By Ik Ogbonna, fcai, anipr
Recently, Hon Jones Onyeriri, a fine gentleman and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the Imo West Senatorial District (Orlu Zone) was ousted by the Supreme Court. All fingers have been rightly pointed at Emeka Ihedioha who had a grudge against Onyeriri.
Both men, before now had a cozy and robust relationship that saw Ihedioha appointing Hon. Onyeriri as his Political Adviser during his short reign as Governor of Imo State. But the bubble burst after Onyeriri was alleged to have decline bankrolling of the review of Ihedioha’s sack by the Supreme Court.
Ihedioha’s failed attempt to deny having a hand in the judicial injustice against Onyeriri falls in the face of facts, evidences and statements by Ihedioha himself and his political associates who ought to know better.
Report has it that one of Ihedioha’s media Aides raised the alarm of Onyereri’s possible sack at the Supreme Court in November, and alas, his “breaking” news came to fruition in January, 2023, thereby making Ihedioha complicit to the injustice against Orlu zone PDP members.
Ihedioha set the stage for the allegation at Umuorji, Ohaji Egbema on the 30th of December, 2022 during the burial of the mother of Hon. Uju Kingsley. In a fit of hubris and in line with his known brashness and pride, Ihedioha described Onyeriri as “a confused candidate” who is neither “here or there” and used other unprintable words to describe the fine gentleman (https://maazi.ng/2022/12/31/emeka-ihedioha-describes-jones-onyereri-as-a-confused-candidate-shames-himself-at-a-burial-event/)
How can a self proclaimed leader of a party and Guber aspirant openly deride his party's candidate for Senate in the candidates own zone? Information has it that Ihedioha was almost lynched after the verbal diarrhea but for the timely intervention of Uju Kingsley who ensured he was whisked out of the venue safely.
Next is the resignation of Hon. Meekam Mgbenwelu, the Spokesman of Ihedioha’s “Rebuild Imo Organizaion” and the Commissioner for Information Technology under the 8 months reign of his ex principal as Governor.
In his widely publicized resignation letter, Mgbenwelu said, “I can’t be part of a system that aided injustice to Orlu zone where i hail from and Imo people at large” He was further quoted by The Guardian newspaper reports: (https://guardian.ng/news/mgbenwelu-resigns-as-rebuild-imo-spokesman-dumps-ihedioha-over-onyereris-removal/) as saying that, “this act of wickedness’ and injustice aided by Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha. ‘No, I can’t be with him anymore, This is an act of extreme wickedness. I never knew that Ihedioha is evil, vindictive, selfish and greedy….no no no, am done with him!”
Orlu PDP leaders also have cried blue murder over the injustice meted out to their noble and distinguished son. According to Amb Iwuoha Ofonagoro, Chief Damian Nzeribe and Dr (Mrs) Akwuiwu Josephine who spoke on behalf of others, they expressed anger that after Dr Onyereri’s victory at the Appeal Court, the other two candidates, Hon Jerry Alagboso and Dr ThankGod Ezeani decided to withdraw the suit, adding that immediately Ihedioha got wind of the possible settlement summoned the duo and encouraged them to challenge the emergence of Dr Onyereri up to Supreme Court (https://www.thetimes.com.ng/2023/01/supreme-court-pdp-members-accuse-ihedioha-of-plotting-onyereris-disqualification/)
It is now clear that Ihedioha who has always been a hard sell in Orlu is completely finished politically in Imo. Recall Ihedioha had caused to be condemned globally with his unguarded statements against Peter Obi where he described youths supporting the Labor Party presidential candidate as “saboteurs”.
Ihedioha now unarguably has little or no acceptability in Imo and should be stopped from even picking the party form to run for governor for the third time to save Imo PDP from defeat a third time.
If Ihedioha joins the Governorship race under PDP, to our consternation, he definitely bring shame, reproach, and failure to the party that has suffered serial defeats under his leadership since 2015.
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