While I condemn in its entirety the pictorial misrepresentation and the over sensationalism of the handshake between the governor of Abia state, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu PhD. and the APGA governorship candidate for the 2015 general elections Dr. Alex Chioma Otti by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Enyinnaya Appolos, at the burial ceremony of Chief Mrs. Felicia Agbazuere, mother of Dr. ACB Agbazuere, the former commissioner for information and strategy in Abia state at Ikem Nvosi, in Isiala Ngwa South LGA, which ignited an instant reaction by Ferdinand Ekeoma, Dr. Otti’s media adviser, I want to use this medium to appreciate the courage, humility and political dexterity of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu for doing what I immediately termed a show of open heartedness, love, political maturity and willingness to partner and learn where need be.

While on the side of Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, I lack words to describe his exhibition of warmness, large heartedness, humility and maturity displayed on the 27th of October 2017, this side of Dr. Otti is what has been hidden from Abians by the media and even by Dr. Otti’s media handlers, they have always given us a picture of an all-knowing supreme leader who doesn’t tolerate opposing views and at the same time too full of himself that humility is not found in his dictionary, his followers has always painted a picture of a man whose stone rigidity is not fit for our clime and polity and that has made an average Abian who is not used to regimental life style to always get scared at the mention of the name Dr. Alex Chioma Otti.

The Dr. Alex Otti that I saw and mirrored through his actions on that day is a man who is very accommodating, very forgiving and willing to relate even with the lowliest of beings.

If all our political leaders can imbibe the culture of accommodating and relating with each other or even come together to discuss the affairs of the state and how to move the state forward, I bet you Abia would have gone beyond where it is today.

It is very saddening that our political leaders have seen politics in Abia as a winner takes all affair where the spoils of office is more important than the task of providing leadership and improving the state, while their followers are meant to remain enemies to each other so as to protect their own selfish gains, it is also very unfortunate that our leaders have tactically devised a means whereby even members of the same political party who do not belong to same camp are viewed as enemies and must be kept divided so as to give the leaders the latitude to loot and steal unchecked.

If our political leaders and those we look upto for guidance will be willing to make public show of love and political understanding once in a while after elections like we see in Akwaibom, Cross River, lagos etc. no matter how cosmetic it is, it will help to create a political atmosphere of peace, unity and political understanding amongst the followers and will still not stop them or any one from criticizing the government when they err, or playing politics when it is time.

While I blame the government for making political reconciliation impossible after elections by not accepting developmental criticism and seeing even the most noble of advices as coming from opposition, I will also encourage our opposition political leadership to call the government to order when its actions are geared towards abridging the fortunes of the state rather than enhancing it and for the government to take in such advices in good faith and see the opposition as partners in progress rather than enemies as that is the only time we can truly say we are Abians, we are great.

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia