He believes that in any intellectual debate, there is a glimpse of democracy at play. I’m talking about Chief Nneji Achonu (Ikemba), the Okigwe Senatorial candidate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Those that have been following my articles would know that the last time I wrote on anything Governor Anayo Okorocha was in 2007. That was when he was scheduled for the PDP chairmanship contest.

I endorsed Okorocha’s contention through an article I wrote solely for the contest. I was later called on phone by one of his aides, Uche. Aftermath, I saw Uche in Abuja in March 2010 (three years after), when I attended a programme.

Uche introduced the now Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Madumere, to me. Uche was not the much-talking person; he looked mien. But I saw Madumere as an orator and well composed, when he talked to us.

Madumere was a modest man in his clothing, soft speaking with enigmatic power of sermonisation. After that meeting, like we know, I learned that Uche joined the government of Okorocha when the latter was elected governor.

As human beings would always be human beings, I evaluated keeping the relationship with Uche, but he disconnected away and we did not make friends. For Madumere, I only know him now as Deputy Governor of Imo State. For Okorocha, he is one man I love till date without him knowing (just the way I love Senator Chris Ngige) no matter all the opposing news coming out from Imo State, of how Okorocha has purportedly fallen short of the expectations by the people.

I hear people crying that he has a sugar-coated mouth and has nothing to show for his stewardship to the Imo people. Hence, I beseech him to look into what the people are saying and find a way to reconcile their complaints where he may be needed.

While I digressed a bit above, I was spurred to write this article after a discussion with an Imo indigene that has a profound voice, politically. That was on February 8, 2016. We talked at length on issues affecting Nigeria; and the Imo State politics came to play. This person is from the Okigwe senatorial zone of the state.

He told me that even though he is not in Achonu’s camp, there is a cult of politicians that are against his aspiration of becoming senator of the zone in the coming rerun after the 2015 election that he was declared winner was botched in the court. The writer in me snooped more to find out why the cult of politicians are against Achonu. I had not heard about the man called Nneji Attan Achonu before till our discussion.

The man who was in the discussion with me bluntly told me that the cult of politicians in Imo State is of the All Progressives Congress (APC); and they are doing everything and anything possible to humiliate Achonu with the view that he is not loyal to them. Two persons mentioned in this cult of politicians were said to come from Umueze 1 and Ishiebu in Mbano, respectively. And they are working clockwise to ‘deliver’ a perceived strong rival to Achonu who comes from Ishinweke area of Ihite-Uboma.

I heaved a sigh on hearing this! I went to research on Achonu and my findings did not disappoint. In the 2014 pre-2015 election campaign, Achonu seemed to have a glimpse of this cult of politicians in his state and he said anywhere he went to that he wanted to go to the Senate in 2015, because the structural shortcomings in the polity compelled his evaluation to represent his people in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.

I found out that Achonu is not a loafer; he is being characterised as a foremost businessman and philanthropist and a man at home with his Okigwe people. At least, members of Okigwe Zonal Welfare Association will attest to this fact when Achonu paid them a treat at his residence in Abuja.

Unlike some persons who do not have any agenda other than to be seen at the Senate, Chief Athan Nneji Achonu, who was born on May 31, 1959 and had part of his education at Madonna High School, Etiti, in Imo State, Government College Umuahia in Abia State after which he proceeded to John Cabot University in Rome Italy, had made it known that his going to the Senate would be to assuage the suffering of the people.

In the March 28, 2015 Senatorial elections he was described as “the lest among the candidates aspiring to represent the zone in the red chambers of the National Assembly.” Whatever that means by Imo political observers. But for one Chief Dan Onwu, who was described as a pharmacist and frontline political leader in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area, Achonu’s political history is far above those suspected to be in the cult of politicians that are against Achonu.

Onwu was quoted to have made this disclosure during a political rally Achonu was in that cut across the 64 wards that compose Okigwe Senatorial Zone. It is evident that Achonu is loved by his people no matter the clattering of some selfish persons whom his presence sends jitters to.

I learnt that Achonu has records of people-oriented colossal achievements that are celebrated and irrefutable in Imo State. I found out that in Okigwe Zone alone, he had donated over 200 tricycles to people that he didn’t have a relationship with.

Immeasurable numbers of Imo students are in school today, courtesy Achonu. While a said cult of politicians in the state are after Achonu, he stands a better chance to cripple them politically as the ‘One Arm General” he is passionately called by his followers.

•Odimegwu Onwumere is a Poet/Writer; he writes from Rivers State. (apoet_25@yahoo.com). Tel: +2348057778358. Photo shows PDP Okigwe Senatorial candidate. Chief Nneji Achonu (Ikemba).

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