Indications became clear last week that Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha is bent on taking full control of the All Progressive Congress, APC in the State.
The move is seen as a grand move to ensure his successor picks the party’s governorship ticket in 2019.
The APC structure in the State has been reportedly taken over by serial governorship aspirant, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume who has succeeded in co opting key members of the party into his Destiny Campaign Organization.
To crown his efforts was the switch of allegiance of 10 of the 27 local government chairmen of the party to Araraume’s camp. However in a bid to regain the soul of the party geared towards installing a successor , some top chieftains of the APC in the State loyal to the Governor said the much disputed delegates list which favoured Senator Araraume has been “altered” to now favour the Governor.
This claim could not be verified as at press time but a local tabloid in Owerri reported on Friday that there was no such alteration as the news was just a kite flown to ensure those in the Rescue Mission camp do not leave in droves.
This newspaper was also told that the recent release of N350 million naria for the rehabilitation of rural roads in the 27 local governments and another N1 billion naria announced by the Governor during his 2018 Budget presentation for each of the 27 LGAs was a move to push funds at the grassroots and also make party members in the wards and LGAs happy.
A source told this online news platform that the Local Government Transition Committee Chairmen have been told to co opt only loyal APC members from the ward to the LGA levels projects to be used for the funds
” This is a way to pacify the aggrieved APC members from the grassroots to the top level who have been complaining of lack of funds to oil party operations at all levels.
This newspaper further learnt that there will be series of meetings between the Local Government Chairmen and party officers during the yuletide to ensure synergy.
The source said ” all organic structures formed by the Governor such as the Community Government Council,CGC, the Ugwumba Movement, Nneoma Women and other groups will be carried along as well. You can imagine what N1.3 billion naria will do for the party, other structures and for the people in each of the LGAs in the State”
This newspaper had reported last week that several options to ensure the installation of a successor are being perfected to ensure Okorocha’s successor picks the APC governorship ticket and eventually win the governorship polls in 2019.
It was also reported that in the event it fails to pull through, the chosen successor may head to another political party while Okorocha remain in APC.