IFEANYI OKALI
In the bustling online spaces of Abia State, social media has become a battleground — loud, chaotic, and often misinformed. Here, debates are fierce, reputations are easily smeared, and every political move is dissected by thousands who watch from their smartphones. The digital air is heavy with noise — endless arguments, half-truths, and manufactured controversies. But underneath the surface lies a deeper problem: a fundamental misunderstanding of how real politics works.
Enter the “*Nde Ori-Na Crisis*” — a phrase that perfectly captures a peculiar breed of opportunists. These are individuals who thrive on discord, who view every political misunderstanding, every policy misstep, and every leadership decision not as a point for constructive debate, but as an opportunity to ‘cash out.’ They stir conflict deliberately, inflate narratives, and often monetize the chaos through sponsored posts, paid propaganda, and partisan loyalties that shift with the highest bidder.
Sadly, many people in Abia State fail to realize that politics in Nigeria — and indeed, in most functioning democracies — is not truly waged on social media. Real political power is brokered behind closed doors, in negotiation rooms, party secretariats, village meetings, town halls, and among grassroots influencers who may not even own a smartphone.
The social media spectacle is often just that — a spectacle. A mirage designed to give the illusion that battles are being fought and won with hashtags and trending topics. But while Facebook timelines blaze with outrage and Twitter threads boil over with accusations, the actual political strategies are quietly unfolding elsewhere — far away from the digital frenzy.
Abia State offers a compelling case study of this phenomenon. In the heat of election seasons or during government transitions, the state’s social media environment transforms into a marketplace of anger and misinformation. Aspirants who understand the terrain of real politics focus on building structures: empowering ward leaders, engaging traditional rulers, consulting with youth leaders and religious groups — the true power blocs of the state. Meanwhile, those trapped in the noise of social media find themselves chasing shadows, believing that the loudest voices online are the most influential on the ground.
Here’s a truth many ignore: anyone can become Governor of Abia State if you understand and master the arithmetic of politics. It is not magic. It is a simple, calculable strategy built on numbers, alliances, and grassroots work. If you can effectively identify your voting strength, build influence in key local government areas, mobilize committed foot soldiers, and form strategic partnerships across political, cultural, and social divides, you can take power.
And let this be clear: you do not win elections by hiring people to insult others on social media without making valid points. Insults without substance only alienate voters and deepen public resentment. In the end, no one votes for noise or for baseless bitterness. Elections are won with ideas, clear messaging, strategic alliances, and a visible, effective presence on the ground — not with reckless online abuses.
The future of Abia does not belong to those who shout the loudest online; it belongs to those who master the art of political arithmetic, organize their people, understand the power matrix, and work the grassroots with discipline and vision. Those who can resist the temptation of empty noise and focus on building real influence will write their names in history. Abia is waiting — not for noise makers, not for crisis merchants — but for thinkers, builders, and doers. Power is never given; it is taken by those who are prepared.
*Ifeanyi Okali*
PR Consultant/Image Manager.