In what political observers are calling “a new low even for Imo politics,” disturbing patterns of political harassment, attempted bribery, and subsequent blackmail have emerged as the defining strategy of The Mazi Organization (TMO), the campaign vehicle of gubernatorial hopeful Chima Matthew Amadi.

 

Fresh revelations indicate that Blyden Amajirionwu, Amadi’s notorious lieutenant who recently made headlines for offering N100 million and a luxury SUV to Collins Opurozor, has established a troubling pattern of targeting government officials with financial inducements, followed by vicious character assassination when rebuffed.

 

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Sources close to Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration have revealed that Hon. Stanford Nwokedi Arinze, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, became another target of Amajirionwu’s unsavory recruitment tactics. In an encounter described by witnesses as “embarrassingly desperate,” Amajirionwu allegedly attempted to woo Arinze away from the government with financial promises.

When his advances were firmly rejected, Amajirionwu reportedly resorted to a crude form of financial blackmail, challenging Arinze to display his account balance while taunting that “if there’s up to N2 million there, he would give him another N5 million.” Political analysts interpret this as a thinly veiled suggestion that Arinze had made a poor financial decision by maintaining his loyalty to the Uzodimma administration.

“This is not politics. This is harassment bordering on financial stalking,” remarked Mr. Mike Nwagbara, a political scientist at Imo State University. “What we’re witnessing is the commodification of political loyalty and the shameless attempt to put a price tag on every political actor in Imo State.”

 

The revelations have caused widespread disgust among political stakeholders across party lines. Even within opposition circles, Amadi’s approach has been condemned as “mercenary politics taken to its logical but disturbing conclusion.”

“When your entire political strategy depends on bribing people to join you, and then blackmailing them when they refuse, you’ve abandoned any pretense of democratic engagement,” said Chief Gilbert Emejuru, Chairman of the Coalition of Imo Professionals. “What exactly does Mr. Amadi stand for, beyond his checkbook?”

 

TMO’s approach has raised serious questions about the source of their seemingly limitless funds, especially given the revelation in Opurozor’s statement that Amadi’s company, Julian Matt Agricultural Resources Ltd, was only registered in 2024, despite being touted as the source of his wealth.

“The people of Imo deserve to know where these hundreds of millions being bandied about are coming from,” stated Barr. Chijioke Obiukwu of the Imo Transparency Initiative. “Is this money that could have been invested in the lives of poor people that instead is being used to destabilize a functioning government?”

The emerging pattern suggests a systematic approach by TMO: identify influential figures within the current administration, approach them with outlandish financial offers, and when rejected, resort to public attack tactics.

 

“This isn’t just offensive to the targeted individuals; it’s an insult to the collective intelligence of Imo people,” said a former lawmaker. “The implication that everyone has a price tag is not just cynical, it reveals a profound misunderstanding of what drives public service.”

For many observers, the most troubling aspect is the apparent belief within TMO that all political support can, and should, be purchased rather than earned through vision, competence, and connection with voters.

“When your political organization becomes indistinguishable from a checkbook, you’ve reduced governance to a transaction,” noted Dr. Caroline Ezihe, political analyst and public commentator. “The question Imo voters should be asking is: if Amadi is willing to spend these sums to get into office, what does he expect to get in return?”

 

As reactions continue to pour in from across Imo’s political landscape, one thing remains clear: the Amadi campaign’s dependence on what critics call “checkbook politics” has exposed a bankruptcy of ideas that money cannot mask.

TMO spokesman Cajethan Duke did not respond to repeated requests for comment on these allegations. Sources close to the organization indicate growing internal concern about their strategy’s backfiring, with one insider anonymously revealing, “We’re becoming a laughingstock. People take the money and still laugh at us behind our backs.”

 

With the 2027 gubernatorial race still in its early stages, political watchers suggest this scandal could permanently define Amadi’s candidacy before it even formally begins.

“When your opening move in politics is to try buying loyalty instead of earning it, you’ve already lost the moral authority to govern,” concluded Chief Nnamdi Ofurum, elder statesman. “Imo deserves better than politicians who think everything, and everyone, has a price tag.”

 

Omonefe Ozabor

Special Investigative Report

May 16, 2025