Orlu Senate 2023: Rt. Hon. Jones Onyereri Endorses Chief Charles Ahize Of Labour Party

Posted on February 23, 2023

ONYERERI: THE REAL MVP OF ORLU ZONE

ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES

Strong democracies all over the world have always been about personal and political sacrifices of great heroes and nationalists who put the interests of their nations and constituencies ahead of their own political and economic interests. From Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Biden, there is always something about stepping aside at some point in order to sustain democracy and give the people a chance to better welfare and leadership. The idea of “it must be me at all times” or “if it isn’t me, it can’t be right” is alien to true democracies.

When Abraham Lincoln led America to the civil war in order to preserve the Union, it might not have been the most popular idea within his own Republican Party and he couldn’t have been oblivious of the immense risks it held for his political ambitions and even his personal life, but he went ahead to fight, that America might survive. These sacrifices more than 100 years ago, continue to reverberate across American history and is significantly responsible for how today’s world and democracy are shaped. Today’s free world, would probably, not have been possible if Lincoln didn’t take the path he did, as the leader of the Republican Party and the President of the United States of America.

Many people know President Joseph Robinette Biden as that agile 80 year old, who is America’s oldest person to become President and maybe, as that foreign affairs guru who became Vice-president to America’s First black President, but not many might know the enormous sacrifices that went into his rise to the President he is today. Biden is that same man who has ran for the presidency of America on three previous occasions, but failed, yet never walked away, nor got acrimonious with those who stopped him. His ultimate success today is traceable to his staying power and ability to keep up with the people, even when it might not be convenient to him. Biden is President today, because in all his years of playing politics, he kept base with the people.

Rt. Hon. Jones Onyereri is one man, who in more than one decade and half since he announced his entrant into Imo politics, has maintained an unusual leadership attitude that I may best describe as “Christ like”.

Jesus Christ wasn’t able to succeed as a leader merely because he was known as the Son of God, nor because he performed miracles, but because he was humble and showed empathy to the people. He provided food for the people when they were hungry and looked after them when they fell sick. While he is omniscient, he always made his followers feel belonged, by seeking their opinion on issues and listening to them. He didn’t impose his wishes and ideas on them, but sought to convince them on issues that matter.

Over the last four weeks or so since the Supreme Court committed that major rape on our democracy by nullifying a well-earned nomination from his Party, Jones Onyereri became the most sought-after bride in Orlu zone politics. I knew that he would eventually become the deciding factor in who emerges as the next Senator of Orlu zone, but I was sometimes afraid that he might just abandon the whole thing and go lick the wounds of his loss in this election. But, he proved to be a different kind of politician by continuing to think of what is best for Orlu senatorial district.

I am aware that Governor Uzodimma reached out to him and made mouthwatering promises to him. For a man who have lost multiple billions of Naira since 2016, and who have been twice unjustly deprived of a position he worked assiduously for, it would have been easy and even understandable if he went for the money or some quick political compensations, which I know the APC administration in Imo and Abuja promised him in good quantum, but Onyereri was swayed more by what he considers the best for Orlu zone, at this time.

For a better context, it is important to state it here that Onyereri won the Imo West Senatorial election in 2019, convincingly. Even though he came up against a very formidable incumbent governor with one of the strongest grassroots structures, Onyereri beat my former Oga, Owelle Rochas Okorocha in that election, and we all know the story of how my former governor went to the Red Chambers. In 2022 also, against the massive conspiracy of the Imo PDP against him, Onyereri trounced the anointed candidates of the Party leadership in Imo and won his nomination resoundingly. It could have only taken a special kind of leader to dust himself up from these obvious injustices and continue to think about what is best for his people.

Onyereri’s endorsement of Chief Charles Ahize of the Labour Party as the preferred candidate for Imo West district is not only the game changer, but a clear historical action that will remain relevant in the annals of Imo West political history. Jones, my namesake, is the real MVP of this contest, and I am sure, he will reap bountifully from this selfless action, which is certainly a huge political investment.