(OPINION) IMO STATE MOVING TO RECLAIM LOST GLORY

Anthony Iwuoma

This election marks a watershed in the annals of all elections in the state since its inception. This is so because the state has fallen on terribly hard times since the exit of its first democratically elected governor, Dr. Sam Onunaka Mbakwe.

The then governor, who was elected on the platform of the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) was well-known by the sobriquet of Weeping Governor. Indeed, he wept over the deplorable condition of the state, which was yet to recover from the ravages of the Nigeria-Biafra inglorious war that ended in 1970.

Mbakwe was angry, and hungry for the good of his people at the same time. So, he was a voracious accomplisher, who, within a brief period of four years flooded the state with infrastructure.

Unfortunately, the state fell into terribly hard times because succeeding governments performed below par and no way measured up to what Mbakwe did. They failed woefully and paled into insignificance when placed side by side Mbakwe. Worse, they could not sustain the late statesman’s trajectory but also retrogressed and allowed his legacies to rot away.

Therefore, Imolites are eager to know who will emerge on Saturday to extricate the state from the vise grip of insecurity and palpable misgovernance that have ravaged the state in recent times and reclaim its lost glory.

Nevertheless, what will determine who wins this election is the capacity of the victor to tackle the monstrous and hydra-headed, multi-faceted challenges confronting the state.

The people need someone that can pull the state back from the brink. That person must be believable and have a track record of verifiable, worthy actions in the past. He must have charisma and charm that will not only attract votes but also sustain the loyalty of the electorate.

How to pick this one person out of the 17 governorship candidates is the problem. That person must definitely emerge all the same on Saturday, November 11. What the people worry about is the process.

However, nobody wants to contemplate a situation where the Supreme Court or any other court at all would be used in determining the outcome of the election. That is why the people feel that whoever wins must do so convincingly.

To do this, people must overcome their apathy. They should put behind them the past and come out en masse to vote, knowing that staying away because of past disappointments could only end up empowering the wrong candidate to win.

As the people elect a new governor on Saturday, the prayer of all Imolites is for that man who has all it takes to foster genuine peace, ensure security, and restore Imo to the Mbakwe era when it was not only seen to be flourishing but evidently so.

Certainly, the odds are in favour of Senator Athan Nneji Achonu and his deputy, Hon. Tony Nwulu, the flag bearer of the Labour Party whose popularity and acceptance is soaring high.

Achonu appears to be more prepared than the rest and has a well-documented template for the transformation of Imo State. He also has the backing of Peter Obi, who has vouched for his leadership potential and service delivery.

He has also worked harder than others in selling his candidature and transversed all the state’s 27 local governments to interface with the people in rapturous, crowd-pulling campaigns. Many believe that he is the only candidate that can snatch victory from Governor Hope Uzodinma and deliver sustainable development to the people.

Achonu came into the race with a mission to salvage the state from the massacre of innocent citizens, kidnapping and the wanton destruction of property as well as maladministration and misapplication and of state’s meagre resources by unconscionable governments.

He wants to reverse the trajectory of inept and ineffective governance that has practically destroyed the hopes and aspirations of Ndi Imo.

Tackling the development challenges arising from this parlous state of affairs requires a new type of leadership paradigm attuned to the realities of the people’s existence and capable of galvanising them in a new direction.

These challenges have been a burden on the mind of the Labour Party candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, and he has already designed a template on how to tackle them and ‘Take Back Imo’ to the pinnacle.

Achonu and Hon. Tony Nwulu government shall be committed to: securing Imo State where the citizens would be free to live in and conduct their private businesses without let or hindrance in the pursuit of their individual or collective prosperity; access to reliable power supply as a backbone for industrial development and better living standards for the people through PPP/investments in the power sector.

In addition, the Achonu/Nwulu government will make education sector development, local government autonomy, industrialisation, agriculture, 45% affirmative action for women, health, environment and tourism as well technology top priorities when elected into government.

That is why people are urged to turn out in their numbers on Saturday to vote for Athan Achonu and the Labour Party without fear of intimidation.

In the spirit of igwebuike, people should come out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right to vote. The only tool to effect the change Imo desires is for eligible voters to put aside their fears and troop out to vote. Not doing so will only favour those that want the status quo to remain.

Remember, evil persists in a land where good people do nothing. Remember, you cannot afford to sit on the fence. Remember, you cannot afford not to get involved in enthroning the much desired change.

The weapon is in your PVC. It is only by exercising your franchise that Imo shall be rid of all the ills everyone complains about so that peace and prosperity could thrive.

Adequate security has already been provided all over the state to protect voters during and after the voting exercise. Those that used to be instruments of terror in the state have been caged and swept away. So, people should come out to cast their votes boldly without fear.

Finally, adequate arrangements have also been made to protect all valid votes. Ensure you cast your vote, wait for it to be counted and entered into the results sheets. Escort the votes to the ward Collation Centre. Rest assured, Senator Athan Achonu (Agu Otu Aka) will ensure that the votes are protected.

Vote for Athan Achonu; Vote for Labour Party; Vote for  Papa, Mama and Pikin!

NB: WHO’S FATIMA IBRAHIM?

I’ve been receiving strange calls from  voracious accomplisher, who, within a brief period of four years flooded the state with infrastructure.

Unfortunately, the state fell into terribly hard times because succeeding governments performed below par and no way measured up to what Mbakwe did. They failed woefully and paled into insignificance when placed side by side Mbakwe. Worse, they could not sustain the late statesman’s trajectory but also retrogressed and allowed his legacies to rot away.

Therefore, Imolites are eager to know who will emerge on Saturday to extricate the state from the vise grip of insecurity and palpable misgovernance that have ravaged the state in recent times and reclaim its lost glory.

Nevertheless, what will determine who wins this election is the capacity of the victor to tackle the monstrous and hydra-headed, multi-faceted challenges confronting the state.

The people need someone that can pull the state back from the brink. That person must be believable and have a track record of verifiable, worthy actions in the past. He must have charisma and charm that will not only attract votes but also sustain the loyalty of the electorate.

How to pick this one person out of the 17 governorship candidates is the problem. That person must definitely emerge all the same on Saturday, November 11. What the people worry about is the process.

However, nobody wants to contemplate a situation where the Supreme Court or any other court at all would be used in determining the outcome of the election. That is why the people feel that whoever wins must do so convincingly.

To do this, people must overcome their apathy. They should put behind them the past and come out en masse to vote, knowing that staying away because of past disappointments could only end up empowering the wrong candidate to win.

As the people elect a new governor on Saturday, the prayer of all Imolites is for that man who has all it takes to foster genuine peace, ensure security, and restore Imo to the Mbakwe era when it was not only seen to be flourishing but evidently so.

Certainly, the odds are in favour of Senator Athan Nneji Achonu and his deputy, Hon. Tony Nwulu, the flag bearer of the Labour Party whose popularity and acceptance is soaring high.

Achonu appears to be more prepared than the rest and has a well-documented template for the transformation of Imo State. He also has the backing of Peter Obi, who has vouched for his leadership potential and service delivery.

He has also worked harder than others in selling his candidature and transversed all the state’s 27 local governments to interface with the people in rapturous, crowd-pulling campaigns. Many believe that he is the only candidate that can snatch victory from Governor Hope Uzodinma and deliver sustainable development to the people.

Achonu came into the race with a mission to salvage the state from the massacre of innocent citizens, kidnapping and the wanton destruction of property as well as maladministration and misapplication and of state’s meagre resources by unconscionable governments.

He wants to reverse the trajectory of inept and ineffective governance that has practically destroyed the hopes and aspirations of Ndi Imo.

Tackling the development challenges arising from this parlous state of affairs requires a new type of leadership paradigm attuned to the realities of the people’s existence and capable of galvanising them in a new direction.

These challenges have been a burden on the mind of the Labour Party candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, and he has already designed a template on how to tackle them and ‘Take Back Imo’ to the pinnacle.

Achonu and Hon. Tony Nwulu government shall be committed to: securing Imo State where the citizens would be free to live in and conduct their private businesses without let or hindrance in the pursuit of their individual or collective prosperity; access to reliable power supply as a backbone for industrial development and better living standards for the people through PPP/investments in the power sector.

In addition, the Achonu/Nwulu government will make education sector development, local government autonomy, industrialisation, agriculture, 45% affirmative action for women, health, environment and tourism as well technology top priorities when elected into government.

That is why people are urged to turn out in their numbers on Saturday to vote for Athan Achonu and the Labour Party without fear of intimidation.

In the spirit of igwebuike, people should come out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right to vote. The only tool to effect the change Imo desires is for eligible voters to put aside their fears and troop out to vote. Not doing so will only favour those that want the status quo to remain.

Remember, evil persists in a land where good people do nothing. Remember, you cannot afford to sit on the fence. Remember, you cannot afford not to get involved in enthroning the much desired change.

The weapon is in your PVC. It is only by exercising your franchise that Imo shall be rid of all the ills everyone complains about so that peace and prosperity could thrive.

Adequate security has already been provided all over the state to protect voters during and after the voting exercise. Those that used to be instruments of terror in the state have been caged and swept away. So, people should come out to cast their votes boldly without fear.

Finally, adequate arrangements have also been made to protect all valid votes. Ensure you cast your vote, wait for it to be counted and entered into the results sheets. Escort the votes to the ward Collation Centre. Rest assured, Senator Athan Achonu (Agu Otu Aka) will ensure that the votes are protected.

Vote for Athan Achonu; Vote for Labour Party; Vote for  Papa, Mama and Pikin!

NB: WHO’S FATIMA IBRAHIM?

I’ve been receiving strange calls from this faceless woman whom Truecaller identified as Fatima Ibrahim.

She called me through +2348120717717 and inquired if I was me. On confirming that, she hung up and neither called back nor picked my call.

This is just to put this on public notice.

I’m a true Nigerian citizen, going about my business and pursing my belief.  I am not a politician but a believer in good governance which has eluded Imo State for some time now.

I believe that a return to sanity in the state is ‘ATHANABLE’.

Whoever Fatima Ibrahim is, all eyes are on you, including the eyes of the various security agencies until you say what you want from me.

Opinion

IMO STATE MOVING TO RECLAIM LOST GLORY

Anthony Iwuoma

As Imo State goes to the polls in about 48 hours from now to elect a new governor, the residents are upbeat and looking forward to the great event.

This election marks a watershed in the annals of all elections in the state since its inception. This is so because the state has fallen on terribly hard times since the exit of its first democratically elected governor, Dr. Sam Onunaka Mbakwe.

The then governor, who was elected on the platform of the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) was well-known by the sobriquet of Weeping Governor. Indeed, he wept over the deplorable condition of the state, which was yet to recover from the ravages of the Nigeria-Biafra inglorious war that ended in 1970.

Mbakwe was angry, and hungry for the good of his people at the same time. So, he was a voracious accomplisher, who, within a brief period of four years flooded the state with infrastructure.

Unfortunately, the state fell into terribly hard times because succeeding governments performed below par and no way measured up to what Mbakwe did. They failed woefully and paled into insignificance when placed side by side Mbakwe. Worse, they could not sustain the late statesman’s trajectory but also retrogressed and allowed his legacies to rot away.

Therefore, Imolites are eager to know who will emerge on Saturday to extricate the state from the vise grip of insecurity and palpable misgovernance that have ravaged the state in recent times and reclaim its lost glory.

Nevertheless, what will determine who wins this election is the capacity of the victor to tackle the monstrous and hydra-headed, multi-faceted challenges confronting the state.

The people need someone that can pull the state back from the brink. That person must be believable and have a track record of verifiable, worthy actions in the past. He must have charisma and charm that will not only attract votes but also sustain the loyalty of the electorate.

How to pick this one person out of the 17 governorship candidates is the problem. That person must definitely emerge all the same on Saturday, November 11. What the people worry about is the process.

However, nobody wants to contemplate a situation where the Supreme Court or any other court at all would be used in determining the outcome of the election. That is why the people feel that whoever wins must do so convincingly.

To do this, people must overcome their apathy. They should put behind them the past and come out en masse to vote, knowing that staying away because of past disappointments could only end up empowering the wrong candidate to win.

As the people elect a new governor on Saturday, the prayer of all Imolites is for that man who has all it takes to foster genuine peace, ensure security, and restore Imo to the Mbakwe era when it was not only seen to be flourishing but evidently so.

Certainly, the odds are in favour of Senator Athan Nneji Achonu and his deputy, Hon. Tony Nwulu, the flag bearer of the Labour Party whose popularity and acceptance is soaring high.

Achonu appears to be more prepared than the rest and has a well-documented template for the transformation of Imo State. He also has the backing of Peter Obi, who has vouched for his leadership potential and service delivery.

He has also worked harder than others in selling his candidature and transversed all the state’s 27 local governments to interface with the people in rapturous, crowd-pulling campaigns. Many believe that he is the only candidate that can snatch victory from Governor Hope Uzodinma and deliver sustainable development to the people.

Achonu came into the race with a mission to salvage the state from the massacre of innocent citizens, kidnapping and the wanton destruction of property as well as maladministration and misapplication and of state’s meagre resources by unconscionable governments.

He wants to reverse the trajectory of inept and ineffective governance that has practically destroyed the hopes and aspirations of Ndi Imo.

Tackling the development challenges arising from this parlous state of affairs requires a new type of leadership paradigm attuned to the realities of the people’s existence and capable of galvanising them in a new direction.

These challenges have been a burden on the mind of the Labour Party candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, and he has already designed a template on how to tackle them and ‘Take Back Imo’ to the pinnacle.

Achonu and Hon. Tony Nwulu government shall be committed to: securing Imo State where the citizens would be free to live in and conduct their private businesses without let or hindrance in the pursuit of their individual or collective prosperity; access to reliable power supply as a backbone for industrial development and better living standards for the people through PPP/investments in the power sector.

In addition, the Achonu/Nwulu government will make education sector development, local government autonomy, industrialisation, agriculture, 45% affirmative action for women, health, environment and tourism as well technology top priorities when elected into government.

That is why people are urged to turn out in their numbers on Saturday to vote for Athan Achonu and the Labour Party without fear of intimidation.

In the spirit of igwebuike, people should come out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right to vote. The only tool to effect the change Imo desires is for eligible voters to put aside their fears and troop out to vote. Not doing so will only favour those that want the status quo to remain.

Remember, evil persists in a land where good people do nothing. Remember, you cannot afford to sit on the fence. Remember, you cannot afford not to get involved in enthroning the much desired change.

The weapon is in your PVC. It is only by exercising your franchise that Imo shall be rid of all the ills everyone complains about so that peace and prosperity could thrive.

Adequate security has already been provided all over the state to protect voters during and after the voting exercise. Those that used to be instruments of terror in the state have been caged and swept away. So, people should come out to cast their votes boldly without fear.

Finally, adequate arrangements have also been made to protect all valid votes. Ensure you cast your vote, wait for it to be counted and entered into the results sheets. Escort the votes to the ward Collation Centre. Rest assured, Senator Athan Achonu (Agu Otu Aka) will ensure that the votes are protected.

Vote for Athan Achonu; Vote for Labour Party; Vote for  Papa, Mama and Pikin!

NB: WHO’S FATIMA IBRAHIM?

I’ve been receiving strange calls from  voracious accomplisher, who, within a brief period of four years flooded the state with infrastructure.

Unfortunately, the state fell into terribly hard times because succeeding governments performed below par and no way measured up to what Mbakwe did. They failed woefully and paled into insignificance when placed side by side Mbakwe. Worse, they could not sustain the late statesman’s trajectory but also retrogressed and allowed his legacies to rot away.

Therefore, Imolites are eager to know who will emerge on Saturday to extricate the state from the vise grip of insecurity and palpable misgovernance that have ravaged the state in recent times and reclaim its lost glory.

Nevertheless, what will determine who wins this election is the capacity of the victor to tackle the monstrous and hydra-headed, multi-faceted challenges confronting the state.

The people need someone that can pull the state back from the brink. That person must be believable and have a track record of verifiable, worthy actions in the past. He must have charisma and charm that will not only attract votes but also sustain the loyalty of the electorate.

How to pick this one person out of the 17 governorship candidates is the problem. That person must definitely emerge all the same on Saturday, November 11. What the people worry about is the process.

However, nobody wants to contemplate a situation where the Supreme Court or any other court at all would be used in determining the outcome of the election. That is why the people feel that whoever wins must do so convincingly.

To do this, people must overcome their apathy. They should put behind them the past and come out en masse to vote, knowing that staying away because of past disappointments could only end up empowering the wrong candidate to win.

As the people elect a new governor on Saturday, the prayer of all Imolites is for that man who has all it takes to foster genuine peace, ensure security, and restore Imo to the Mbakwe era when it was not only seen to be flourishing but evidently so.

Certainly, the odds are in favour of Senator Athan Nneji Achonu and his deputy, Hon. Tony Nwulu, the flag bearer of the Labour Party whose popularity and acceptance is soaring high.

Achonu appears to be more prepared than the rest and has a well-documented template for the transformation of Imo State. He also has the backing of Peter Obi, who has vouched for his leadership potential and service delivery.

He has also worked harder than others in selling his candidature and transversed all the state’s 27 local governments to interface with the people in rapturous, crowd-pulling campaigns. Many believe that he is the only candidate that can snatch victory from Governor Hope Uzodinma and deliver sustainable development to the people.

Achonu came into the race with a mission to salvage the state from the massacre of innocent citizens, kidnapping and the wanton destruction of property as well as maladministration and misapplication and of state’s meagre resources by unconscionable governments.

He wants to reverse the trajectory of inept and ineffective governance that has practically destroyed the hopes and aspirations of Ndi Imo.

Tackling the development challenges arising from this parlous state of affairs requires a new type of leadership paradigm attuned to the realities of the people’s existence and capable of galvanising them in a new direction.

These challenges have been a burden on the mind of the Labour Party candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, and he has already designed a template on how to tackle them and ‘Take Back Imo’ to the pinnacle.

Achonu and Hon. Tony Nwulu government shall be committed to: securing Imo State where the citizens would be free to live in and conduct their private businesses without let or hindrance in the pursuit of their individual or collective prosperity; access to reliable power supply as a backbone for industrial development and better living standards for the people through PPP/investments in the power sector.

In addition, the Achonu/Nwulu government will make education sector development, local government autonomy, industrialisation, agriculture, 45% affirmative action for women, health, environment and tourism as well technology top priorities when elected into government.

That is why people are urged to turn out in their numbers on Saturday to vote for Athan Achonu and the Labour Party without fear of intimidation.

In the spirit of igwebuike, people should come out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right to vote. The only tool to effect the change Imo desires is for eligible voters to put aside their fears and troop out to vote. Not doing so will only favour those that want the status quo to remain.

Remember, evil persists in a land where good people do nothing. Remember, you cannot afford to sit on the fence. Remember, you cannot afford not to get involved in enthroning the much desired change.

The weapon is in your PVC. It is only by exercising your franchise that Imo shall be rid of all the ills everyone complains about so that peace and prosperity could thrive.

Adequate security has already been provided all over the state to protect voters during and after the voting exercise. Those that used to be instruments of terror in the state have been caged and swept away. So, people should come out to cast their votes boldly without fear.

Finally, adequate arrangements have also been made to protect all valid votes. Ensure you cast your vote, wait for it to be counted and entered into the results sheets. Escort the votes to the ward Collation Centre. Rest assured, Senator Athan Achonu (Agu Otu Aka) will ensure that the votes are protected.

Vote for Athan Achonu; Vote for Labour Party; Vote for  Papa, Mama and Pikin!

NB: WHO’S FATIMA IBRAHIM?

I’ve been receiving strange calls from this faceless woman whom Truecaller identified as Fatima Ibrahim.

She called me through +2348120717717 and inquired if I was me. On confirming that, she hung up and neither called back nor picked my call.

This is just to put this on public notice.

I’m a true Nigerian citizen, going about my business and pursing my belief.  I am not a politician but a believer in good governance which has eluded Imo State for some time now.

I believe that a return to sanity in the state is ‘ATHANABLE’.

Whoever Fatima Ibrahim is, all eyes are on you, including the eyes of the various security agencies until you say what you want from me.

Anthony Iwuoma is a public affairs analyst.