The battle on who picks the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Imo State will begin in February 2018 when Congresses from the Ward to the State levels will be held.
The congresses are aimed at electing fresh officers at all levels in the party. It is also crucial to who picks the party’s governorship ticket and other elective positions.
Sources hinted this newspaper that the elected officers of the party from the wards,Local governments and State levels will constitute delegates to various Primaries of the party where party flagbearers for various positions will be elected.
This is also in addition to special delegates that will also to take part in the Primary.
If this development is anything to by, it makes the congresses to be more fierce among major contenders for the party’s governorship ticket.
Already two clear camps have already emerged in Imo APC. Governor Rochas Okorocha Rescue Mission camp and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume’s Destiny Organization.
Governor Okorocha is bent on getting his successor on the Imo APC ticket.The same for Araraume who is firing on all cylinders to secure the guber ticket of the party as well.
Political pundits argue that any of the two camps that suceed in securing majority of party officers during the congresses may be in pole position to secure the party’s governorship ticket.
However, the APC national headquarter is yet to issue a final directive on modalities for conducting the congresses in Imo State though there are indications much may not really change.
If the modalities for holding the congresses remain the way it is, then it makes the battle for the soul of Imo APC very contentious.
The APC in Imo had remain polarized for a very long time which prompted a sharp division as some party chieftains fled to various political camps.
The highpoint was an alarm raised by Governor Okorocha who alleged that some politicians in the party took an oath for a another governorship aspirant in exchange for their loyalty.
Later, 10 LGA chairmen of the party switched allegiance to Senator Araraume.
This December, Okorocha’s camp oiled the party structure doling out cash and other gift items to party officers from the ward to the state levels while the Araraume camp have beefed up their mobilization ahead of the February Congress.