By Iwuoha Moses
As the September local government elections in Imo state is gradually gaining ground, some political gladiators and lily-livers are remotely angling to malign reputations purpotedly suspected to be covertly working for tough punchies.
The most important discussion to be deliberated or considered before, during and after the election is the calous, intentional and overwhelming marginalization of Ubomiri political bloc
What is more annoying is that these politicians fanning the ember of discord in Mbaitoli local government are mainly those obviously convinced that the good people of Mbaitoli will never consider them in their good books. To them, the only way to scuttle the election is to create unnecessary sentiment, panic and tension by cunningly churning outa non existent zoning arrangement to hit up the polity.
Unknown to these disgruntled elements that should the issue of zoning is considered prominently, Ubomiri political bloc should be given a high political premium having undergone terribly marginalization in the process of producing an elected Executive council chairman since the inception of Mbaitoli LGA.
Relying on an age long saying that “power is taken and not given”. Political Analysts are of the view that the principle of zoning though, perfectly okay, should be jettisoned to allow room for credible individuals to emerge. Ubomiri political bloc is not interested in the zoning arrangement, not minding that no matter how the game goes, the said clamored zoning arrangement still favours Ubomiri in line with the principle of equity, fairness and justice.
If power is taken as asserted, it therefore becomes clannish and tribal jingoistic instinct for any politician to rely on such unconstitutional formula to fan the ember of discord, acrimony and animosity.
Politics is a serious business and anyone stepping into the game must first understand the intricacies obviously involved in it, if such person is willing to succeed.
Currently, there is an ongoing scheming by political miscreants to malign top distinguished leaders of Mbaitoli LGA. One of such leaders is, Chief Dr Leo-Stan Ekeh. This unprovoked plot is a fall out of the currently deliberated council election.
While most of these elements struggling to drag Chief Leo-Stan Ekeh into a local and petty politics have forgotten in a hurry that the globally recognized business mogul is neither a politician nor interested in who becomes the LGA Chairman.
He is too busy with his global business chains and therefore, does not have the time to spend on who becomes the next Chairman of Mbaitoli LGA. Chief Ekeh has not endorsed or annointed anyone as the next Chairman of Mbaitoli LGA. What this means is that anyine dropping his name for political gains should stop immediately or be publicly embarrassed.
In showing our disgust over this unmitigated and unnecessary outburst, we demand for a rejoinder, retraction and unreserved apology from the mastermind and sponsors of this obvious blackmail of Chief Dr Leo-Stan Ekeh.
If a full fledged politician jostling to occupy the seat of Executive Chairman of Mbaitoli LGA could fraudulently drop the name of his fellow human, it therefore appears tgat such individual is nor qualified to be elected due to his immaturity and childishness.
Anyone using his name while campaigning is not being fair to him because he has neither thrown his support on anybody nor interested on who becomes the Executive Chairman of Mbaitoli LGA.
Candidates running for the Chairmanship position should concentrate on their campaigns manifestos that be issue based and what he would offer to the people of Mbaitoli instead of peddling falsehood of endorsement to score cheap political relevance. Enough is enough!
What these professional blackmailers intend to achieve in their fabricated plot to dent his image is to re-echo a non existent, repugnant and unconstitutional zoning tale of unimaginable proportion to divert attention and close the gap to avoid curious minds to know the exact political bloc in Mbaitoli LGA that is terribly marginalized.
The truth of the matter is that since the inception of Mbaitoli local government area, no Ubomiri son or daughter has ever being considered or elected the Executive council Chairman.
This alone if it appears to be the truth, is a deliberate conviction to prove to both friends and foes that Ubomiri political bloc deserves to be elected the Executive Chairman in the September 2024 local government election.
It is most worrisome that after much rape of democracy and obvious dominance, some uninformed politicians from Mbieri extraction are misplacing and misinterpreting fact, all in a bid to deceive the gullible individuals with sentiment of non existent zoning imbroglio.
Not forgetting that if zoning arrangement ever exists or has existed in Mbaitoli LGA, first consideration should go to Ubomiri political bloc which is one of the largest political blocs in the entire Mbaitoli LGA that had yet to govern the council.
However, if such deliberate political insult is meted out at the people of Ubomiri Bloc, it is not out of place if any leader in Mbaitoli LGA or from any part whatsoever considers it expedient and absolutely proper to field any Ubomiri son or daughter to clinge the position of Mbaitoli local government Chairmanship.
It is worthy to note that since the inception of Mbaitoli LGA, the Chairmanship position of the council has been the sole property of the Mbieri people right from Late Chief Slyvernus Ekeanyanwu and when Hon Osita Opara took over. The question is, who among these leaders and political town criers from Mbieri Bloc has ever come out boldly to condemn this deliberate marginalization on other blocs especially, the Ubomiri political bloc?
Yes, the Ubomiri political bloc has a highly rated and unlimitedly connected son in Chief Leo-Stan Ekeh, but due to his philosophy in life for unity, peace and for a level playing field, no time has he ever used his contacts to impose an unpopular person on the people of Mbaitoli LGA.
Those orchestrating this sentiment of division and acrimony should be aware that if Chief Leo-Stan Ekeh did not recommend Dr. Mrs. Chinyere Ekomaru from Mbieri, there is no way she would have scaled through as Deputy Governor of Imo State today. On the same note, Hon. Chinasa Opara was appointed the SOLAD of Mbaitoli LGA by the Governor based on Chief Leo-Stan Ekeh’s recommendation to the Governor.
The questions now begging for answer are, these individuals recommended for appointment by Chief Leo-Stan Ekeh, are they indigenes of Ubomiri bloc? The answer is no! If this exposure is false, both Dr Mrs Chinyere Ekomaru and Hon Chinasa Opara can step out to deny it within 48 hours.
Therefore, going by the high clamour and anguish of marginalization of the Ubomiri political bloc by Mbieri nation and their people, some leaders also from same Mbieri Bloc are scheming though, laced with political gimmicks to create a selfish sentiment of purpoted zoning arrangement, not knowning that they are shooting themselves in the leg.
For the purposes of records and charity, Mbieri political bloc alone has occupied the following positions so far; Mbaitoli LGA Chairmen, Chief Osita Opara, Chief Onny Egbunihe are from Mbieri. Former Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, IB Okafor (House of Representatives candidate), current Deputy Governor, Dr Chinyere Ekomaru, immediate past House of Assembly member, Rt Hon Okey Onyekanma, past SOLAD, Hon Chinasa Opara, incumbent SOLAD, Hon Ifunanya Nwanebo, among others are Mbieri sons and daughters.
The truth of the matter is that Mbieri political bloc has dominated the Chairmanship of Mbaitoli L.G.A since the council got separated from Ikeduru.
It is unwholesome and smacks of greed and selfishness that upon all these positions previously and presently occupied by Mbieri people, some uninformed political miscreants are shamelessly criticizing leaders of Ubomiri Bloc who have pacevered for too long to clinge the Chairmanship position of Mbaitoli LGA.
By so doing, the good people of Mbaitoli LGA should know that following this misbehavior of some Mbieri political bloc and its leaders, the soul, interest and relevance of an average Ubomiri , Ogbaku, Umunoha, Azara, Ogwa, Afara, Ifakala, and Orodo person cannot, should not and will never be protected going by the deliberate political dominance.
It is on the records that from 1999 till date, people from other political blocs have been so lenient, patience, liberal, generous and fair to the Mbieri people. Prominent positions that come to the LGA were previously and presently occupied by them yet, nothing happens, why then will they resort to politics of blackmail, calumni and falsehood if not to malign the reputation of Chief Leo-Stan Ekeh?
Today, upon all the positions occupied by Mbieri political bloc, what has the Ogwa, Orodo, Ubomiri, Azara, Umunoha, Afara or Ifakala benefited from the outings?
The questions are; what is the position of an average Mbaitoli person in the current political dispensation and hegemony of Mbieri political bloc? If other political blocs have been relegated and marginalized especially, Ubomiri Bloc this much by the Mbieri Bloc, the continued emasculation and re-echoing of zoning abracadabra by Mbieri bloc is nothing but an obvious cajoling and insult on the sensibility of the entire people of Mbaitoli LGA aside Mbieri nation.