by Obidike Nwagwu
Imo State and the entire South East in recent times, have been experiencing a high rate of insecurity, which had led to loss of lives and property, with an Anglican priest who tried to protect innocent students writing WAEC exams, being the latest victim to the hostilities that has engulfed the region.
As expected of his office, the Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma invited law enforcement agencies into the state to combat the activities of criminal elements in the state which unfortunately have so far led to loss of innocent lives caught in the crossfire between hoodlums and security agencies.
Interestingly, the state of insecurity in the state, have become a propaganda tool for the Imo State PDP, who have capitalised on it, to attack the Hope Uzodinma administration, without condemning the activities of the criminals.
More worrisome is the silence of party leaders in the state, most especially the sacked former governor, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha.
Aside from the Mbaitoli and Ikeduru Federal House of Representatives member, Rt Hon Henry Nwawuba, who is of the PDP, that have lent his voice to condemn the Insecurity in the state, and called on security operatives to exercise caution in handling the situation in the state, the party and their champion Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, have remained noticeably silent over the issue, abandoning Imo people to their fate.
Many Imolites have expected to read a Press release from the former governor, or even see him on TV, or hear him on the radio, condemning the actions of the hoodlums that seen determined to ensure Imo State is ungovernable. But Ihedioha have so far disappointed.
Even another former governor of PDP extraction, Chief Achike Udenwa have followed the example set by his younger colleague Ihedioha, and shied away from calling for ceasefire in the state, especially in Orlu where he too comes from.
Udenwa is known to have grievances against Senator Hope Uzodinma, as Uzodinma supposedly prevented him from getting to the Senate. Both men have over time never seen eye to eye, as Uzodinma have always dominated the former governor in Orlu.
The PDP have rather been rumoured to be hobnobbing with the former governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, who is under probe for mismanaging the state for eight years.
A casual observer would wonder why they seem to celebrate the insecurity in the state, because of the negative image it is trying to paint for Uzodinma, without regard for the lives that have been lost in the state over it.
It can be recalled that Governor Hope Uzodinma have continually insisted, that those behind the Insecurity in Imo State were not members of IPOB or ESN, but rather, disgruntled politicains.
Who are these politicians?
Obviously they would be people who want Uzodinma to fail so that they can get to power. Corrupt politicains, being probed for their wrongdoings, who will want chaos and confusion to reign in the state so that their sins would be ignored, can also be behind the insecurity. Bitter politicains, who feel slighted can also prefer an insecure Imo just to harm Uzodinma’s name, without caring the effect on the people.
They have the means (loots), and they have demonstrated capability and connection to hire criminal elements in the past. Such politicians would more likely play politics with the Insecurity in the state, rather than condemning it, or proffering solutions.
There comes a time when people, regardless of their political platforms, come together for the sake of the state and it is unfortunate that Imo PDP and this leader Ihedioha is still too bitter with the Supreme Court ruling, to realise that this is an opportunity for leadership, where his voice would have mattered the most.
So far he had missed that chance and as 2023 draws close when he would once again climb on top of 911 trucks to wave at people on the road, Imo people will ask that very important question to him.
“Where was your voice when we needed it the most?”
