Some months back there was a media brawl between a media aide to the PDP’s governorship candidate Senator Samuel Anyanwu and that of Gov Hope Uzodinma. Uzodinma’s aide accusing Anyanwu’s aide of copying her write-up which promoted Gov Uzodinma as Imo’s modern day Dee Mbakwe. That claim angered the accused and a virtual brawl ensued. I keenly followed that event and my thought was that they were only fighting to justify their stipends, because none of the men being fought for has any iota of semblance to Dee Sam Mbakwe. They neither share leadership ideology or vision with him, nor have the track record of using both private and public offices they occupied or still occupying, to promote good governance, growth and development of any part of the state, or the state collectively, as Dee Mbakwe did in his time.

Deep down in them, both Gov Uzodinma and Senator Anyanwu know this fact very well. But, because it’s election time and both are desperate to grab power, it won’t be surprising therefore, seeing them churn out all manner of antics, including downright laughable ones like claiming to be modern day Mbakwe, in their fevered bid to hoodwink their way into power.

Dee Mbakwe was and will always remain a solid beacon for visionary and developmental leadership. As a matter of fact from the record he remains the best governor both the old Imo State and Imo State of today, have had from 1976 till today.

Dee Mbakwe worked extremely hard to place the state on path of true growth and development. With a range of policy and development initiatives, he was able to ignite a stunning industrial and agricultural revolution that, placed Old Imo on the map as the fastest growing economy in Nigeria. That monumental achievement was no doubt spurred by his Igbo-centrism, or deep love for his homeland. In other words, he embodied the Akuruo ulo mentality, which overriding objective is homeland growth and development for collective welfare and prosperity.

Riding on that vehicle he initiated, constructed and unveiled numerous agricultural and industrial projects within the four years he ruled. He also strove to provide enabling environment for them to thrive, with construction of quality and durable roads, as well as other ancillary infrastructure, even as he laid foundation for human capital development that would drive the envisaged industrial revolution, with the building of educational institutions.

Some of his legacies include; Paper Packaging Industry, Owerre Ebeiri, Orlu, Aluminum Extrusion Industry, Inyishi, Ikeduru, Nsu Tilles and Ceramics, Ehime-Mbano, Concorde Hotel, Owerri, International Glass Industry, Aba, Standard Shoe Industry, Owerri, Imo Modern Poultry, Avutu, Obowo, Golden Chicken Poultry Farm, Ukwa, Resin Paints. Mbaise, Enyimba Hotels, Aba, Ariaria International Market,Aba, Oguta Lake Motels, Amaraku and Izombe Power Plants.

Educationally, he founded Imo State University, now Abia State University, College of Agriculture, Umuagwo and College of Technology, Nekede, Owerri, now Federal Polytechnic Nekede.

As earlier said, Dee Mbakwe performed wonders because of his passion and love for his homeland. That love did not start on the eve of his seeking to govern the state, it had long been in him before he contested and won governorship election. Dee Mbakwe started serving Ndi Igbo and Imo in his private capacity as a professional lawyer. Prominent among the battles he fought for his people was being among Igbo lawyers who fought for restoration of property rights of Ndi Igbo after the civil war, following declaration of Igbo properties in other parts of the country as “abandoned properties”by the federal government.

Now, between Senator Anyanwu and Gov Uzodinma who, beyond mere grandstanding, boasts of this kind of outstanding, intimidating, verifiable, transformative, development and people oriented leadership trajectory? Which of them has this kind of track record of visionary leadership in the public sector where the governor has played for almost twelve years and Senator Anyanwu has spent nearly eighteen years? Did any of them do better in their private sector calling before venturing into politics?

Gov Uzodinma in his individual capacity was financially buoyant before seeking elective position in 2011. Throughout his private business life there is no record anywhere showing that he built one cottage industry in his native Omuma Community or Oru nation as a whole. He was in the Senate for eight years and couldn’t propose any meaningful bill and didn’t attract any verifiable constituency project

His governorship track record is even worse. In under four years he has almost ruined the socio-economic and political fabric of the state. Imo is now sitting at the bottom of virtually all human development measurement index in Nigeria. Currently, Imo State’s unemployment rate is 45% and this is the highest in the polity. Poverty and misery is standing at 73.4%, educationally, we used to be among the top three but now far down on 24th spot, just as the state is the bastion of Insecurity in the South East region. To cap the woeful story, the governor doesn’t seem to have any dint of Igbo-ness in him as you can’t link him to any struggle for the collective interest of the people. If anything, the average Imo man sees him as being part and parcel of Fulani cabal.

Senator Anyanwu has been in public governance for almost eighteen years. In his Amaimo, Ikeduru community, you can’t find any cottage industry or signature project to his name. After a whopping 18 years and counting in public governance, the major road linking Mbaise nation which is his maternal home and his paternal Ikeduru, which passes through his own personal house remains one of worst environmental disasters in the state. In the Senate he was a member of the NDDC Committee, an intervention agency for oil-bearing states. As a senator from Imo which is a statutory member of NDDC, one had expected that he would leverage the rare privilege of his membership of the committee, and also coming from a statutory member state to, at least fix that his own road, but failed to do that. Is it possible that someone who could not attract any project for himself, could attract same project for other communities and local government areas? Highly doubtful. And just like Gov Uzodinma, he also does not have discernible Aku Ruo Ulo mentality.

On the other hand, let’s look at the history of the LP candidate Distinguished Senator Athan Achonu. According to records he was only in public service for six months, as senator. That is a far cry from the record of his opponents. Yet, within that short time he was productive as he proposed four bills. They are Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Constitution ( as amended) (alteration)Bill 2015, Petroleum Act (Amendment)Bill 2015, Mining and Solid Minerals Act (2007)(Amendment) Bill 2015 and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2015. Notable effort you would say, but still that doesn’t alter the fact that his stint in public service was too short, thus leaving us with no other option than to judge him with his private sector antecedents.

But, even with the obvious disadvantage of being assessed with only one sector, he still stands tall above his opponents in the demonstration of Mbakwe’s ideology and vision and practical commitment to growth and development of the state.

in the area of demonstration of love for the homeland, Senator Achonu has been a staunch crusader for Aku ruo ulo for over one decade now. I’m sure Imolites can still recall the Aku Ruo Ulo billboards usually mounted in all nooks and crannies of the state, promoting that survivalist and developmental idea. Senator Achonu uses the channel of those billboards to draw the attention of Ndi Igbo and in particular Ndi Imo to urgent need to bring their investments home.

Beyond advocacy, he has equally practically pursued Dee Mbakwe’s vision of Ala Igbo and Imo State experiencing industrial and agricultural revolution. His gigantic multimillion Numo Agro Industries in Umunumo Ehime-Mbano, which is over 70% completed speaks to that mindset. Employing in the region of five hundred at the moment, when fully completed, it will employ 2000 Imolites directly, and about ten thousand others indirectly.

Reputed as a serial entrepreneur, in pursuit of the same ideology, he acquired old Progress Bank building and Old Imo Hotels many years ago, with intention of turning them into a five star resort and international shopping mall, however, that lofty plan was stifled by the past administration of Senator Rochas Okorocha. Similar stifling treatment was meted to his plans to build an industrial park and refinery in Ohaji Egbema, following receipt of licence to that effect from the NNPC.

When Gov Uzodinma was Senate Aviation Committee Chairman, Senator Achonu came up with a laudable proposal of turning Imo Cargo Airport into West Africa’s Cargo Hub. He thought that the governor would leverage his office then to make that dream a reality, but, he didn’t offer the required support. The Umunumo, Ehime-Mbano born LP candidate has also commenced the process of building world class radio and television stations in the state, having acquired necessary papers and clearances from the broadcast regulator, the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, NBC.

Looking at the foregoing picture above, it’s only a an individual heavily beclouded by partisan interest, that would find it difficult deciding who Dee Mbakwe’s cap fits among the three men. Every objective analyst would, without fail, give it to Senator Athan Achonu because he’s the man it fits perfectly. He has shown capacity as an individual investor and promises to do much better as governor.