Abia State is undergoing and witnessing important strategic political developments and episodes as the political train of 2023 politics is on constant acceleration and non-stop motion. ..
By Polemics.
Abia State is undergoing and witnessing important strategic political developments and episodes as the political train of 2023 politics is on constant acceleration and non-stop motion.
The political stage currently is getting more robust and gradually hotter with the appearance and emergence on the political scene of de facto mainstream or professional politicians; as well as the equally critical entrance and emergence of eminent personalities of the elite class, drawn specifically from the clan of retired personnel of the security constituency: military cum sister security agencies.
Numbered among the clan of elite retired personnel from the security constituency are highly distinguished, eminent former big guns and top brass; who have retired from service but by all means not tired.
The new breed political actors and gladiators who have dropped the military/security gears and now dressed up in the politician’s toga, namely include the following personalities (whose brief highlights and profiles are not based on ranks or seniority in the security service but on perceptions of current extent of political activism, public opinion and visibility at the moment).
Major General Ijioma N. Ijioma (Rtd).
Seasoned career officer, who served meritoriously and distinguished himself in many capacities, amongst other highly sensitive positions as Director of Operations, Army Headquarters, Abuja.
Ijioma’s declaration and eagerness for 2023 politics and general elections, by deductive inference, is highly conspicuous on the streets of Umuahia, Abia State capital.
Ijioma, politically, has set as target of his ambition, eyes focused on the governor’s office in Government House, as the prime target; and has left Abia populace in no doubts, without any pretences on his resolve to vie for the highly coveted position.
At the moment, on the streets of Umuahia, only the posters of Ijioma, as governorship aspirant and hopeful are found in strategic locations.
In contrast, other speculative and prospective aspirants in contention for governorship position have equally mounted billboards in strategic locations to signal the intentions. Some interested persons have simply indicated intentions by other means, especially pronouncements in interviews granted to the media community.
In a related development, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, nursing presidential ambition, has equally postered the streets of Umuahia, to publicize his ambition.
Thus, Ijioma’s and Ohuabunwa’s posters have helped to decorate (or deface)? Umuahia, State capital, sorely in need of thorough upgrade and facelift, in terms of modernization or modernity.
Ijioma has taken a further bold step by formally joining the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and has revealed that his desire to liberate Abia State is sacrosanct.
On this note of the brief highlights and profiling, Polemics, welcomes Major Gen. Ijioma (Rtd) to the fluid, flux, and slippery political landscapes and terrains of 2023 politics/politicking; and specifically to Abia Project.
And wish Ijioma well in his bold, commendable political ambition, and particularly the corporate objectives to join forces with other like minds to rescue Abia State from the clutches of tottering inertia; quagmire of absence of positive and visionary leadership.
Recently, Ijioma speaking in his capacity as the ALL FACTS NEWSPAPERS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 2021, decried and lamented these political misfortunes of Abia State, in his remarks and observations.
Next is the quintessential Lt. Gen. Onyeabo Azubuike Ihejirika (Rtd); former Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
Politically, Ihejirika, has enlisted in the ranks of APC, as a stalwart, officially in 2021.
Speculations are rampant, rife like spreading, uncontrollable wide fires in pin-pointing specifically the exact political ambition of the retired army General, in terms of the political office which holds any attraction for the former military top brass.
Recently, Ihejirika declared in widely publicized statement, his primary interests and motives are to continue to serve Nigeria; and specifically, Abia State, in his post-military endeavours; deploying effectively his wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise, in the course of accomplishing this singular cause.
In the highly convoluted, enigmatic political language, lexicon, and taxonomy, the hydra headed statement can be interpreted to mean possibly different things.
Though divided and polarized in Abia State at the moment, with different factions, APC by all yardsticks should consider her platform indeed very lucky to have won over the heart of Ihejirika; and snatched the former COAS from rival political parties, especially PDP.
If eventually, Ihejirika joins the governorship fray and race, it shows definitely how serious the high level of importance attached to the position is, by prominent Abians, especially from the elite club of ex-military/security personnel or constituency; who are eager to re-eingineer the political fortunes of Abia State, in terms of providing visionary leadership, aimed at steering the political ship of Abia State to greater heights; safe harbours, away from stormy, turbulent, and uncharted, narrow channels and straits, Abia State has been “navigated” and drifted into head-on in the past decades following the reintroduction of democratic dispensation. In other words, to liberate Abia State from continued stagnation in political terms.
In the same token, ditto, Ihejirika. Polemics, wishes Ihejirika well in his political endeavours; and hopes the supreme heights reached by Ihejirika in his military career equally smiles on him on the political battlefields of his political warfare and political career.
Raymond Nkemdirim
From DSS, organ well known for handling national security matters on the corridors of internal security, one of the finest minds and brightest personnel: Raymond Nkemdirim, retired Director of Operations, is equally dressed up in political toga, for 2023 political engagements.
It is claimed in some highly placed quarters Nkemdirim has pitched his political tent with PDP, the governing party in Abia State. It is possibly correct, there is hardly any smokes without fires.
Like Ihejirika, Nkemdirim, is keeping close to his heart at the moment his political ace/trump card. Nkemdirim, is yet to define specifically the political office/position of immense interest to him in 2023 general elections. Governorship or Senate/NASS seat? Consultations and lobbying seem to be in top gears in the appropriate quarters accordingly.
One thing is common to Ihejirika and Nkemdirim: these two eminent personalities have individually and collectively distinguished themselves and outstanding in the relentless advocacy, as strident vocal voices and megaphones in the agitations for Isuikwuato axis to produce Abia State governor in 2023, in accord with the guidelines or provisos of Abia Charter of Equity.
On the national and Abia State security fronts and challenges, the impacts of the security backgrounds of Ihejirika and Nkemdirim, as acclaimed security experts have been quite noticeable in terms of addressing how to tackle effectively the security challenges in the country and Abia State specifically.
Others—
Prior to the emergence of Ihejirika; Ijioma; and Nkemdirim, on the turfs of partisan politics; other notable top echelons and hierarchies drawn from the the elite class of retired military/security personnel blazed the trails.
Recognized and outstanding in the roll are the names of distinguished personalities, which include: Navy Captain Chris Ibe Osondu (Rtd), former military administrator (MilAd) of Cross River State; incidentally who had the unique honour and privilege to hand over the reins of power and baton of leadership to democratically elected political leaders in 1999. Osondu is numbered among the PDP stalwarts and prominent stakeholders in Abia State.
Another vanguard is Colonel Austin Akobundu (Rtd), PDP stalwart, who has served the party in various strategic capacities.
On accounts of these highlights on the new entrants especially, it is left to be seen as 2023 politics/politicking game plans continue to unfold, how Lt. Gen. Ihejirika (Rtd); Maj. Gen. Ijioma (Rtd); DSS retired Director of Operations, Ray Nkemdirim; emerging individually and collectively as relatively newly “capped” political gladiators, would deploy effectively military cum security combat backgrounds and trainings to strategically manoeuvre through the labyrinthine maze of the slippery political turfs.
Or out-manoeuvre the already established, politically more experienced, deceptive, entrenched political gladiators (old war horses), notoriously considered to behave like quick silver; mercurial in nature; and can swiftly change colours quicker than chameleons or more cunning than foxes.
Agenda
The general perceptions among the majority of Abia populace dissatisfied with the current status quo politically is: the club of retired military/security personnel involved in politics and Abia Project, acting in synergies, irrespective of political platforms are expected to shake vigorously, transform the political landscapes of Abia State in 2022/2023 political season, in a manner like tectonic tremors.
