Have Senators Rochas Okorocha and Ifeanyi Araraume become Hope Uzodinma’s political undoing

It was Nkem Owoh aka Osuofia, that released a song titled “Agreement is Agreement” some years ago.

Most cases of misunderstanding we see today, is when one party to an agreement fails to hold up their own side of the agreement entered it.

This has become the case of of Senator Hope Uzodinma, and possibly his undoing in the hands of Senators Rochas Okorocha and Ifeanyi Araraume, who are today dealing with him politically.

Without the combined support of the duo of Okorocha and Araraume, Hope Uzodinma would not have removed Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha from office.

Agreements were reached, before these two political heavyweights rescinded their ambitions, and backed Hope Uzodinma.

Unfortunately, Uzodinma would turn around to go after the same men that put him where he is today, going against whatever agreements they may have reached before getting into the boat together.

I don’t support Rochas Okorocha, I’ve never been his fan. When he was governor, I won an award as his most consistent critic.

But I’m a very factual person. When you buy a phone, before the phone starts, the manufacturer presents you with Terms and Conditions which you either agree to and use the phone, or refuse and not use the phone. Your email, bank accounts, the software you buy to mention a few all have Terms and Conditions, which you can only use them when you agree to them.

In politics, Terms and Conditions apply. In 2015, Imo PDP listened to the Terms and Conditions Senator Ifeanyi Araraume brought to the table and agreed. When they failed to keep their own side of the agreement, they lost the election.

Senator Hope Uzodinma agreed to whatever godly or ungodly Terms and Conditions he was presented, and got their support. His failure to abide by those Terms and Conditions has become a nightmare to him today, as the duo of Rochas Okorocha and Ifeanyi Araraume, as practically emasculating him in his own state, while he is running from pillar to post without any solution in sight.

Let’s make one thing clear, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha did not go after Rochas Okorocha. As any new Govenror would do, probe panels were set up for fact finding. Those around Ihedioha, who were too overzealous with their jobs, took the matter to an extra mile, like Onyeagocha who without Ihedioha’s permission, banned Okorocha from Imo State, and Jasper, who without Ihedioha’s permission, stormed Okorocha’s house and got the beating of his life which till date, he had hidden from the public.

Ihedioha didn’t purse vendetta against Okorocha. He abides by Due Process. If the probe panels had found Okorocha wanting, then Due Process would have been followed to execute the findings of the panels.

Uzodinma’s agreement with Okorocha, may not have been far from amongst other things, cancelling the probe panels. I for one would not have agreed to it. But since Uzodinma probably agreed to whatever agreements they had, uka ekwekotara ekwe korita, isi ka eji ebu ya. Agreement is Agreement, and as such, he is bound to adhere to them. If you know you won’t agree to the terms of the devil, don’t go to bed with him in the first place.

I know Senator Ifeanyi Araraume would not ask for help to execute Okigwe Senate Bye-election, but he probably got assurances that Uzodinma would not be a stumbling block for him. Today, Uzodinma isn’t just a stumbling block, he is throwing pointed rocks at Araraume to stop him.

Unfortunately for the Imo self acclaimed Ben Johnson, he dealt with people who when Ben Johnson was still serving the likes of Ibekwe, his masters Ibekwe used to bow down to shake hands with them and today, they are showing him that Igbo saying, imara nkea i ma nkea? If you know this one, do you know this one?

Covid-19 struck Uzodinma the first blow, with the death of Abba Kyari, seriously weakening Uzodinma’s channel to Abuja.

The forces aligned again and kicked out his second foothole Adams Oshiomhole. Uzodinma became a political orphan.

Relief seemed to come from his recent romance with the junior Minister for Education Emeka Nwajiuba, forcing Uzodinma into another agreement, to deliver the junior Minister’s PA, as Senator to represent Okigwe Zone. It was an agreement that created more enemies for Uzodinma amongst friends like Chidinma Uwajumogu and Athan Achonu, both of whom have today thrown their weight behind Senator Ifeanyi Araraume.

Uzodinma’s move to install Frank Ibezim failed, as Araraume got him kicked out through the court. The same court that delivered Uzodinma against Ihedioha, further dealt him another blow, by sacking his party executive, and reaffirming Rochas Okorocha backed executive as the authentic executive in the state.

And while Hope Uzodinma is still trying to understand what to do with these, he is still faced with the case of Uche Nwosu’s candidacy of the APC in the 2019 General Elections.

Today, Senator Rochas Okorocha and Uche Nwosu, who were initially dodging to return to Imo State, when the panels were terrorizing them with threats of bench warrant, now move around the state freely and Uzodinma seems helpless to do anything but watch them.

His only play now seems to be to demolish Okorocha’s insignificant projects, while Okorocha is now daring him to engage him in a head to head combat. Uzodinma’s formally talkative Chief Press Secretary suddenly seems to have gone on an extended leave, as nothing has been heard from him in a long time.

To try and keep Nwajiuba on his side, Uzodinma may still push Ibezim to the Appeal and Supreme Courts, as well as even try to back a candidate of another party against Araraume.

But can pleasing Nwajiuba save Uzodinma from Umeadi? From the way things are, the only person who can offer any help no matter how insignificant, are Uche Nwosu/Rochas Okorocha/Araraume, but having tested Uzodinma’s antecedents to breaking agreements, do you think they will be willing to help him again if the reconciliation Committee even manage to get them to a round table?

Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha may be on his way back.

Interesting times ahead in Imo State