Okorocha Vs The Agbasos; Why Things Are Falling Apart

Last week, several local newspapers in Imo State reported the face off between the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and his deputy, Sir Jude Agbaso. A particular local tabloid screamed that the love lost between the duo has accentuated to an unprecedented level. In other words, the bond that holds both leaders together is on the verge of being shattered to smithereens.

Surprisingly, none of the media aides of the Governor and his Deputy has yet to dispel or confirm the authenticity of these media reports. This therefore means there is iota of truth in the entire story. 

This unveils the fact that things might be falling apart between the numbers one and two citizens of the State.   And I can say that it portends far reaching consequences for the torrid political terrain of Imo State in 2015.

I will not say I am a prophet of doom, rather I will state here that I see the emerging feud as normal in the business of governance and in the art of politics. No matter how we evaluate the situation, it is not strange that Owelle and the Agbasos are now on a war path.

 A close observer of the political romance between the Agbasos and Okorocha will easily predict that the intensity of the romance will lead to a face off now or in the near future.  Several reasons can be adduced as factors responsible for the emerging scenario.

I remember with nostalgia shortly after the 2011 governorship election, some stakeholders in Owerri Zone complained so bitterly over how our dear governor conceded so much to the Agbasos. I saw reasons in their submissions on the basis that the Governor ignored these stakeholders and felt that there are no other political titans in Owerri zone that can be of immense assistance to his Administration.

However, one cannot lose sight of the fact that the Agbasos are politically relevant in the Zone. The older Agbaso is a political titan, whose political efforts can be reckoned with. Those who know Nda Martin will attest to his political sagacity and deft political moves which ranks him among the finest politicians in the State. When he was challenging the validity of the polls that took Ikedi Ohakim to Government House, Owerri as governor, I was among the few journalists in the State he granted an exclusive interview on the issue.  After he spoke, I was convinced that he has what it takes to pilot the affairs of the State if given the opportunity to do so.

At all times, Martin Agbaso has demonstrated the fact that he is a firm believer in the rule of law. He believes that power comes from God and those who cruise to power through the backdoor have no business being in government.  To him, the judiciary should be able to weed out from the sanctuary of power those who cruised to the seat of governance through wuru wuru. This was his grouse against the Ohakim Administration. And he never made pretences about his political conviction. The rest is history! 

This was why the political class in Owerri zone was surprised that Martin Agbaso had to throw caution to the wind and went ahead to nominate only those from his Emekuku village into the Okorocha Administration. Aside the fact that Jude, his younger brother, clinched the Deputy Governor position, other nominees for one appointment or the other into the present Administration, were his political loyalists from his village.

Much as every politician desires to empower his political foot-soldiers, Nda Martin erred by not considering  for political patronage, his  political associates in other zones of the State. As one desirous to govern the State in the near future, one had expected that he would have  exploited the opportunity that presented itself in the present Administration to demonstrate an unflinching commitment to be an all round leader whose sees the entire State as his constituency.

Secondly, the overbearing grip or would I say, show of dominance exhibited by the Agbasos on Okorocha’s government is the reason why stakeholders in Owerri Zone tend to believe that the Agbasos are being domineering on the Okorocha government.  And this has created the impression that Okorocha yielded to such attitude and decided to shun other stakeholders in the zone.

What has trailed this singular act is bad blood and lack of willingness on the part of key Owerri Zone leaders to support some of the policies embedded in the rescue mission agenda of the Okorocha Administration.

The relocation of Imo State University, Owerri (IMSU) from the zone is one of such issues. I remember many stakeholders from the zone who has continuously fumed at the governor for contemplating such action without the least consultation with them. They assume that Okorocha is bent on relocating the university to his village in Ogboko simply because he (Okorocha) believes that having secured the favour of the Agbasos on the issue, the deed is done. In other words the stamp of approval of the Agbasos is a signal that the zone is in total support of his intentions.  How dead wrong he is!

In a zone desirous to produce a Governor in 2015, having suffered political marginalisation for a long period,  it would have been wise if the Agbasos had encouraged Okorocha to reach out  to political leaders and give the stakeholders in the zone a sense of belonging in his government. This has not been forthcoming.

 Okorocha’s albatross in this dimension is that he relied on the real or imagined political prowess of the Agbasos to weave all the political support he requires from Owerri Zone. This is simply a political grave error on the part of the Governor which may lead to dire electoral consequences for him in 2015.

 Further, Okorocha’s political think tank failed to realize that an ambitious political family like the Agbasos, who have never hidden their desire to produce his (Okorocha) successor in 2015, will never cease to maximize all the political capital and gain it can garner in the present dispensation to actualize their intentions.

 This is why it appears the younger Agbaso is perceived to be going out of the way to ensure that the political dynamics that will ensure the realization of the project is not compromised in the present political dispensation. Having played a strategic role in the emergence of Okorocha as Governor, it will not be out of place if the younger Agbaso is agitating for compliance of whatever political agreement that led to the coming on board of Okorocha to power.

If what we hear that there is an existing pact between the Agbasos and Okorocha that will guarantee a smooth hand over of the reins of the State to the older Agbaso in 2015, then it is certainly not out of place if the younger Agbaso is doing all he can to ensure that the project becomes a reality .

Benito Musulini, the Italian World War II leader said, war sets the seal of nobility on those who have the courage to face it. The younger Agbaso is simply adhering to this political principle and there is nothing, absolutely nothing wrong about it.   But they (Agbasos) seem to forget that any man that holds power is like a Machiavelli.  It is unfortunate that the Agbasos have forgotten that in politics, one of the Machiavellian theories adopted by men with power is to ditch the ladder that catapulted them to the seat of governance.

 Perhaps, they forgot so soon that it is the stock in trade of Nigerian politicians to apply draconian Machiavelli doctrines when they are on the saddle of governance. Ohakim implemented partly, the Machiavelli theory when he was Imo Governor and this led to cessation of his political loyalty to the Orji Kalus, the Udenwas and Iwus who aided his ascension to power. Ohakim had successfully cut down his political adversaries to size and became the political lord of the manor. He would have become a political Nero of our time, if he had returned as governor of the State for a second time.

This is the path Okorocha seems to be following.  And it is important the Agbasos realize early enough that in Nigeria’s brand of democracy, the man wielding power dictates and determines the political temperature of his political environment and the faith of his political followers. Whatever pact they had with Okorocha, which  they see as a  propelling factor that will compel  the latter to hand over power to them in 2015, they should remember the words of Adolf Hitler, who said a pact made in time of peace is a scrap of paper in times of war.

 Gone are the days transfer of political power is achieved by agreement scribbled on a piece of paper.  Political power is taken and not given. It is only in climes that are yet to assimilate the dynamics that shape modern democracy that indulge in this ancient political practice.  Therefore, if any of the Agbasos is desirous of taking power from Okorocha in 2015, he/ she must cease to rely on whatever political agreement it entered with anyone as a basis that will take them to Government House, Owerri.

 If the younger Agbaso is not satisfied with the way he is made redundant in the present Administration, the path of honour for men who find themselves in such fix is to resign. This is the path men of honour and integrity follow when things fall apart. If he cannot do so, then he should endure the administrative and political suffocation that has been his lot in recent times.  He should realize that this is one of the challenges involved in the game of power.  It can be sweet, bitter and vicious at the same time.