By Ebere Uzoukwa<\/p>\n
It is a well known that Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu rode on a tripartite
\ncrest of equity, justice and fairness to become governor of Abia state. The
\nelection of the first Abia governor of Ngwa extraction is undisputedly the
\nmost keenly contested with endless but mind-threatening litigations. The
\nruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some progressively-minded
\nstakeholders had argued and backed the zoning of its governorship ticket to
\nAbia south ahead of 2015 general elections. The unified stance of the party
\nwas purposefully tailored to promote equity, justice and family hence an
\nNgwa person from Abia south was protectively billed to clinch the ticket.
\nThe gubernatorial ticket was later won by Dr. Ikpeazu though not without
\npermutations and high-powered political intrigues. It also took the
\nuncommon resilience of Ukwa-Ngwa people who as a matter of urgency and
\nnecessity tagged Dr. Ikpeazu\/PDP gubernatorial ticket “Ngwa Project” to
\nnarrowly defeat Dr. Alex Otti, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance
\n(APGA) who unexpectedly showed enormous strength, sweeping the entire LGAs
\nin Abia north, Aba north and south LGAs as well as Umuahia south and
\nIkwuano Umuahia LGAs. The people of Ukwa-Ngwa demonstrated a rare courage
\nand consensus painstakingly exemplified and displayed in the well organized
\nresilience to break the age-long ‘political marginalization’ and ensured
\nthe realization of Dr. Ikpeazu’s governorship.<\/p>\n
Upon taking over the mantle of leadership as governor of Abia state, Dr.
\nIkpeazu began to showcase his qualities especially in the areas of
\ngovernance and political leadership. The ongoing infrastructural
\ntransformation in Aba and other parts of the state, the economic and
\nentrepreneurial revolution, the sponsored campaign aimed at promoting
\nlocally made-in-Aba products, the revival of moribund and ailing state
\nowned industries, the ongoing revolutionized agricultural scheme, the human
\ncapacity development programmes such as Education for Employment(E4E) and
\nthe ongoing transformation in the education sector are presently showing
\nsigns of greatness as a new era evolves under Dr. Ikpeazu. Though still
\nengulfed with threatening litigations, Dr. Ikpeazu has sufficiently proven
\nhis capacity to take Abia to higher heights.<\/p>\n
Beyond infrastructural and socio-economic accomplishments, Dr. Ikpeazu also
\nappears ready and willing to demonstrate a rare political will and courage
\nto entrench a new democratic culture in the state. This is evidently
\nportrayed in the ongoing preparations for local government election in less
\nthan two years he assumed office. The last council election took place in
\nAbia eight years precisely in 2008. The immediate past governor, Chief
\nTheodore Orji for whatever reason(s) delayed reconstituting the councils
\ndemocratically and ingloriously exited without conducting another council
\nelection.\u00a0 Under his administration, the 17 local government areas were
\nbalkanized and regrettably reduced to non-productive entities. The former
\ngovernor conspired with his family and close allies to hijack the councils.
\nThey criminally diverted allocations running into several billions and
\noverpopulated the workforce with unproductive elements mostly drawn ‘Ibeku
\nclan’ without recourse to due process and administrative procedure. They
\nmismanaged and corruptly destroyed the councils as they stirringly dished
\nout orders and directives from the comfort of their cozy offices in Umuahia
\nto the so-called TC chairmen who were merely stooges and administrative
\nrobots. By so doing, Ochendo and his ‘men’ crippled the 17 council areas
\nand pitiably rendered them unproductive.<\/p>\n
However, Dr. Ikpeazu’s plans to conduct council election appear to have
\nelicited fresh hope for possible revival of the councils. Yet, there are
\nstill posers. Many Abians still doubt if Dr. Ikpeazu can ever muster the
\n‘political will’ and ‘sincerity’ to achieve the onerous task. Many are
\nstill clutched to the notion that Dr. Ikpeazu is and remains part of the
\nsystem that decimated and destroyed the local government system in Abia.
\nThose upholding such belief may be 50% right and probably 50% wrong. This
\nmay be largely substantiated as Dr. Ikpeazu was Ochendo’s ardent loyalist
\nand one of his son’s dreaded foot soldiers who paraded themselves as eleven
\nwise men. Dr. Ikpeazu enjoyed a privileged status in Ochendo’s government
\nand was deeply knowledgeable to most salient actions of that very
\ngovernment. This is ultimately the reason his government is largely
\nperceived as a product or extension of Ochendo’s era hence his emergence as
\nthe PDP candidate was politically midwifed by the former governor and his
\nson, Chinedu also known as Ikuku.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the proponent of that notion may be wrong as Dr. Ikpeazu
\nmay have ‘disguised loyalty’ or ‘played the fool’ to grab power. A
\npolitical interpretation to Dr. Ikpeazu’s ‘good man role’ and loyalty to
\nOchendo and his son dramatizes that simple adage that says” If you bend
\ndown, you see Aba”. Dr. Ikpeazu’s roles in Ochendo’s government can hardly
\nbe interpreted to portray, brand or suggestive of Ochendo’s elongated era.
\nThough he remains grateful to the former governor, his son, Ikuku and other
\nallied power players from Umuahia, the governor is, however,
\nconstitutionally empowered to summon the needed political will to redesign
\napproaches to governance and rewrite the wrongs in the state.<\/p>\n
While preparations for the council election intensify, many expect Dr.
\nIkpeazu to assume certain steps aimed at sanitizing the system and to
\ndismantle Ochendo’s undemocratic template entrenched and promoted for
\nself-aggrandizement. He is also expected to remove all impediments that may
\nfurther destroy democracy at the local government level. In clear terms,
\nthere will be guided limit to which the state or governor tampers with
\ncouncil allocations. If not so, the scenario may be catastrophic as the
\nincoming council chairman, elected by the people, may within their
\nconstitutional powers dismantle obstacles and encumbrances that may inhibit
\ntheir performances. Dr. Ikpeazu’s political future may be jeopardized or
\nshattered if that becomes the scenario.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Dr. Ikpeazu should begin to rehearse and possibly acquaint
\nhimself with the right democratic culture and administrative pattern to
\nharmoniously and purposefully relate with the incoming council chairmen. He
\nshould realize that the 17 council areas will against the unconstitutional
\npractice begin to run fully on their individual strengths and
\nadministrative wheels immediately the chairmen and councillors are sworn
\ninto offices. The inglorious era of diversion of council funds and criminal
\nmortgage of their revenue nets will automatically cease for good. The
\nchairmen expectedly will run the councils by prudently deploying accruable
\nresources to provide basic and infrastructural needs of the rural dwellers.
\nThey must be given freehand to deliver on their campaign promises within
\ntheir two-year tenure.<\/p>\n
But, can Dr. Ikpeazu yield to this reform? Can he change the bad story? Can
\nthe councils run independently under him? Has Dr. Ikpeazu upon assumption
\nof duty demonstrated the much expected political will suggesting a radical
\ndeparture from Ochendo’s days? Are Abians likely to experience a credible
\ncouncil election that will provide a level playing ground to all political
\nparties? Is the governor ready to release council allocations as drawn from
\nthe federation account? Is he ready to change the bad story Abia councils
\nwith regard to hijacked revenue nets? Is he ready to sanitize the evidently
\ncorrupt ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs by moderating
\nits overbearing influence and control on council areas? Or, is the election
\na mere exercise aimed at re-packaging the transition committee system under
\nthe pretenses of democracy? Is Dr. Ikpeazu sincerely entrenching a new
\ndemocratic culture in the third tier of government of Abia state? Is the
\ngovernor truly sincere to the people? Do he posses the political will to do
\nthe right thing including offending Ochendo and Ikuku, his son, when it
\nbecomes necessary to satisfy Abia people?
\nWell, only Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and time will answer these nagging and
\npertinent questions. But suffice to say that the governor has two options
\nstaring at his face. The option of continuing with the old style and
\nsecondly, dismantling the old, unproductive and corrupt system to free the
\nlocal government councils in the overall interest of Abia people. The
\ngovernor should patriotically champion the redemption and ultimate freedom
\nof these areas from the administrative hostage of the state with utmost
\nsincerity and honesty to further endear himself to the people. This should
\nbegin with free, fair and acceptable council election scheduled for December
\n17.<\/p>\n
Dr. Ikpeazu should appease Abians with good governance and utmost sincerity
\nin his official dealings as governor. It will be more charitable and
\npolitically rewarding as the governor migrates to the side of the people
\nthan remain in the good book of his political ‘godfathers’. He should
\ndemonstrate the political will and sincerity in leadership by rewriting the
\nwrongs in the administration of local government in the state.
\nEbere Uzoukwa, a media consultant writes from Umuahia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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