It is a widely held opinion among the generality of Imo people, particularly among the elites, the political class and enlightened members of the public that our governor does not read newspapers, or even listen to radio or watch television except AIT (African Independent Television). The reason for Your Excellency’s preference forAIT is obvious. That is the channel where most of your budget for publicity goes.
Another widely held opinion is that you don’t care of what people say or the type of opinion, which they hold of your government.
As a public opinion analyst, if in fact your office keeps records of those publications written on either you or your government, it could be found when you were sworn in as the governor, that I wrote to pledge my both professional and intellectual support to your government. I did make it clear that although as a card carrying member of PDP, as one who has sympathy for PDP, I would support your government because your policies, whether they are good or bad, must have explicit or implicit bearing on my own welfare and welfare of the generality of Imo people. And since then, although I have mostly written on national political issues, from time to time, I have commented on your style of leadership with a view to helping you seriously to take a look at some of those issues or views being expressed.
Now, I have decided to write to Your Excellency this open letter in order to draw the attention of Your Excellency to some vital issues I have to canvases here. More so, you have at least an alert media aide who sometimes is quick to respond to some issues raises, either positively or negatively. For sure, as a courageous and experience journalist, although sometime you over react on issues that should simply be ignore, thereby making such issues a matter of public discourse.
Because, these issues are being discussed here would have a lot of positive or negative consequences on your history record if not properly addressed.
After all, according to Washington Kent, “leaders must be wary of their actions so that history would not judge them negatively . Any leader who ignores the lasting judgment of history is bound to have his record painted on dark side of history.”
These two issues, which I want to discuss here, are: your plan to have a mock election among your party’s aspirants before the actual party primaries of your party, APC.
Yes, you may have your own idea what you want to do, how to go about and what you want to achieve. But you must be reminded that in political process, Hallmark Winchester has reasoned, “public opinion on any issue is transient because of the dynamic of people’s perception of issues which tend to control their opinions intermittently”.
It is reported that you have said that the purpose of the proposed mock election before primaries is for the numerous aspirants to be judged at the level of their popularity. Your Excellency, it does not work that way. Popularity is not the same with electability. These are two incompatible variables. One who is popular not may not necessarily be one who may have electability prospects.
For example, Hubert Humphrey, a one-time Vice President in America was very popular but he was not successful in his two attempts to become an American President. Why? Because, popularity is very relative. Those tangible and intangible things that make somebody to be popular may not be enough to persuade people to vote for that person for an office.
Furthermore, there are so many components, which could make it possible for one to be elected to an office. These may include image, which is the catalyst to win election, this is equally contingent on a person’s relationship with the voting people block, education and political awareness.
For example, if a young footballer is popular among the football playing groups, he is not likely to win an election because the social strata of voters is likely to exclude most of his supporters, particularly those under 18 years. Moreover, such group does not necessarily take interest in election matters. This is why George Weah of Liberia failed election as a Presidential candidate.
Thus, if you subject your party office aspirants to a mock election, you are likely to precipitate internal part discord which instantly would benefit other political parties who are waiting on the side to receive those who may be axed out through your mock election.
That idea, in your opinion may be rosy and inviting, Governor, Sir, I nogo work. Take another look at it.
The second issue, which is of course related to the first, is the news that you have asked your Deputy and Chief of Staff, “not to be cowards, that they should come out for the office of a governor.”
One may ask: “Who is this Governor’s Political Adviser.” On record, we know that you have one of the most experienced and astute politicians in the person of Chief P.C. Onuoha. Who are those that gave you this type of advice? Whether or not you listen to the aides’ advice, which many doubt you don’t, of what purpose, do they serve then?
What you have just said, if it is correct, and it may be since it has not been refuted by your alert SSA Media. Were you not the person who asked your aides a couple of months ago in a meeting for those who would like to contest for the governorship to indicate? Boldly enough, Dr. Charles Onuoha was courageous to raise his hand declaring his interest. Where is he today and what happened to him after that show of lion’s courage?
By asking some of your senior aides to declare interest to contest for the seat you are occupying tantamounts to a tiger inviting a ram to pay him a courtesy visit.
If you want them to come out to do so, first, you must publicly declare that Your Excellency is not going to seek for a re-election. Then, by all standards of political processes in a presidential system, you should tell the people that Your Deputy is to be supported to replace you. Then, they will be free to come out.
Besides, it is a generally held opinions that Your Deputy has demonstrated uncommon loyalty, commitment and respect to you and to your projects as the governor, hence people believe that he is the person you should anoint. “In whom you should be well please.” Unless he, too, publicly says that he is not keen to replace his oga. Of course, since he is from Owerri zone, there is no reason he should not get public acclamation.
There is one thing in your behavioural pattern that attracts a lot of public discourse. That is your apparent inconsistencies in respect of your objective or mission. At one time, both your body language, utterances, etc, indicate that you want to re-contest for a second term.
On the other hand, your body language, utterances and postulations suggest that you want to seek for the Vice Presidential ticket in your party. And the way you are doing it does not invoke a lot of confidence, perhaps among your party hierarchy. Unfortunately, you behave as if you are the only person from South East in APC that could be given the VC ticket. No, my governor, it does not work out that way.
According to Peter Williams, “often, politicians think and see themselves as tin gods once they are holding public offices. But they don’t measure their actions or inaction at the bar of public opinion to determine where they fall on the measurement scale of public rating.”
Thus, it will be not too bad idea if Your Excellency can stop for one moment to reflect over some of your public utterances to ensure that they do not cause you unmanageable wahala of negative dimension. But the truth is this, will you? Certainly, many believe that you will never, because you are an emperor in an island of wisdom, who knows it all. May the good Lord give you the real wisdom to know that, according to Walter Bagehot, “What touches all must be discussed and approved by all, even by a majority”.