In this article, AMARACHUKWU EGWUAGHA in Abakaliki analyses the consequences of Governor David Umahi’s alleged confession of dual party membership, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka’s prophecies and Nnamdi Kanu’s undesirable utterances, saying that such is capable of having negative impact on the society.
Most times people make utterances without knowing the consequences on both the well to do in the society and the ordinary people.
These words many a times turn to serious issues while those who make such utterances results either deny them or seek for ways of ameliorating them. Unknowingly to them, these utterances are capable of tearing the country apart.
We have unguarded words at political level,religious level,groups and so on.
At Political level
Unguarded words at this level is mostly seen among the executives, legislatures, and others. The executives most times makes statement to either pass a message or cajole one thing or the other without knowing it will generate serious issues or lead to lack of confidence on them by their followers. These words sometimes result in impeachment if not carefully handled.
Such statement credited to Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state, when he said “I belong to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC). The governor actually made the utterances when some group of people paid Christmas homage to him. These where his actual words ,
“Stay in one place. Don’t run from here to there and from there to here.
“E no make sense. If you say you dey there (APC), know I am already there. If you go to APC, I am an APC member. If you go to PDP, I am there.
“I am the only person that does anti-party and nothing will happen. Any other person that does anti-party is gone. So, I am representing you in APC while you all stay in PDP. If you like, go and write it on social media.”
But from the explanations made by his aides these who were later troubles by the interpretations, the words of Umahi were actually advice to members of PDP who were at the verge of decamping to APC having misconstrued the governor’s utterances.
The effect of such words turned out to be in the negative as the society gave a lot of meaning to it.Though the governor’s aides tried to defend him to the extent of denying the statement.
The state commissioner for information and orientation ,Mr Uchenna Orji while briefing journalists said, “It is a common sense that no one party member in Nigeria can belong to two political parties at a time. The Governor never said that he belongs to APC. He is unshakably a PDP chieftain and has been a great party man, whose track records as historic state party chairman and currently PDP governor and leader in Ebonyi state are known and admired by people of good will.
“The governor only said in the course of his speech that those who are in the habit of hiding under partisan politics to peddle lies against the state government were on a frolick of their own as people of different political colorations including APC know the virtues of his administration
“It must be noted that the governor’s style of governance is that of inclusive politics where partisan politics comes and goes but national interest and patriotism are the indispensable principles of his administration”.
Also the Special Adviser to the Governor, Mr Frances Nwaze in a statement he termed “Umahi is 100% PDP and nothing more” quoted the Governor to have said,”Politics should be separated from personal relationship.”
He explained that Umahi while responding to the groups that visited him on the 29th December 2019 was not only referring to possible decampess from PDP but thanked President Muhammad Buhari for allocating a Federal Collage of Education to Ebonyi.
According to him the governor while responding to them, remarked that many National Assembly members have kept on claiming being responsible for the citing of the college in Ebonyi when in actual sense, it was an executive order and was never influenced by any legislature.
He thanked Mr. President for the approval of the college in Ebonyi State while advising some political stakeholders from the state especially members of the National Assembly to stop playing politics with the new Federal College of Education.
He quoted Umahi to have said,”I have highest degree of respect for President Buhari even though it makes them accuse me of anti-party but Politics should be separated from personal relationship…”.
The SA however notes that,”Since Governor Umahi made that remark, enemies of the state took to social and mainstream media to lash at him – concocting all manner of write-ups geared towards smearing his image before the public”.
This singular comment from Ebonyi state Governor generated a lot of miss fillings from the public that many words was used against him both those in supporting view and negative view,especially on online media.
At the religious level.
The judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on Imo state gubernatorial elections, Rev father Ejike Mbaka before the Apex court gave judgement was quoted to have prophesied that Hope Uzodinma would win in the court.
His prophesy,”“Many things are going to happen in Nigeria this 2020 that will shock countrymen and countrywomen; but all would be to God’s glory,” Mbaka said.
“In spite of all that would happen this 2020, there is hope. In Imo State, there is hope. Hope, hope, hope in Imo state!”
But this prophesy threw the entire Imo state to panic. So many people said a lot of thing which included, “Mbaka has taken brief, they have told him of their plans” “Mbaka is no longer a priest, why not leave politics”, Mbaka is now in the business of the highest bidder”, just to mention a few.
Although so many still believe in in the man of God, so many also disliked him for prophesying about politics. This went a a long way to dent his image as a political prophet.
At the group level
In 2019, before, during and after the general elections, the Arewa youths issued a trait that Ndi Igbo leave the north, this trait nearly brought ethnic war in the country, but for the intervention of some political leaders, the unfolding crisis was managed and nipped in the bud.
Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB was tagged terrorist because of words attributed to him. He issued threats that he never carried out, which however spurred the people into believing that republic of Biafra is achievable. With his words, he made the public turned their searchlight to Aso Rock, he made people ask questions, he raised doubts of the on the presidency, when he claimed that the man who occupies Nigeria’s number one seat is no longer President Muhammadu Buhari. This has long been known to a hoax and capable of introducing confusion in the polity.
Today Nnamdi Kalu is a fugitive in a foreign land because of unguarded words.
