Ugochimereze Chinedu Asuzu
Some of my followers and friends on Facebook came to my inbox to inquire my take on the visit of Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party to Imo State, and the ‘warm welcome’ accorded him at the airport by the governor of the state who is of another political party, and I just have this few lines of thought on the subject matter.
While not really in the mood to comment on the issue, because it didn’t occur to me as a topic of great interest, not about the campaign of Mr Peter Obi of the labour party, which is normal, nor is it the welcome accorded him by the host governor of the state, which is what ought to be.
Nevertheless, dragging it further, Peter Obi is an ex governor of his home state who should still enjoy some measure of goodwill from incumbent governors who will themselves leave office someday and become ex governors like Peter and a host of other past governors are now. Governorship seats of every state in Nigeria same as the presidential seat are constitutionally tenured, such that everyone occupying same today would someday seize to occupy same and relinquish same to another occupant that will be thrown up by the will of the people at elections (if I’m not mistaken).
Now, Peter visited Imo for the purpose of interfacing with his party faithful and by extension sale his candidacy to non-party members of his political party resident in Imo state as is customary during campaign period, for that singular purpose he came, and the incumbent governor of the state who is of the ruling APC both at state and federal level welcomed him at the airport, and went ahead to approve the state owned mini stadia for the rally; though we learnt the approval came a bit late, as the labour party leadership in the state had contracted another private space for the hosting.
While it’s commendable the gesture of Governor Hope Uzodimma to make welcome the labour party presidential candidate to Imo state, it’s likewise trite to posit that it’s not really a big deal when viewed from the angle of what ought to be the norms as against what is obtainable in the now, as we expect that he extends such largesse to all the presidential candidates visiting the state for campaigns without exception. In doing this, Governor Hope Uzodimma is gradually proving critics wrong of the label of high-handedness and rigidity against the opposition in the state, and imbibing a democratic stand in handling government business.
That there are those who believe or feels he’s faking it or pretentious about it, it’s neither here nor there because the deed has been done and the positive projection earned for keep, we can’t but define the position of one’s mind through his facial constructions, because as humans there’s a limit to the scope of our visuality, hence we can’t play God while trying to play opposition. If it’s pretentious the deed of governor Hope Uzodimma in welcoming a presidential candidate of an opposition party to the state, then he sure has native intelligence that enables him know when and how to strike a balance between opposition and governance, because as the host governor and chief security officer of his state, the security and general well-being of his visitors, more so high profile visitors as presidential candidates is part of his priority as the host governor.
On overall, the resort to politics of bitterness, rancour and vindictiveness is not the best, and opposition shouldn’t mean intolerance, where anyone gets it right it should be commended and when they get it wrong it should likewise be criticized in that order. I believe that’s what is called constructive criticism, we shouldn’t be utterly or blindly subjective in criticism. Governor Uzodimma did well by welcoming Mr Peter Obi of the labour party to Imo state, and should be commended and not vilified. Shalom!
©UCA
