The venue was the sprawling Abia Polytechnic situated at the heart of Enyimba city, Aba, South East commercial nerve centre where Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha, People’s Democratic (PDP) governorship candidate held his first campaign rally outside Imo state. The composite objective was to extend his great message and manifesto to Imo indigenes in Abia state, to deepen his hold on a major segment of those in Diaspora, in so doing, brighten his victory chances for April 11 governorship elections.
The programme commenced officially at past 3pm when Ihedioha arrived the Abia Polytechnic with his entourage. But before then he had in his characteristic manner criss-crossed the state to pay homage to those who deserve it. Among those Ihedioha and his train visited for courtesy included the state Governor, Ochendu himself, Chief Theodore Orji, party elders, traditional rulers, various associations of Imo people in Abia and so on.
As early as 10 in the morning it was unmistakable that something unusually remarkable was happening in the ancient city of Aba. Although Aba is known for its vehicular traffic given heavy commercial activities that abound in the place, that eventful day vehicular congestion built more exceedingly. Security presence was accordingly enhanced and placed in strategic places for greater surveillance and traffic control.
On Umungasi Road, for instance, which is a major gate way to the venue of the event, traffic logjam stretched over three kilometers, putting additional pressure on the security operatives towards controlling the traffic. This was more so as vehicle owners and commercial vehicle drivers moved disorderly, in an effort to locate escape route.
Aba residents are primordially known to be politically active and critical. They hardly sit on the fence on major political matters. Besides, they take a noticeable position when it concerns support for a political office seeker based on the person’s performance rating, antecedents and pedigree.
Prior to the First Republic and until now, Aba residents had on several occasions thrown water bottles, pebbles, and other materials within their reach on some political candidates seeking their support to express their loathsomeness and rejection. The classical Aba women riot of 1929 that took place at the heydays of colonial era remains a reference point of the proactive nature of average Aba residents over unfolding political realities.
Conversely, when a politician is endeared and delighted to Aba residents, they express it too openly in the manner they cheer, hail and show solidarity. During the glorious political days of great Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. Michael Okpara, Chief Sam Mbakwe and so on, Aba made the political careers of these illustrious sons of Igbo particularly thick and colourful especially whenever they are on a political train to this city. As such each of them looked forward to the next political outing in Aba.
Evidently, Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu’s last political outing in Aba on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was a clear case study in this positive regard. The campaign tour which preceded the 2011 general elections has remained stunningly memorable and unprecedented on account of amazing support and open show of love shown the late leader of defunct Biafra by Aba residents.
Similarly, Ihedioha’s political outing in Aba on Friday, 20th, 2015 was with pomp and pageantry. It was accorded high magnitude of reception and solidarity by Aba residents. Ihedioha was obviously the cynosure of most Aba residents when his convoy made efforts to meander through the heavy traffic on Umungasi Road to push into Abia Polytechnic. Many people cheered and waved him, in the most fascinating fashion. Beaming soft smiles, he waved back in utter acknowledgment of the solidarity
All vehicles seemed to be heading for Abia Polytechnic, venue of the event. Apart from the heavy vehicular congestion on the roads surrounding the institution, pedestrian traffic was also noticeable. The result was that as early as ten in the morning, the venue of the rally had been filled. Many people milled around, while waiting patiently for the official commencement of the programme
It was typically a unique gathering involving a cream of leaders and the led from Imo and Abia. The checklist includes Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, PDP governorship candidate, Abia state; Chief Nnamdi Anyehie PDP Chairman Imo state; Dr. Kema Chikwe, PDP national women leader; Hon Uzo Azubuike, representing Aba North and South in the House of Representatives and Dr. Alex Mbakwe, son of Second Republic Governor of old Imo state, Chief Sam Mbakwe.
Ikpeazu promised to change the face of Abia, particularly Aba when elected Governor. He informed the gathering that as someone who was born and bred in Aba he was in the best position to make the city one of the greatest commercial destinations in Africa.
Chairman of PDP in Imo state, Chief Nnamdi Anyehie and Hon Uzo Azubuike representing Aba North and South in the House of Representatives expressed confidence in the competence of Ihedioha and Ikpeazu to make unprecedented difference and enthrone veritable development options in Imo and Abia respectively. Mbakwe’s son, Alex assured that Ihedioha would replicate and complement the many legacies left behind by his father and accordingly advised Imo indigenes to accord him unrestrained support.
When Ihedioha was invited to address the gathering, the crowd shouted in ecstasy and jubilation. Many surged forward to catch a better glimpse of the man of the moment. His presentation crisp, direct and penetrating focused on local council administration, education system and healthcare delivery in Imo. He also spoke on job creation, fiscal discipline and strained relationship between Imo and Abia states governments and so on.
He lampooned his rival, Governor Rochas Okorocha for destroying the local council administration against the spirit and intent of the constitution that provided for a three-tier, federal structure arrangement. He noted that the destruction of the third-tier government was deliberate to enable the Governor corner all the allocations to the 27 local councils for his private use.
He substantiated it. He made available to the gathering financial reports indicating that Okorocha’s administration has collected well over N175b allocations meant for all the local councils in the state in the past 3 and half years. The details of the report show that Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala represented by Ihedioha in the House have respectively had their N7.7b and 7.2b three and half years allocations collected by Okorocha.
Ihedioha advised the people of Imo to ask Okorocha to tell them what he has done with the over N175b belonging to the local councils. In what turned out to be interactive, the participants indicated in harmony their tendency to vote out Okorocha in April over his unbridled appetite for public funds mismanagement.
Ihedioha accordingly promised full restoration of local council administration when elected. He also pledged the enthronement of rule of law, justice and return of local allocations to the appropriate authorities. He promised to embark on job and wealth creation through people- based empowerment programmes. He received thunderous cheers when he disclosed to the crowd that he would hire back the 10,000 youths employed by Ikedi Ohakim administration but fired by Okorocha government as a measure towards scaling down spiraling unemployment rate in the state.
Oganwa writes from Aba
