TWO YEARS AFTERMATH OF THE SUPREME COURT CONTROVERSIAL JUDGEMENT: NGOR-OKPALA CONSTITUENCY VACANT SEAT BYE- ELECTION, A FIRST TEST OF MIGHT AND POPULARITY BETWEEN CHIEF EMEKA IHEDIOHA AND GOV. HOPE UZODIMMA.

+ Njoku MacDonald Obinna

Owerrri, Imo State.

January 14th, 2022, marks exactly two years of the heart wrecking and unfortunate sack of Chief Emeka Ihedioha as the 'purportedly' duly elected governor of Imo State in the 2019 Governorship Elections as the Supreme Court delivered a most controversial, confusing and unexpected judgement that would not only haunt its corporate image and the country's electoral jurisprudence in years to come, but would also hold a major place in Nigeria's history; for all the wrong reasons. A man who was said to have come behind 4th position during the election was eventually declared winner of the exercise through the 'Ben Johnson way.' What a political melodrama? No thanks to the CJN, Hon. Justice Tanko Mohammed , who, despite a dissenting voice against that judgement hit his judicial sledge hammer and the gavel to seal the Apex Court verdict. Emeka was simply heart broken, no pretense about that!

It was an unexpected heavyweight upper cut, out of the boxing ring; a big political blow to the sacked governor, who was, in a worst case scenario expected a re-run election in the affected reportedly excluded 388 polling units where Sen. Hope Uzodimma 'Maradonically' claimed he garnered high votes. To Emeka Ihedioha, it was a stench of nauseating experience as loyalty immediately drifted to the camp of the beneficiary of the Supreme Court verdict, Sen. Hope Uzodimma.

In a swipe of days running into weeks after the Supreme Court judgement, Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins, then Speaker, led 8 other members of the Imo State House of Assembly under the platform of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, to join the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. We learnt, money exchanged hands as heartwarming promises were made to the political decampees by their new bride, Governor Hope Uzodimma. While a rather heart broken Ihedioha was lonely licking his political wounds, but one thing was sacrosanct. He was neither abandoned nor deserted!


Since that infamous Supreme Court judgement of January 14th, 2020, which sacked Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as the Executive Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodimma who benefited from the judgement has continued to govern Imo State with renewed energy and reaffirmed determination of his Administration's drive to do everything humanly possible to deliver on its 3R Mantra of Reconstruction, Rehabilation and Recovery. Nonetheless, Emeka Ihedioha is still very much relevant, he is also on ground with a wider spectrum of followership. He is still dear to the people despite having been removed from office two years ago.



However, while Sen. Hope Uzodimma has continued to enjoy the euphoria of his elevated position as Imo State governor and the No 1. Citizen of the Eastern Heartland as he makes news headlines for both good and bad reasons, Chief Emeka Ihedioha's soaring and sustained popularity among Imo people is as endearing and refreshingly tasty as a new wine. Governor Hope Uzodimma who understands the implications of this and big challenge it may pose to his second term bid is also not resting on his oars as he started the new year by rolling out a number of new projects to embark on promising to complete ongoing ones with a midas touch of excellence and quality work delivery during the most successful Imo Stakeholders' Meeting held fortnight ago. It was a wonderful opportunity for the governor to reel out his Administration's scorecard of achievements within his two years in office under review; using the highly publicised 'naming ceremony' of sponsors of kidnapping and terrorism in the state as a veritable strategy to attract audience. Onwa Onyoko is smart, and a good boardroom political strategist.



To this end, the governor has continued to work very assiduously towards ensuring that he gains popularity in different parts of the state, particularly in the areas where Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appear to be stronger. In his bid to win more supporters from the Mbaise nation where the sacked governor hailed from, Sen. Hope Uzodimma at the Stakeholders' Meeting announced the Imo State Government's plans to embark on the reconstruction of the 12 years abandoned dilapidated Aboh Mbaise and Ngor- Okpala strategic road through Aba road which connects the two local government areas but was said to have been neglected throughout the 12 years Chief Emeka Ihedioha served in the National Assembly and even during his days as Imo State governor.

On the other hand, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, who has already announced his intentions to return to power in 2023, is reportedly said to be out to maintain the control of his territories; visa viz: Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise, Ezinihitte Mbaise and Ngor -Okpala LGAs.


With the two political warlords out to take hold of some areas ahead of the 2023 governorship elections, the duo could have their first test of might and popularity since the 2019 governorship election sooner than expected. This is due to the fact that the two political giants have shown vested interest in the Ngor-Okpala State Constituency Bye-Election wherein the seat of Hon. Tochi Okereke representing the Constituency was declared vacant last month by the resolution of the House due to non- representation, lackluster legislative outing, flagrant display of absenteeism without remorse, inaccessibility by members of his constituency among other disturbing petitions submitted to the House Comitteee on Ethics And Privileges.



It should be recalled that reports revealed that Governor Hope Uzodinma is showing interest in the election, to add the local government to the areas under his control. At the same time, Ihedioha who represented Aboh Mbaise/Ngor-Okpala Federal Constituency, sees the local government as his domain, and has reportedly shown interest in ensuring that the PDP retains the State Constituency seat which was recently declared vacant.


The quest to take hold of territories in preparations for the 2023 showdown, could see Emeka Ihedioha, and Governor Hope Uzodinma, flex their political muscles at the March 2022 Ngor-Okpala State Constituency Bye-Election. Arguably, the outcome of the election could go a long way in defining the projections, perceptions and expectations of Imo people ahead of the 2023 general elections as other political gladiators also throw their weight for or against the two giants as they slug it out at the polls if Emeka Ihedioha 'eventually' gets the party ticket.


Having come out of the rude shock and political tsunami that hit him very badly through the January 14th, 2020, controversial Supreme Court judgement, Chief Emeka Ihedioha has not lost his presence of mind again. He is more prepared and must have learnt some lessons from his past mistakes.



While he poses as a big threat to the second term bid of Governor Hope Uzodimma judging by his sustained popularity over the years, however, the likes of Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu and other Imo frontline political gladiators are coming to have their own pound of flesh against the man who was dubbed *'the Supreme Court Governor'* in 2020, through the controversial judgement of the Apex Court which was presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Muhammad Tanko, SAN.


+ Njoku MacDonald Obinna


Publisher,



© 4th Estate Reporters

Which test of popularity?


Who doesn't know that PDP has Igbo by the balls