BY Onuchukwu Hamilton.
As APC party leaders in Imo State continue to complain against the rumored lists of candidates for the final council elections, especially the said disaster in Ikeduru LGA where it has been reported that the former Deputy Governor , Prof. Placid Njoku unfortunately disrupted the zoning formula, to impose a relation to the PDP National Secretary, an American Political analyst andpsychologist, Dr. Jerome Agwada submits that there is a suspected connivance with the opposition party to depopularise and sabotage Governor Hope Uzodimma.
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n his words, Dr. Agwada stated as follows; if Prof. Placid means well for Governor Hope Uzodimma, why did he fail to deliver APC in his ward during the Presidential, National Assembly and House of Assembly elections. He challenges him to publish the results despite his position as deputy Governor with all the security and paraphernalia. On the Local Government Council election, he explains that it is right of Ikeduru Central bloc to produce the Chairman as this is the only bloc in Ikeduru that does not have any government appointee. As each of the other two blocs, has four wards, the Central bloc also has four wards such as Akabo, Amatta, Iho, and Uzoagba wards. All the serving appointees and elected representatives are from Ikeduru West and East, not even one person hails from the Central. With the overwhelming population figures in these four marginalized wards, the Governor cannot get real hold of Ikeduru LGA if his party fails allow them produce the Council Chairman.
“In Ikeduru local government area of Imo state, there is this primordial understanding, an arrangement that every political office should rotate between Ikeduru East and Ikeduru West. It is a zoning formula that has over the years, ensured peaceful and harmonious co-existence of the two areas, East and West, with the Mbaa River as natural boundary defining and separating the two areas.
“Whenever it is the turn of Ikeduru East to produce the executive chairman of Ikeduru local government, the people of Ikeduru West would now take the House of Assembly slot and vice versa. Great and highly placed Ikeduru indigenes, including Rt Hon A.U.D Mba of Nigeria’s First Republic House of Representatives fame, now of the blessed memory; Late Senator Evan Enweren, former governor of Imo state, Late Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, clergy men and top military, paramilitary and police of officers, renowned legal practitioners, among others of Ikeduru extraction supported and encouraged this zoning formula which they saw as in the best interest of brotherhood.
””In line with this civilized Practice that promoted peace, love and unity in Ikeduru, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, an indigene of Amaimo political ward in Ikeduru East, on completion of his tenure as a member of Imo State House of Assembly, paved the way for Barr Uche Oguike of Ngugo/Ikembara political ward of Ikeduru West. Let’s also not forget the fact that after four years in the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon Uche Ogbuagu in line with that gentle men’s agreement, that is the zoning formula between Ikeduru East and West, left the house of assembly to vie for the house of representatives seat for Mbaitoli/Ikeduru federal constituency because, the zoning formula disallowed his going to the state house of assembly for a second time.
In the light of the above scenario, His Excellency, Prof Placid Njoku, an indigene of Ikeduru East who was holding sway as the deputy governor of Imo state and highest political office holder in Ikeduru LGA insisted that Hon Uche Ogbuagu of Akabo Political Ward of Ikeduru West having completed his tenure in the house of assembly, should vacate the seat for an Ikeduru East indigene. Prof Placid Njoku went further to present the incumbent member of Imo State House of Assembly for Ikeduru state constituency, Hon Chief Johnleoba Iheoha as a suitable candidate of Ikeduru East extraction, precisely, from Inyishi/Umudim political ward.
“It would be quite pertinent to explain here that Ikeduru East is rated as the Elder Brother of Ikeduru West because, Inyishi community of Ikeduru East which from time immemorial, is regarded and respected in every gathering as the first son of Ikeduru Clan, situates in Ikeduru East. Secondly, that Inyishi community of Ikeduru East was yoked together with Umudim Community of Ikeduru West as a political ward is just for mere political convenience. With the return to democratic governance nationwide in 1999, after years of military regime, the great, sincere, selfless and wise leaders of Ikeduru, including traditional rulers, decided that Inyishi community of Ikeduru East being the First Son of Ikeduru, should take the first slot of going to the house of assembly for entire Ikeduru constituents, while Ikeduru West should produce chairman of the local government, resulting to Dr. Emeka Ukaegbu of Inyishi/Umudim political ward emerging as house of assembly member for Ikeduru and Emma Kema of Uzoagba in Ikeduru West as local government executive chairman.
What poses as a worrisome situation presently, is the clandestine move, fraudulent and malicious disposition of some persons for purely selfish reasons, to classify Inyishi community as belonging to Ikeduru West, instead of Ikeduru East. The situation is even more provocative given the fact that the same highly respected former Deputy Governor of Imo State, a Professor of note in academics, Prof. Placid Njoku who insisted that it was the turn of Ikeduru East to produce the next member of Imo State House of Assembly, after Hon Uche Ogbuagu’s tenure in 2023 and went ahead to present Johnleoba Iheoha of Inyishi community of Ikeduru East as the rightful candidate, is the same Prof Placid Njoku who now is claiming and making every effort to convince the entire world, even students of History and Archeology that Inyishi, the home town of Johnleoba Iheoha is a community in Ikeduru West. What an embarrassment from a Distinguished Scholar ! Is this the only way to tell the whole world that right here in Igbo land, politics is a dirty game ? Is a man at this level like Caesar’s wife, not supposed to be above board ? Haba, Prof !
As a highly educated Man, why did Prof Placid Njoku wait until APC primaries for September, 2024 Imo Local Government election period to tell the the world that the Zenith of his academic endeavour is ceding Inyishi community of Ikeduru East to Ikeduru West? Is this the only way to produce a consensus APC candidate of his choice ? Is this his own way of mocking or celebrating the supernatural exit to eternity of the likes of Evan Enweren, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and others who respected this mutual agreement of Ikeduru people on power sharing? Have those presently scheming to usurp the right of Ikeduru West to produce the next Executive Chairman of Ikeduru local government suddenly lost sight of the undisputable fact that Ikeduru East produced the last or immediate past executive chairman of the local government in the person of Mr Chuks Metu, an indigene of Eziama community of Ikeduru East? That being the case and true situation on ground, it is now the turn and time of Ikeduru West to produce the next Executive Chairman of Ikeduru.
We expected Prof Placid Njoku to tell the people of Ikeduru East and entire Ikeduru the infrastructural projects and quantum of development he brought home, after four solid years as Deputy Governor of Imo State and not, certainly not making a provocative move and utterances that Inyishi community is no longer in Ikeduru East. This of course, is a battle he can never win, rather, he is shooting himself at the legs. Even if he produces all APC chairmanship candidates in the 27 local government areas of Imo state, he can never single-handedly change the course of history.
If the Executive Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma CON and the traditional rulers of Ikeduru local government area fail to call Placid Njoku of Umuri Amaimo to order now, posterity will make him regret this inglorious journey he is about embarking upon.
His own consensus candidate, Justice Nze who he wants to force down the throat of Ikeduru people is from Ikeduru East and right now, it is the turn of Ikeduru West to produce the next Executive Chairman of Ikeduru local government.
Placid Njoku, a professor, former Deputy Governor, former University Vice Chancellor and former President of National Universities Commission(NUC), should be reminded that a brave man, a true warlord, does not test the Sharpness of His Matchet on a Plantain Sucker. Let no one deliberately attract to himself, the anger of the gods.
