By Kingsley Emereuwa

ONE  spot where the April polls in Nigeria  will generate so much interest and concern, both locally and internationally is Abia State, proudly styled “God’s Own State”.

The permutation currently in the state is that the April election will consolidate the rise and rise of one actor and undoubtedly the fall and fall of another gladiator. Man of the moment is the incumbent governor who is seeking re-election for a second term in office.

He has within the last four years of his stewardship altered political calculations by deft decimations of some self-serving masters who got blinded by the godly image they enjoyed until they were turned to political Nebuchadnezzar. He retrieved the peoples heritage from the claws and jaws of dark political forces, and even left them with bleeding nose.

For those who know Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji well, any person who attempts to underestimate him by whatever approach has always done so at his own peril. Ask his predecessor. The reason is because the man, who many agree is quite easy going, has two predominant characteristics-endurance and charming friendliness- that enable him disarm his traducers without much ado, as well as make him achieve whatever results he desires at anytime.

Perhaps, the inability of the pockets of opposition in the state to realise these characteristics of the man called Ochendo may have been their greatest albatross, which has also made it absolutely difficult for any one of them at this crucial moment of electioneering, to kick-start what can pass as a councillorship campaign even few weeks to the election. All they have resorted to,is giving flimsy excuses, why they will fail.

Before now, and owing to the fear of what the present governor’s political profile, especially with his massive followership portends for the scared opposition in the state, the politics of Abia State was played in the news room and on the pages of newspapers by the very weak opposition led by the lonely general without troops-Orji Uzor Kalu.

With the use of his paper, editorial contents of which he now controls, since it is a common phenomenon here that he that pays the piper calls the tune, he was painting a distinct picture of the scenario in the state. One wondered what he intended to achieve, apart from creating mischief and consequently deceiving himself.

The ‘operation drag down Ochendo’ was brought to very low level that he even had to go and resurrect a journalist who had all along been in limbo to come and impersonate a renowned publisher from Abia, all for one purpose-mischief.

The irony of all the evil machinations and premeditated excoriation is that instead of dwindling, it had rather elevated the Governor’s image to the unarguable point that in Abia politics, he is now the issue.

However, the reality of his self-rating and pyrrhic political influence began to unfold when the campaigns kicked off, and he faced his first shock which was just a tip of the ice-berg in his Bende Local Government, as he was humiliated by youths from Item community, who warned him not to step into that community again. The incident at Item which he tried to cover up but, was surprised to see in the media also forced him to do a media white-washing in his paper.

But why would Item constitute a major obstacle to the ambition of their brother from the same Umunna Clan, made up of Alayi, Ugwueke, Item and Igbere? Was it that they did not benefit from his reign, and coming after the traditional rulers from the area had issued a fatwa on Kalu?

The reason is not far-fetched. The feeling of the average Item son, concerning Kalu’s eight-year reign in Abia is a story for another day. But the people are quick to point out the suffering they were made to go through in the hands of Kalu. One very monument that increases their bile is their joint heritage- the Umunnato General Hospital, which they pleaded and pleaded that Kalu should upgrade for them, but all to no avail. The same hatred spreads to other areas within the Abia North Senatorial Zone.

Perhaps, the worst hit are the people of Arochukwu, comprising Abam, Aro, Ihie, Ututu and Isu. During the Governor’s campaign rally, the people opened a can of worms. Speaking through their leaders, including Mao Ohuabunwa and Chief Chris Ukpabi, Ndi-Aro said they were ready to forget of all their suffering, but what they can never forget or forgive was the mysterious deaths that took away all their bright leaders.

According to Ohuabunwa, the coincidence of the deaths could only raise serious suspicion of possible foul plays. He was not just talking for the sake of speaking on a campaign ground, he had his facts, figures and list of the victims. They include the late Chief Okereke Chioma, the late Chief Jerry Okoro, the late Mazi Emmanuel Ikoku, and the late Sir Law Maduka. The mystery was that all these men died in their prime, while the only one still living, Mazi Okoronkwo Kanu-Oji is seriously incapacitated.

From Aro to Umunneochi, the campaign train of Governor was inundated with tales of woes that were the lots of the people. In Umunneochi which is the base of Kalu’s hypertension-Uche Chukwumerije, the political turf for the rally at Umunneochi was full of melancholy when the people lamented over failed promises of Kalu to them in terms of infrastructure. The biting memories include but not limited to Leru-Lomara-Nneato Road; Leru-Ndawa-Nkwoagu Road; Ihube-Ibi-Mbala Road, with the only bridge on the road equally abandoned after mobilization had been collected by the usual unseen yet ubiquitous contractor. Verdict-failed promises.

Mr. Emereuwa is CPS to Governor Orji of Abia State.