Sen. Uzodimma Ruling With Threats And Intimidation?

The Press Statement issued this morning, 10th of April 2020 by Mr. Oguwike Nwachukwu, the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the Imo state governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma is once again to say the most insensitive and oblivious of all his latest crude and rudimentary posts, laced with most incongruous tenses of all time.

While I do no suggest the churning out of fake stories as tool for opposition, Nwachukwu, who instead of matching with facts, opposition’s assertion that three Chinese doctors were smuggled into the state by the governor through hazy and undistinguishable circumstances in a time that the importation of these Chinese doctors is still a subject of national controversy, decided only to send threats, intimidation and warning to opposition writers on the Social Media, with singular mentioning of Mr. Ambrose Nwogwugwu, the Director-General of the New Media Directorate of the Imo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In his unbalanced temperament which is alien to Public Image making profession, Uzodinma’s Media Adviser addressed Imo critics of the government as “irritants” who are writing “nonsense”, warning that his “Uzodimma won’t tolerate” their criticisms anymore.

While this is not the first time the Imo Social Media family has been set on fire through derogatory and abusive statements from this seemingly inexpert Media Adviser to Uzodimma against Imo journalists, this however is the first of such a direct call-out on a dully engaged media officer of a major opposition party like the PDP in Imo state.

This has not only confirmed an earlier opinion I once shared that Uzodimma needs a special training for his aides, especially those of them managing his image and that of his government, as it does seem that all in that sector are bullies and tormenters relying on intimidations, threats and blackmails against perceived critics of the APC-led administration in the state.

So far, evidences on ground have shown that the present administration in the state lacks ideas and visions of moving the state forward. The government had largely relied on pushes and suggestions from the opposition government; a reason the administration has been termed as “Push and Start” government in some quarters.

Nwachukwu must realize that no amount of threats, intimidation, coercion and harassment of social media activists in Imo state would shut up the sector because the social media (Facebook) is like a major market that has been there even before the advent of the Uzodinma’s administration. That street spares no one, including the No. 1 public servant of the state in the person of the governor.

Nwachukwu must realize that social media terrorism, not political assassination has remained part of the style in the state, and whosoever must PR for a governor must learn and show tact, thoughtfulness and superior verbosity to contend with travelers on that lane. Any threat to a particular driver on this highway is a threat to all. And certainly, you can’t be a lone driver on this highway.

Finally, the APC/Uzodinma-led government in Imo state must come to terms that running Imo state is not the same thing as running the Imo West senatorial zone in the state. Effective communication with the people, coated with transparency in government businesses, must be adopted at all times to avoid the almost discrete operations in today’s Imo government of Sen. Uzodinma.

The image makers of the government must stop seeing opposition writers and critics as enemies, rather be able to maintain open hearts to develop mutual communication strategies with them for the overall development of the state.

Going forward, those of us in the opposition PDP will not standby and watch our dully appointed New Media Director-General, Mr. Ambrose Nwogwugwu intimidated, harassed or blackmailed by the ruling government while carrying out his official duties. At the same time, the core image makers of Sen. Uzodimma should be up-beat and proactive in their duties. The CPS should show some unwinding from his anchorite disposition while efforts should be geared towards reducing lies as official government instrument of operations.

*_Nwadike GOC is from Orlu, Imo State and a chieftain of the Imo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-*