Politicians are expected to exhibit the spirit of sportsmen.<\/p>\n
Sportsmen after losing games embrace their opponents. Their
\nconsolation is anchored on the fact that games come and go and
\nthat if they do not win today, another sporting event provides a
\nwindow for them to win tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, politics in the Nigerian context is viewed from
\nthe perspective of “do or die”. It is characterised by
\nmudslinging, backbiting, manipulations and maneuverings,
\ncharacter assassination, even at extreme cases attempt to
\nassassinate political opponents.<\/p>\n
No place has the negative characteristics of politics come to
\nplay recently than Abia. Since the present administration of
\nGovernor Okezie Ikpeazu was installed last year, there have been
\ndesperate attempts to truncate the mandate which the Abia people
\nvested on him in the April 2015 governorship elections.<\/p>\n
The attempts have culminated into several litigations which
\nwitnessed its height on June 27th when Justice Okong Abang of
\nthe Federal High Court, Abuja delivered a judgment that will go
\nin the annals of Nigerian legal history as “the most
\ncontroversial judgment”. The said judgment removed Ikpeazu from
\noffice as the governor of Abia State despite some glaring flaws.<\/p>\n
Thank God for the same judiciary which lived up to its bidding as
\n“the hope of the common man”. The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja
\nlast week upturned the judgment, describing it as not only ” a
\nrape of our democracy” but ” a miscarriage of justice”.<\/p>\n
Unarguably, the protracted governorship crisis in Abia State has
\ntaken a huge toll on the social, economic,and political activities
\nin the state. The crisis has constituted a serious clog in the
\nwheel of progress in the state. Now that the storm is over, it is
\nhigh time major actors in this crisis had a rethink and
\ndemonstrate that Abia is our common heritage which we should
\ncollectively protect. It is high time they think Abia first.” Abia
\nFirst” which formed some of their campaign slogans and has
\ngraduated to a mantra illustrates that the interest of Abia should
\nride above personal interest- no matter how highly placed the
\ninterest is.<\/p>\n
Like sports, political seasons would not cease if Christ tarries to
\ncome for the second time. If one fails to win today, the forthcoming
\npolitical dispensation provides a window for him to win tomorrow.
\nGlobally, a particular political office can only be occupied by one
\nleader at a time and not more than one.<\/p>\n
Here is a passionate appeal to the major actors in the crisis that
\nAbia is already lying on the fringe, stretching this crisis further
\nwould not only be antithetical but would deepen the wounds up to a
\npoint that they may refuse to heal .Appeals even to the apex court,
\nSupreme Court, is your right which cannot be denied, but it is
\nindisputable that the collective interest of Abians should override
\nindividual interest.<\/p>\n
There is also a passionate appeal to the fifth columnists in the
\ncrisis to stop prodding their principals to take further actions
\nthat would jeopardise the unity of Abia and plunge the state into
\nanarchy. Like the bible admonishes us thus:” For what shall it
\nprofit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own
\nsoul?- Mark 8:36- What shall it profit you to line your pockets at
\nthe detriment of your dear state, Abia.<\/p>\n
Indeed, Abia is our common heritage. It does not belong to Governor
\nOkezie Ikpeazu alone. It belongs to all of us. All hands must be on
\ndeck to achieve its greatness.<\/p>\n
Ukegbu, a public policy analyst and communication strategist,
\nwrites from Umuahia, Abia State.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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