Sam Osuji
The concept of vote of confidence is symbolic. It is not sycophantic as some people are deluded to think. Also, it is not necessarily passed in the heat of tension. Similarly, a vote of confidence is not passed just to please the person who receives it. There have been countless situations where votes of confidence are passed on heads of government or legislature in Nigeria. These votes are remarkable as they bear certain metaphorical underpinnings.
In part, votes of confidence are markedly passed to salute courage and excellence in government. They are pointers to sterling and uncommon potentials of leaders involved in the act of statecraft and visionary leadership. Ultimately, too, votes of confidence are unanimously given hence they symbolize a commitment to unity and progress.
It did not come as a surprise to many that a vote of confidence was passed on Senator Hope Uzodinma, the hardworking Governor of Imo State. The confidence vote which was unanimously passed last Sunday by APC stake holders in Imo State took place in Abuja. The city of Abuja prides itself as a centre of unity hence it is symbolic that Imolites from all walks of life and diverse geographical locations converged on Abuja with a united voice towards the Governor. That epic gathering could not be said to be entirely political. It is way beyond mere political underpinnings. Even the individuals involved are no political jobbers. These are human resources that had served the state in different capacities. There are for instance, His Excellency Prince Eze Madumere, a former Deputy Governor of Imo State, Sen. Osita Izunaso, a former Senator of Imo West Senatorial District, Chief Tony Chukwu, a well known billionaire, Chief George Eche, a former SSG, amongst others. These individuals unarguably may not be voting for any peck or cake in this government beyond supporting good governance.
The words of Prince Eze Madumere, the spokesperson of the group are illustrative: “Today we are here to pass a vote of absolute confidence on Governor Hope Uzodinma, the Governor of Imo State on this platform of the All Progressive Congress. As the leader of the party in the state and the only APC Governor in the South East and the South South, we are satisfied with the developmental agenda of the Governor represented in his 3Rs Agenda (Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Recovery). We urge all Imo State citizens to support the Governor in his stride to achieve the set agenda”. What a sincere submission!
Perspectivizing the foregoing submission is pertinent in the sense that these stakeholders who are apparently distinguished in their rights, have spoken with a loud and clear voice to anyone or group in doubt that the APC is one big and happy family. Thus, it has led to rest any insensitive and atrocious assumption of naysayers bent on causing confusion in APC, Imo State Chapter. For indeed, it beggars belief that some people who had left the APC in the last gubernatorial election to support a candidate of another party, are claiming a stake in the party. This is one of the wonders of the evil politics that had been played in the part which impoverished Imo and denigrated its humanity. However, the Imo APC Stakeholders have a message for this group of people: they should go and re-register in their wards and return to the party. This is clearly soothing and conciliatory in the sense that a man with a genuine intention enters a house through the door and not the window.
Similarly, the words of the stakeholders are emphatic on the leadership structure of APC in Imo State. They made it clear and indelible that Governor Hope Uzodinma remains the leader of the party in the state hence deserves the support of all party faithful. If a person is your leader, naturally he is deserving of your unalloyed loyalty and respect, and of course, prayer to succeed. A person who therefore publicly takes his leader to the cleaners is a follower with a questionable character and intent. Avenues abound in the party through which grievances can be channeled to the leader. Leaving those channels unexplored only to explode on the pages of the newspaper is both unacceptable and preposterous.
Finally, the stakeholders identified the vision of Governor Uzodinma as a noble one which needs the support of all APC members and Imolites. The vision of shared prosperity which anchorage is on rehabilitating, reconstructing and recovering Imo for posterity is a clear vision that the state of Imo needs now as it had almost been run aground in the past. The signs of this vision are already pervasive in the state. What people may not know is that lasting legacies are products of careful plans.
In the past, we had a leader in Imo who ruled our dear state by his whims. He literally behaved like General Sam in Chinua Achebe’s Anthills of the Savanna whose mood and temperament in the morning determine how the state of Kagan would be. But here we have a Governor who is carefully positioning the state to be a haven of prosperity.
Fortunately, his approach is holistic and multi-sectoral. Above all, his approach is strategic, and only time will tell this unfolding story of prosperity genuinely and consistently being authored and edited by Governor Hope Uzodinma. Yes, I dare say that uzo ga-adririla ndi imo nma. God bless Imo State of Nigeria.
Hon. Osuji is the Special Adviser to Uzodinma on Agric Loans