloomy. The people are sad because their will has been truncated”- Adeolu Daramola. My friend and brother, Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, is not infallible. He is not an angel and like every other mortal, he has his own fair share of faults, excesses and shortcomings. We do not agree on everything and neither do we always share the same opinion on…
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