No fewer than six federal lawmakers in the National Assembly of Imo PDP extraction may have activated talks with the All Progressive Congress, APC. They are members of the PDP and were alleged to have strong political allegiance with the now rested Ali Modu Sherrif faction.
The talks may intensify in the coming weeks despite the hand of reconciliation extended to them by the PDP in Imo State, this news website was informed.
The lawmakers are said to be unsure if they will be “truly” accommodated in the PDP in the state now in the firm grip of a former Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives and 2015 Imo State PDP governorship candidate, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha.
Ihedioha is the backbone of Imo PDP presently and is few steps close to realizing his dream of becoming the PDP governorship candidate in Imo PDP for the second time based on the present political situation at hand both at the national and state levels of the part. He is a strong pillar of the Charles Ezekwem State Executives loyal to Makarfi in Imo PDP.
A source who pleaded anonymity but who is in the know of the moves of the lawmakers said “Some of the lawmakers have been under intense pressure to decamp by their friends in the APC after the Supreme Court ruled last week that Senator Ahmed Makarfi is the national chairman of the PDP”
The news website was told that the affected lawmakers and some top PDP bigwigs in the State including a founding member of the party sympathetic to Sherrif are very skeptical in quickly reciprocating the hand of reconciliation extended to them by the PDP both at the State and national levels.
” They wonder if they can have a say in Imo PDP again. They believe that in the politics of PDP, there is nothing reconciliation. It is only mouthed. When the chips are down, such reconciliation will subsumed. The war at the national level was so bitter and indepth that it will be difficult to get a genuine reconciliation. Will they be really trusted assuming they decide to join the reconciliation mantra of the Makarfi backed State executives” the source queried.
Another source said joining the APC will be a second option because the political intrigues that shaped the outcome of the leadership tussle at the national level is different from the political peculiarities in Imo PDP
” The APC remains an open option for them. Though it is not a conclusive idea for now. But these set of lawmakers will continue to fight for the soul of the PDP in Imo State. ”
“Senator Hope Uzodinma is a strong ally to Ali Modu Sherrif and the pillar of the Nnamdi Anayehie group are in court with the Ezekwem state executives. They had issues in court in Imo state which must be sorted out. The coloration of the crisis between Makarfi and Sherrif which was settled by the Supreme Court are different from the contentious issues in Imo PDP” the source said.
He continued ” They will continue to agitate for those issues but if they eventually lose out, the APC option is the most viable”
PDP National Chairman, Ahmed Makarfi was reported to have said that he will not be surprised if Sherrif and co join the APC.