One is amazed at the turn- around of political development in the Imo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC. Since the National Executive Committee,NEC of the APC disallowed the sack of the present executives at all levels, there has been so much fireworks within the party in the State.
ADVERTISEMENT
There is no gainsaying in the fact that the decision of APC NEC to allow party executives at all levels to remain till June 2019 is a huge blow to whatever plans Governor Rochas Okorocha has geared towards installing his successor in Imo State. No matter how hard he tries to water down his defeat at the APC NEC meeting, he knows that he has lost grip of the party in the State. Whatever he is doing now is an afterthought aimed at getting back at the party through the back door.
Before now, it is imperative to remind party stakeholders that the APC in Imo State was completely abandoned by Governor Rochas Okorocha before Senator Ifeanyi Arararume intervened to rescue it from the paralysis it was plunged into. Party members and stakeholders were abandoned and neglected, rents of party offices in the local governments were ignored as LGA and ward party executives faced the embarrassment of being ejected from their party offices. LGA party Chairmen were seldom consulted on critical issues affecting the party as the APC remained in limbo in Imo State. Rather what attracted the Governor’s fancy at that time was setting up political structures outside the party ostensibly in a bid to aid his desperation to have his son- in law, Uche Nwosu as his successor in 2019.
It is a truism that Okorocha divorced himself from the APC in the State as he focused his political energy on his “Agburu Anyi” clique- his self designed political enclave where only those who share his queer political ideals are segregated away from other APC stakeholders. This further polarized the party and continoulsy placed it in a state of despondency, rejection and neglect.
Senator Ifeanyi Araraume undoubtedly has changed the sorry situation of the APC in the State when he took up some of the challenges and the burdens confronting party members. He came to its rescue using his personal resources to move it away from the verge of precipice. In appreciation of his efforts, 16 local government chairmen of the party pledged their allegiance to him. It is not enough for Okorocha to brag and say that he is the leader of the APC Governors Forum when in real sense he had abandoned the party and left it in a state of coma in Imo State.
His disregard for stakeholders has now manifested in the division and the rise of political forces in the party that have risen against his in ordinate plans to foist his son in law as the governorship candidate of the party. And this has manifested with the stance of the State Party Chairman, Hilary Eke who has not hidden his disdain for Okorocha’s double dealing attitude within and outside the party in Imo State.It should be noted that Eke voted against his party leader at the NEC meeting of the APC when Okorocha moved a motion for the dissolution of the party.
Therefore, it is preposterous for a man who left the APC to die in Imo State to resort to arm twisting the party executives by cajoling them to endorse his son in law for governorship. The wave of endorsements for Uche Nwosu does not truly reflect the position of the party at the Local Government levels. It is a political stunt geared towards shifting the goal post in the middle of the game. Endorsements are no party primaries. It violates the tenets of the party constitution. Therefore the endorsements are not only illegal but amounts to shadow chasing. Primaries as duly recognized by the party constitution are the only legitimate means of electing party candidates.
It is also baffling how Okorocha is now scrambling to hold a local government election which many Imolites had craved for in the last seven years of his garrulous leadership. The local government election in June is nothing but a desperate effort, a quick fix measure just to garner support for the unpopular governorship ambition of his son in law. The story that cars and land gifts have been prepared for the delegates ahead of the primaries by Okorocha is another clear case of desperation as one wonders what manner of greek gifts are coming the way of party delegates when they have been abandoned for a very long time.
It is imperative to note that gone are the days the conscience of party delegates are bought over by filthy lucre. This time the APC will make an informed choice in selecting credible candidates, mostly party men like senator Ifeanyi Araraume who has shown strong faith in the party and commitment to keep the APC alive in Imo State.