Indeed, progress is coming on the way, for the enterprising people of Ohaji-Egbema/Oguta/Oru West federal constituency. It will come the way of those who have waited patiently for it. Those who believe in democracy and go all out to ensure that democracy thrives in our time.
Unlike the past elections, in this year’s election, the will of the people and the votes of the masses will count and most importantly, to the advantage of the hardworking people of the oil rich region, who so much believe that the daughter of Chief RBK Okafor – the foremost Nationalist, a great leader in Imo State and Nigeria, Ngozi RBK Okafor, is the right person to represent the constituency. They believed in her so much that for her sake, they abandoned their other businesses to support her aspiration to represent them in the Federal House of Representatives in the February 25 election. The love extended to her was massive when she began consultations, met all the critical stakeholders in the federal constituency who gave their nods for her to run for the office. Royal fathers were not left out, as they also gave their blessings. Then came the declaration at her home town, Nkwesi Primary School, where who-is-who in Ohaji-Egbema/Oguta and Oru West federal constituency, the old, young and feeble gathered in great numbers to drum support for her ambition. It was all good as speaker after speaker took turns to pour encomiums on this woman pledging their support and loyalty to her vaunting ambition. She was the only candidate from the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) to do what is today known as the mother of all declarations. She toured the federal constituency without fear of being hounded, injured or even killed. Places where it was rumoured that any aspirant who visited wouldn’t come back alive, Ngozi RBK Okafor went there, out of the desire to offer effective representation to her people, met with the people living in those places and as usual, earned their support, prayers and blessings. This kept her moving until a day to the primary election when news filtered in that one Eugene Dibiagwu had allegedly joined the race. RBK Okafor wasn’t perturbed that she had a rival because as one who had lived a greater part of her life, overseas, she believes in democracy and election for any leader to emerge.
Did Eugene Dibiagwu purchase APC nomination forms for the contest when window for that was still open? No, he did not. Did he submit his forms like others at the appropriate time frame? No, he did not. Did he participate in the screening in Abuja like every aspirant? No, he did not. So, is it not surprising that someone who is not qualified to contest can miraculously emerge the party’s candidate? It is not only ridiculous but it is also illegal and very short sighted by the APC, because everyone in Imo state is aware of these facts and are indeed waiting to see the outcome of the court judgment. How can you win a race that you were never part of? And also not even qualified to contest? This is not good for our nascent democracy at all.
That the All Progressives Congress in Imo State under the leadership of MacDonald Ebere Ph.D appears to have aided and abetted this day light robbery is not the issue, the most worrisome is the shenanigan that happened during the primary election where party members and supporters had waited patiently to exercise their franchise to no avail. Suddenly, Eugene Dibiagwu was announced winner of the primary election whereas voters were still in the field waiting patiently for INEC personnel, sensitive and non-sensitive materials. What an aberration!!
Obviously not happy with the outcome, Ngozi RBK Okafor headed to the courts. From High Court to Appeal Court where a 3-man panelist saw merit in her case and ruled in her favour, stating that she was the only aspirant that met all the obligations for the election. This statement by the Appeal Court was so clear and glaring. What more can one say??? How much clearer can this statement be? The Appeal Court Justices therefore, ordered the electoral umpire, INEC to conduct a rerun election within 20 days to enable the party correct its initial faux pas.
Your guess is as good as mine as to what also happened during the rerun election. Indeed! just as they say, there was a country, where darkness rules over light. Just like the first election, the rerun election was marred by so many irregularities and again, Ngozi RBK Okafor suffered the same fate. Again, she had approached the court, the last hope of the common man, believing that she will get justice. May the God of justice wade into her matter.
Ngozi RBK Okafor has the interest of her people at heart. Severally, she has helped in taking many youths off the streets by offering them employment. As a professional Registered Nurse with well over 25 years of experience in Healthcare Management and Service Delivery, RBK Okafor has assured constituents that she will facilitate a quick and adequate equipping of our already existing health centers, with modern facilities, affordable health schemes, policies and framework, that will make service delivery better and accessible for everyone irrespective of class, when elected.
She had also supported many artisans from her Federal Constituency with such equipment to ease their job, just as she did during the flooding that ravaged parts of her federal constituency when she provided succor to victims of that unfortunate incident.
Ngozi Okafor recognizes education as an integral part of community development and has been paying school fees, WAEC and NECO fees for the indigents in her federal constituency, scholarship funds inclusive.
She is a grassroots mobilizer and enjoys the support of the masses. Why some bigwigs in her federal constituency had chosen to whittle this shining star remains a puzzle for every sane mind to solve. But they will fail in their gambit because they do not know her very well, they think she is a pushover and because she is a woman, that they can disregard her and take her for granted. This is a big fat lie. For Ngozi RBK Okafor, it is a fight to finish. She had said so in many fora to those who cared to listen that nothing will stop her from pursuing her mandate and political liberation till the final conclusion. She will never budge until the last is heard of the matter. For now, it is not yet uhuru for Eugene Dibiagwu and co. Justice must be served.
Stanley Okehie, is an Owerri-based Journalist.