Local Government: What Ihedioha Told Modestus Nwampka

by Obidike Nwagwu Esq

Recently, the New Media Director of the Imo State Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Mr. Collins Opuruozor attacked the Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, over the matter of Local Government election.

Clearly, Mr. Opuruozor was not there, when his boss, the former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, made his views known, about Local Government elections in Imo State, during the brief period he erroneously held power.

The scene was at Ihedioha’s residence at Civic Centre Owerri, in December of 2019, barely weeks before his sack.

Ihedioha invited the media for what was supposed to be an interactive session, but turned into a Press briefing.

While he singlehandedly finished one bottle of brandy, Ihedioha told the media that he cared less about them, and had deliberately shunned the media in Imo State till that time.

It could be recalled that Ihedioha and his Imo PDP do not patronise the local media houses in Imo State, rather prefer the very expensive Lagos and Abuja media houses where millions would be spent outside the state, rather than in the state.

Scratch that, back to the meeting.

FirSt of all, every recording device was shut down at Ihedioha’s orders (you can confirm from those who attended).

Ihedioha reeled out his achievements in the period he had already stayed in office.

The first question that was asked that evening came from Modestus Nwampka of Big Truth Newspaper.

“Your Excellency,” he started. “You said during your campaign, that Local Government elections will hold within six months after you’re sworn in as governor. It’s now more than seven months and we’ve not heard anything about Local Government elections.”

“Don’t ask me that stupid question,” Ihedioha snapped at Nwampka. “Am I ISEC? Go and ask ISEC. Don’t ask me that stupid question.”

For a man whose words were supposedly his bond, that outburst took everybody present by surprise and shock.

Two more questions asked received similar matter of aggressive response and the media men present, sensing we were dealing with a combative situation, stopped further questions.

When Ojukwu of NewsPoint tried to joke with Ihedioha about digging deep into his pocket to do Christmas for the media, he received another heated and hostile reaction from Ihedioha and everybody decide to keep quiet and let him moderate and dictate the show as he liked since we were in his house (even though at his invitation).

Aside pointing out Ihedioha’s short fuse and temper problems, everybody there that evening can attest to this, as what Ihedioha had to say about the Local Government system in Imo State.

On the flip side, Senator Hope Uzodinma have addressed the issue of Local Government, and have slated a date for the election, something Ihedioha told Nwampka to go and ask ISEC.

It is written that before you take out the speck in somebody’s eye, take out the log in yours.

PDP is asking for an account of the Local Government allocation, how about they first account for what they did with the money for eight months.

Like Okorocha, Ihedioha had no plans for Local Government elections in the near future and would have used his IMC for four years had the Supreme Court not kicked him out.