Date Published: 03/11/11

Ohakim booed at Imo Guber Debate

Ikedi Ohakim

The public debate yesterday at the hallowed grounds of the Assumpta Cathedral in Owerri between the trio of Governor Ikedi Ohakim (PDP), Chief Rochas Okorocha (APGA) and Chief Ifeanyikwu Ararume (ACN) and few other minor candidates, all gubernatorial candidates in the April polls, has been described by many who attended as a big and embarrassing loss for Gov Ohakim.

A lot of people observed with evident glee as Governor Ohakim was being booed each time he wanted to speak. And this was in contrast with when Rochas enthralled the crowd with his oratory and received resounding ovations, followed by Ararume. One PDP sympathiser told this reporter that he felt "sorry for the Governor, especially when my wife who was with me began to weep and was muttering that Ohakim has already lost the election for PDP".

An eye-witness to the debate and political commentator, Dr Fabian Echeruo who spoke to this reporter said that "I was shocked at the level of anti Ohakim sentiments that showed on the faces and voices of most people at the debate. And to think that it was Ohakim's own turf made it even worse for the Governor. Anyone who observed Ohakim from a vantage point, like I did, will agree that the Governor was very uncomfortable, angry, nervous, somewhat terrified, and sweated profusely, unlike Rochas Okorocha and Ararume who exhibited gubernatorial calmness and confidence. The repeated booing of the Governor did not help matters".

This reporter agreed with the above description by Dr Irechukwu based on this reporter's own observations that throughout the debates, Gov Ohakim appeared ill at ease, besides frequently glancing at his wrist watch, which was an indication of his being uncomfortable and in a hurry to leave the premises of the debate. On the other hand, Chief Okorocha was the epitome of confidence, and he sensed that most of the crowd was with him.

On his own part, Chief Ararume was at his characteristic best as he looked calm, cool and patient. He took his time to explain his manifesto, which was well received by the crowd, in contrast to the impatience, negative murmurings and loud booing that greeted Gov Ohakim when he took the podium.

When this reporter polled the opinions of the big politicians at the scene as well as the masses who attended, it was surprising to discover that most of them were divided between voting for Okorocha and Ararume, with only a few weakly rooting for Gov Ohakim. The people that spoke to this reporter hailed from all the three senatorial districts of Imo State, and they appeared unmoved by Ohakim's campaign mantra that Imo voters should vote for him on the basis of zoning and one more single term.

One attendee, Joe Anyamele, from Okigwe zone had this to say: "how can Ohakim continue talking about zoning when President Jonathan is running for President against the zoning argument of some from Northern Nigeria. Ohakim is even supporting Jonathan and is known to have rallied support against zoning the presidency to the North. So, having opposed zoning at the national levels, how can the man now turn around to tell Imo people to vote for him on the same zoning argument he didn't support?". It surprised this reporter that such argument could come from an Okigwe voter, on whose behalf Ohakim claims is making the zoning argument.

The same thing was true of likely voters who hailed from Owerri zone, where this reporter was informed that Rochas and Ararume are running neck to neck, but more particularly with Orlu voters, Rochas appears to be leading the pack, with Ararume closely behind because of the many political big wigs he has in his kitty from that zone, like former Governor Achike Udenwa.

One of the things that stuck out from Okigwe people who attended the debate was the recent mass decampings of big political names from that zone, following the PDP primaries which many of them accused Ohakim of using to "install political unknowns who has contributed nothing to the PDP", as one of one Okigwe man, Chief Damian Duru put it. Chief Duru wondered how Ohakim can carry Okigwe in the election "when he is busy quarrelling with his own Mbano people and harassing some of their legislators like Agwu, who has alleged that the Governor was after his life".

Another sore point at the debate was the matter of the billions of naira Gov Ohakim was alleged to have spent without a supplementary approval of the House of Aasembly. A lawyer who was at the scene of the debate but who wished not to be named for fear of reprisals told this reporter that "as far as I am concerned, Gov Ohakim committed impeachable misconducts by spending the billions the way he did without authority of law. Even worse is the additional revelation that the money was spent on intangibles like maintaining government house, paying media houses, and like nonproductive items. We lawyers are already talking about it and will rally the people to press Ohakim for explanations. If he escapes the House of Assembly, then he cannot escape the voters in April".

Many other people this reporter spoke with echoed the same sentiments and thoughts on the issues that will decide the elections in April. The issues the voters identified include the following: that voting on the basis of zoning is out of fashion; that they're not going to vote for party but for individuals (this is where ACN candidates will score high at the polls); that the character of the contestants will be a factor; and that they will go to any length to protect their votes, knowing fully well that unpopular incumbents may be banking on their control of powers of the state to rig themselves in.