Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration in more ways than one, has given way to an atmosphere of uncertainty, hopelessness and gloomy future; deviating from its developmental roadmap for the state along the line of ‘Imo Rescue Mission’. His succession calls for a prudent manager of resources, an administrator of proven track record and a level headed politician.
Undoubtedly, the state has had more than its fair share of political controversies and litigations that should not continue in the future. There is indeed a big and urgent task to be accomplished for a greater Imo State. Therefore, the focus at this critical juncture should be on how the electoral process can throw up the best kind of leader for the task of putting the people first in the resource mobilization and allocation for enhanced development of the State.
The unfolding political equation in Imo is as fascinating as it is worrying. This is because of the waiting game the PDP and other parties in opposition are playing. The PDP is waiting and watching with keen interest to see if there can be any miscalculation on the part of the APC with respect to the emergence of a gubernatorial flag bearer. Any miscalculation on the part of the APC can turn out to be more expensive for it than ever imagined.
The crucial question at this stage is what will constitute a miscalculation on the part of APC? Without evasion, the most striking will be to pick a candidate outside Imo East; especially from Mbaise, the only region in Imo East yet to produce a Governor in the 42-year political history of the State. Imolites also want a grassroot Governor who is at home with the people and the environment and is readily accessible to the people. The APC will also do well to watch out for politicians with baggage of liabilities, litigations and EFCC invitations as unlikely election winners.
Miscalculation on the part of any party can also be the investment of its ticket on a politician who has been known to serially abuse the public trust and collective confidence bestowed on him/her. Imolites, as democrats will have several ways of kicking against any form of imposition of unpopular leadership that will owe its legitimacy to any other power source outside the people. The time has come for Imo to make a resounding statement to the rest of the country on a democratic process of leadership emergence. Imposition is out of it while character and content of aspiration are critical for public evaluation.
This is where Prince (Dr.) Charles Chidi Onuoha comes in. He brings a progressive ideology and agenda to Imo in 2019, because it will only take a bridge builder to navigate through our experience to offer a viable promise. It is here experience counts – A blend of the public, cum private matrix is enough experiment to provide the proper and fit dose for our ailment.
Prince Charles C. Onuoha is a Nigerian Philanthropist, entrepreneur, politician and administrator . He has a wide range of experience as a technocrat and executive of various banks spanning a total of 25 years. More so, his service to the State as Commissioner in various Ministries is a true reflection of his versatility with huge coverage, exposure and experience in corporate governance.
At the heart of his governance, strategy of development is wealth creation. Government if handled with the right attitude and purposeful leadership will perform optimally. His development narratives is premised on the tenets that an efficient government is possible and can provide an industrialized economy with full employment, price stability, high output and net export. It cannot be gainsaid nor overemphasized that Industrialization is fundamental to the quest of the ‘Imo Restoration’ philosophy. This Philosophy will enable the setting up of Cottage Industries in all the 27 L.G.As in the State, leading to job creations for the youths and woman via skills acquisition and empowerment, thereby making them self reliant and employers of labour. This could be captured with a greater framework that is inclusive and comprehensive.
Dr. Onuoha relies on the deployment of agricultural revolution, the creation and merger of an industrial base to serve as catalyst for an African economic hub in Imo State and takeoff point for the Nigerian project. Onuoha’s inclusive economic development model is a platform that seeks to reinvent government as critical site and realm in production, distribution, exchange and consumption in the economic sphere. His governance developmentalism strategy is positioned to make government as fountain of mobilizing resource towards effective competition and building of a comparative advantage economy.
The thrust of his developmental and infrastructural model is anchored on the principle of Public – Private Partnership (PPP), with a vision to create a deliberate distribution and redistribution of projects that is inclusive, comprehensive and entrenches its core foundation on mass participation, grass-root involvement and passionate commitment. On the one hand, his economic model is built as a bottom-up approach from the grass-root to get communities economically viable to increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and stimulate the economy.
This is a hybrid cluster of home grown community economic model that will mobilize equal opportunity for all to create an import substitution framework in conserving and generating wealth. The community will own the process and gains of the model with the State acting as facilitator. This brand of development will only focus on developing and articulating all sectors of the economy, in order to harmonize and promote circular flow of income to significantly multiply within the economy, leaving little or no opportunity for wastages.
Technology incubation centres will be created along each sector of the economy to allow for the growth and development of the human capability to contribute enormously to their wellbeing. The financial and stabilizing fund for each sector development will be created to provide for a robust and unhindered participation of all. Mentorship programme shall be created for all incubation centres and follow up with entrepreneur build-up agenda.
It is therefore another defining historical moment of political realism, of realignments and bridge building to secure a greater Imo State for the coming generation. Today’s decisions have got far reaching implications for our future both as a people and as a state.
Written by Kennedy Gbados, a Publicist, and heads Ken-Gbados Concepts Limited.
