Uzodimma Replies Okorocha’s Grouse Over Imo Stakeholders Meeting

The fallout of last Saturday’s Governor Hope Uzodimma’s Stakeholders meeting where he played host to Imo leaders and elders, intimating them the state of the state and the progress made so far.

The Governor was applauded for the positive outcome of the voyage of restoring the large scale insecurity in the state. More applause was also credited to Uzodimma for his remodelling of Owerri Roads and management traffic situation.

Meanwhile, Uzodimma also bowed to ensure that he continues with one of the legs of his three legged agenda of his 3R, which is Recovery, stating most of the things the government has been able to recover.

In a swift response, the former Governor of Imo State, Senator Ethelbert Okorocha did not seem to be happy with the outing, even as he was not seen anywhere around the arena despite his claim of membership of All Progressives Congress.

This bitterness was expressed through his Media Adviser, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, who simply taunted and described the whole essence as a charade.

Okorocha accused the Governor of no carrying other stakeholders along where only those in his kitten were invited. He further berated Uzodimma of not carrying the market women and other leaders of various sectors along.

He described Ikedi Ohakim as a mere fairweather politician who is open to anyone in power, an issue he simply described as immoral.

But in response to Okorocha’s reservation, one of the media aides of Uzodimma wrote thus:

GOV. UZODIMMA COMMENDABLE STAKEHOLDERS’ MEETING AND THE FUTILE ATTEMPT BY FEW OPPOSITION ELEMENTS TO POISON THE LAUDABLE OUTCOME

… A REPLY TO ONWUEMEDO’S ARTICLE TITLED ” GOV. UZODIMMA’S “STAKEHOLDERS” OR “STOCK-HOLDERS” MEETING AND IKEDI OHAKIM’S ANGLE (1)

By Nwamkpa Modestus (KSM)

My attention was drawn to an Article written by Mr Sam Onwuemeodo with the above caption. Clearly, he wrote with a bad fate apparently after discovering and getting jolted with the torrential commendations pouring in from Imolites both at home in the diaspora on Governor Hope Uzodimma for recognizing the need to regularly brief Imo people about his government, a development which everybody agreed had been lacking especially during the 8 years misrule of Onwuemeodo’s Boss.

In that jaundiced article, Onwuemeodo raised certain issues which provoked this exercise from me. If I were him, the best way to have started could have been to first tell my readers whether his Boss Sen Okorocha ever had any stakeholder or ‘stock holder’ meeting for the 8 inglorious years he was Governor and who and who attended. He should have atleast, before enumerating how many former Governors, senators etc that attended last Saturday’s hugely attended Stakeholders’ meeting, how many of such personalities attended any one called by Okorocha. I had expected him to do that so that we can take off from there.

Unfortunately, Onwuemeodo smartly feigned ignorance and neatly dodged that angle. Sharp guy! He knows that for 8 years, Imo people were starved of information as the then government was ran in top secrecy. Ofcourse, if Okorocha had done that, Imo people would have questioned and protested his substandard jobs, mindless looting of Imo Assets and monumental embezzlement that characterized that regime. So it is baffling to me how Onwuemeodo, obviously acting a script of Okorocha could question the most widely attended stakeholder meeting ever called by any state Governor in the entire Southern part of Nigeria.

In any case, I thank Sam for letting the world know just very few star sturded and quality personalities that attended. Yes, Ohakim, as a former attended while Udenwa, Okorocha and Ihedioha did not attend for reasons all of us already know. First, it is obvious that there is no how shame could have allowed Okorocha to attend such a gathering of Imo people after inflicting the kind of injury in the state by ruling the state for 8 years without leaning a single motorable road. He is obviously afraid that he might face open embarrassment if he comes to such gathering. As for Udenwa and Ihedioha, we know why they cannot come.

For record purposes, these personalities attended:
Professor George Obiozor
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu
H.E. Chief Ikedi Ohakim
Sen Chris Anyanwu
Amb Sen Mathew Nwagwu
Rt Hon Maxwell Duru
Rt Hon Amarachi Nwoha
Dr Gabriel Onyekuru
Chief Osita Nwaneri
Senator Osita Izunaso
Senator Frank Ibezim
Hon. Chike Okafor
H.E. Dr. Douglas Acholonu
Prince Alex Mbata.
Chief Chikwem Onuoha
Hon. Chidi Nwogu
Rt. Hon. Goddy Dikeocha
Chief Uzoma Obiyo
Chief Mike Nwachukwu
Chief Henry Njoku.
Professor Maurice Iwu
Amb. Greg Mbadiwe
Amb. Eddy Onuoha
Rtd Archbishop Okoro.
Chief Charles Orie
H.E. Ebere Udeagu.
Chief Willie Amadi
H.E Jude Agbaso
Chief Fidel Onyeneke
Chief Chimex Osuala
Chief Longers Anyanwu.
Chief Ugo Sly Nwachukwu
Hon. Uche Nwole
Chief Charles Ezekwem
HRH Eze C.I Ilomuanya
HRH Eze G.C Okeke
HRH Akujuobi Osuagwu.
Prince Obodo Ejiogu
Chief Jerry Chukwueke
Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie
Hon Larry Ajaero
Nze Ukachukwu Ihekwaba
Eziada Olaedo Ngozi Nwaizu
Prince Bob Njemanze
Chief Mike Obioha
Chief Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe
Chief Cona Anosike.
Chief Lemmy Akakem
Chief Charles Amadi
Chief Ok2000 Enyiogasi.
Chief C.C. Anyanwu
Professor O.E.Nwebo
Chief EJK Onyewuchi
Hon. Austine Chukwukere
Ogbuagu Ernest Nwapa
Hon Miriam Onuoha
Barr. Chukwuma Ekomaru SAN
Chief George Egu
Hon. Stanford Oyirimba
Chief TOE Ekechi.
Rt Hon Acho Ihim.
Barrister Eze DURUIHEOMA SAN
Prince Jeff Ukachukwu
Rt Hon Ernest Ibejiako.

Then of all the five former Deputy Governors, three- Dr Acholonu, Engr Udeagu and Dr Okwuonu were present. Eze Madumere took an excuse because he travelledvand that did not make any meaning to Sam. For the three Senators, one Sen Ibezim attended while the same Okorocha did not attend for the same reason. The other one felt that the interest of his party should come first before Imo interest.

Now, for Sam a Statehokder meeting that has these eminent personalities including Bishops and high flight Clergy from different religious formations including Traditional Rulers, Students, Professional bodies, Captains of Industries, Leaders of various political parties etc did not matter except if Okorocha, Udenwa and Ihedioha attended. What does Sam understands by Stakeholders’ meeting? So for him, it is only former political office holders that are stakeholders.

Again, let me inform Onwuemeodo and his likes that last Saturday’s Stakeholders’ meeting was the 7th in the series since Uzodimma became Governor a year and half ago. This is unprecedented. The meeting was purely to brief Imo people on how far he has gone, his achievements and challenges so far as Governor. It was not to play politics or to write communique as he said. There is time for everything. Imo people that attended were satisfied with the briefings of the Governor and commendations rained torrentially. The meeting has no political colouration as people of different dimension were invited and they attended in their numbers even on short notice.

As for Ohakim whom Sam had all manner of unkind words for, I will not join issues much with Onwuemeodo but only to say that I considered his vituperation on Ohakim as too childish and out of shape. Ohakim as the former Governor has passed the level of playing destructive opposition to the occupier of the office he once occupied. Sam may not know the relationship of Chief Ohakim and Governor Uzodimma far before now. Ohakim as a sound man understands the need to support and encourage his friend and Governor for the overall interest of Imo people instead of advancing a narrow or political interest of an individual. I will not go beyond this.

Finally, let me advise Onwuemedo that no matter how they try to distract the performing Governor , Sen Uzodimma will continue to tower above their low level. He certainly soars above their sea level and the earlier they understand this, the better for their ignorance.

Truthfully Yours, Nwamkpa Modestus is my name and I approve of this piece.