What is governance if people are not happy? No reasonable Governor should be happy, when his people are not happy… We are not only paying salaries, we pay gratuities, and we have gone ahead to do projects…
– Gov. Nyesom Wike
( On the commissioning of Obio/Akpor New Layout )
Comfort, as we know, is a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraints. This infers that, when one is adjudged to be comfortable, it means the person has ease for physical provisions; clothing’s, food, and necessary things that make life worth living.
On the other hand, penury presents a state of absolute, and extreme poverty. Poverty here includes : economic poverty, shelter poverty, psychological poverty, emotional poverty , mental poverty, etc.
The questions begging for answers are :
– what is the alignment between comfort and penury ?
– Should any sane person supposed to be comfortable in penury?
– What condition(s) will make a sane human to be comfortable in penury?
While we are searching for answers to these anomalous questions, let us look at the Abia State example.
On November 25th, the Abia State PDP had their campaign flag-off, with the “ G5” Governors present to show their solidarity. I’ll just quote the report of the speeches made in that Campaign, as I read in the news that prompted this reflection, and I’ll conclude; and leave you to judge.
“Addressing party members in the state capital Umuahia, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu declared, “ There is no other party in the state except PDP,” “ appealing to the faithful not to entertain fears of losing elections” , he said , “ I have seen pockets of others from mushroom parties. We have dustbin where we throw in the irrelevant people. The PDP should not entertain any fears. Others don’t have any party “, he said.
“ Ikpeazu said he has already laid a solid foundation for the take-off of a great Abia, expressing the hope that the incoming administration will build upon that.”
“ The solid foundation, he said, includes the Osisioma flyover, a 30-year development plan for the State, master plans for Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia areas, as well as roads that will last for over 30 years “.
Hear what Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, the renowned “ Mr Project “ said to the people of Abia State, “We are here today to tell you that there is nothing like going back”. “ Listen to Ikpeazu, he has integrity and is a defender, hence all of us of G5 are here to tell you that the G5 will support you all “.
Hear Governor Ortom of Benue State. “ The G5 is committed to equity, Justice, and fairness. We stand by the truth and where we go wrong, we will apologize “.
“ We are here to support Ikpeazu and together we will take Nigeria to a higher height. We are ready to support and take Nigeria out of the woods”.
Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State lent their voices in this manner, “ 2023 is going to be like no other elections in the history of Nigeria “.
Another PDP big wig assured the crowd that, “ PDP will win all the elections from top to bottom “.
In rounding off after receiving the party’s flag, the governorship candidate said, “ the crowd of party members at the event means that God has entrusted Abia into our hands”.
Wike, and Ortom looked Abians right in their eyes, and talked to them about support, equity, and fairness?
Ortom stood in the land of Abia, to talk about joining forces with Governor of Abia State to take Nigeria not only to a height, but out of the woods? Did anyone read that? Chai! no wonder the Bible talks about people’s consciences being seared with hot iron.
As I read through this news, what came to my mind was, the fairy tale, of Alice in Wonderland . I had to read back, and forth, to re-confirm the State in question. I also looked over at the crowd I saw in the pictures, over, and over again; and I asked myself:
– Are these crowd out there, listening to how PDP will win all the elections in the State, as a Manifesto; the same people crying for unpaid salaries, pensions, and gratuities?
– Are they the same people lamenting over bad road network in Abia, and lack of basic infrastructures?
-Could they be the same people crying over security challenges in the State? If they are the same people, then I ask, could it be that , Abians have been mentally affected by the level of poverty ravaging the State, or that Abians are comfortable in their state of penury, and deprivation? Too many questions one may say.
I ask because, I seem not to understand the reason for certain actions. The only thing I seem to understand here is , why certain politicians will continue to take the citizens for granted. If a campaign message will start, and end with the assurance that PDP will win all the elections in Abia State; and sane Abians stood comfortably on their feet, under the sun, to listen to that trash, then, Abia State have a very long way to trek.
I thought campaigns are the time to declare manifestos; tell the electorates what they should expect from the candidates, if voted in. I thought campaigns are when promises ( both fulfilled and unfulfilled) are made to the electorates, at least to give them hope, whether empty, or full? Chai ! I weep for my people.
Maybe, I should rather rejoice, not weep because, after all, the Governor used 7 years” to lay a solid foundation for the take off of great Abia, with hope that the incoming administration will build on it”. A foundation laid in 7 years must be a very strong foundation indeed.
Apostle Paul asked the Galatians, “ you foolish Galatians, who bewitched you ?”
I had unrepentant respect for Governor Nyeson Wike. I derive much joy, watching his projects commissioning every time; and have always prayed God to remember Abia State with such a Governor, who has the welfare of his people at heart; as he quoted above.
He has built over ten flyovers in Rivers State, at the last count. He did not lay strong foundation with one, and hope on the in- coming administration to build the remaining. He built many new roads that cuts across land, and riverine areas of his State, he did not wait for the in- coming administration to build them. Wike developed Rivers State, and made it an envy to many States; he did not draw a 30- year plan and hope on the in- coming administration to implement them. He developed the Master plan of the major cities in Rivers State, and built link roads that will last for fifty years. Why did he do them ? Does it mean that , there are no in- coming administration in Rivers State? And he has the moral justifications, to add Abia in G5 States, and even talked about equity, fairness, and Justice in Abia State? It is well !
As if that is not enough, the governorship candidate was also bold enough to tell Abians to their faces that God have entrusted them in their hands. Your guess is as good as mine.
As we continue to reflect over the predicaments of Abia State, my concluding questions for today are:
– How long will Abians remain comfortable, in this state of hopelessness, and penury?
– Who will bail Abians ?
-EZINNYE UK
(AGWABUMMA)