Politics is all about the people. Politics is what the people want and how they wish that desire to be accomplished.
The desire of Ngor Okpala Local Government people is for their council to grow and develop. That growth and development can only be achieved if the wishes, aspirations and demands of the larger people be met through negotiations.
When this is achieved, the persons desirous of being elected or appointed into positions and offices must be those who are duly qualified in character, competence, learning, socialization and in all other ramifications. For this noble deal to be well established, all diligence processes must be met.
Sadly and most regrettably, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the forthcoming local government elections, Hon Chika Ibekwe, does not in anyway fit into the above characterizations.
To begin with, her emergence is an affront against the critical and central key of zoning. There are three zones in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area namely North, Central and South. Since 1999, power, in this case, appointments and elective positions, has always been lopsided in the north and south, most essentially, in the south.
For the avoidance of doubt, Ngor Okpala North consists of Wards 5, 6, 10 and 11.
Ngor Okpala South has Wards 1 and 4, while Ngor Okpala Central is made up of Wards 2, 3, 7,8 and 9. This is the composition.
Yet, Lady Ibekwe, currently the Ngor Okpala APC candidate for the LGA elections, hails from the hugely and over favoured Ngor Okpala South Zone. Therefore, her candidacy has provoked high scale of negative emotions murmurings.
The masses are of the view that since the mantra of the Imo State Government is Charter of Equity consequent upon which it is periscoped that power must shift to Owerri Zone in 2027 for the essence of justice, equity and fairness. That is, the candidacy of Ibekwe did not in any way reflect balancing, equity and fairness. Her emergence has caused unprecedented disunity and distractions.
Moreover, the lay faithful, particularly, the Catholic Women Organization (CWO), and Women Guild of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion have insisted Ibekwe does not for a moment represent the true image of a model. The church in Ngor Okpala sees Ibekwe as a wrong choice and not reflecting the true colour and image of the church. And this means total reflection.
In fairness, the central zone ought to produce the next chairman of Ngor Okpala Local Government Area.
The most unbearable allegation against Ibekwe is her lack of morals as a woman. Her carriage is questionable. Her image is allegedly not decent. And it is also alleged that she is in essence empty even as she is said to be over recycled and over appointed and reappointed. Thus, her emergence is seen as a beautiful sore and indeed no longer wanted.
In all, there is the accusation that Okenze Obinna, a notable businessman through the office of the commissioner of rural development, Hon. Damain Oru, and Hon. MacDonald Ebere, the State Chairman of the party may have marketed Ibekwe with the wholesome sum of N20m with fragrant disregard to the internal zoning arrangement of the area.
With no experience at any level, the people of Ngor Okpala are asking the criteria that actually produced Hon Chika Ibekwe to her chairperson.
