The heightened focus and concern of Deltans on who goes for the House of Assembly seat of Ika Constituency is quite understandable. Even the assumption that the political contest is going to be epic owes its origin to this same fact: this is the Constituency of the current Governor of Delta State, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa.
So, it is quite understandable when people insist that the same seat should have the best. Indeed, whenever the chips are finally down and political shoves somehow begin to translate into pushes and pulls in the House, it is expected that the Ika representative in that House should be at the forefront in defending, projecting, supporting and promoting the Governor, his government, policies, programmes and sundry concerns.
In the light of the above, this nagging question has therefore arisen: Between the incumbent, Hon Elekeokwuri and his foremost contender, Barr Azuka Uzum, who promises to do better between 2019- 2023?
Well, I do not wish to join the charade of character assassination currently trailing the ambition of Barr Uzum. In all honesty, the young man has so far carried himself in dignified manners since most of us beamed our attention on him.
Barrister Uzum going by his God- given and endowed temperament and traits may be outspoken, out rightly courageous, daring and forthright but beyond these healthy facades are veiled other equally admirable qualities.
The young Barrister is unarguably one of the most generous, kind-hearted, self- effacing, altruistic and unassuming politicians to find among the political class of Delta State. So when some individuals malign him as being proud and unhealthily or disproportionately ambitious, the question that comes to mind is: what indicators were used to objectively measure all of these negative traits?
Where are the unassailable evidences to substantiate such ignoble and unfair act of seeking to summarily defame one’s fellow man? Has it now become a crime for anybody to aspire for any political position in life as a bona-fide citizen and stakeholder in any Nigerian Constituency?
Furthermore, is any political seat even morally and constitutionally the exclusive preserve of anyone? If someone therefore feels he can do much better than an incumbent, should he not be heard out rather than be singled out for vilification or political annihilation just for saying so?
In all honesty, Barr Uzum has done nothing wrong in his decision to contest. If not for anything else, he should be commended for putting a lethal puncture to the unfounded presumption that just because it’s the Governor’s immediate Constituency, no one will dare contest against the incumbent because the Governor might have solely endorsed him.
What this now portends is that the Governor is after all not poised to impose any candidate on the people. If this be the case, it means that the will of the people (expressed first by the delegates and later on by the electorate through the electoral ballot) be allowed to prevail.
As for Hon Elekeokwuri, I must say that he too equally possesses a good heart. He is humble, generous and a good listener. More so, he has shown astuteness and great capacity in the House. So then, should the electorate desire him again, all well and fine.
However, what the supporters of these two great sons of Ika Land should desist from is to drive a wedge of hate, jealousy and irreconcilable ‘ bad belle’ between the two of them through their unguarded verbal and behavioural patterns.
Surprisingly, for all of the times I bothered to check, Hon Elekeokwuri and Barr Uzum have maintained a very cordial relationship. They still call each other often and usually exchange banters at political, in- house and social gatherings. Let nobody now tell me that these actions are political gimmicks to hoodwink anyone.
Thankfully, none of us is God and indeed, none of us is one clairvoyant somewhere that reads and interprets minds.
All I am humbly suggesting or advising therefore is that all of us as beloved Ika sons and daughters, political watchers, supporters and allies should unwittingly not make or concoct issues where non exist for now.