The much talked about coalition of politicians mainly governorship aspirants in various political parties in Imo State may be in the offing following recent pictures which surfaced online showing Imo State Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, Senator Benjamin Uwajumuogu, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, and an in law of Governor Rochas Okorocha, Engr. Chuks Ololo exchanging banters after alighting from an aircraft at the Sam Mbakwe International Airport at the weekend.
Though they are members of the All Progressive Congress, APC, similar show of political friendship among public office seekers from various political parties have become prevalent lately.
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There was no report of what transpired after the APC chieftains took the photographs. No meetings or closed door talks. Just exchange of banters and photos.
However, tongues have been wagging since the photo surfaced online provoking questions from political pundits of an imminent coalition of governorship aspirants in Imo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC in a bid to stop Governor Rochas Okorocha from producing a successor in 2019.Okorocha had lit the political stage in Imo State when he announced Uche Nwosu, his son in law and Chief of Staff as his choice for Imo governorship.
Last week, a former Deputy Speaker and a governorship aspirant in the PDP, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume had similar exchanged banters and greetings and engaged in little talks at an event in Owerri. The duo were political cat and mouse in 2015 when Ihedioha picked the governorship ticket in controversial circumstances.
The “Airport meeting” has raised serious concerns if the Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere is seeking for a strategic alliance with Araraume. What the alliance will entail is left to be deciphered as political analysts wonder if the Deputy Governor is seeking for Araraume’s support for his governorship bid which Araraume is also aspiring for. The presence of Engr.Chuks Ololo, a brother in law to Governor Okorocha at the Airport has also sent clear signals that he is in the governorship contest. The newspaper had reported that he has floated a political group called “Omeneji” to oil his governorship ambition.
This has raised concern of realignment of political forces in the party especially those in Okorocha’s camp. Araraume seems to have become a rallying point for the aggrieved governorship aspirants who lost out in the power play in Okorocha’s camp. The appointment of his political ally, Senator Benjamin Uwajumuogu as Secretary of APC Convention and Congress Committee may have raised the expectations of Madumere and Ololo that the Isiebu Senator may hold the ace.
Madumere and Ololo lost out in the political chessboard of Okorocha who recently announced his support for his Chief of Staff, Uche Nwosu.