Okorocha’s Followers Await Outcome Of APC National Convention, Bank On Oshiomole

*BY TONY IHEANYI*

Political followers of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State known and called “Ndi Agburu Anyi” in Igbo parlance may be keenly awaiting the outcome of the National Convention of the All Progressive Congress, APC scheduled to hold at Eagles Square, Abuja on June 23rd.

Sources within the Governor’s camp said they are hopeful that the emergence of former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomole will offer them a breather of hope in the party.

The Governor’s camp had lost the fierce scramble for the soul of Imo APC losing the ward and local government congress to the Allied Forces, a group of politicians in the party united and bounded by a fierce determination to take over the party structure from the Imo Governor.

Okorocha had sought for several remedies to assuage his loss at  the congress alleging that there were no ward congress as materials for the exercise was hijacked by his political adversaries. He had sought for presidential intervention to cancel the exercise. His followers boycotted the local government congress and for the State congress, he sought and obtained a court order stopping the exercise. The exercise went on as scheduled as his political adversaries proceeded with the process.

Despite the loss, sources in the Governor’s camp told this newspaper that hope is not lost on the grounds that there was no congress in Imo APC. Reports point to the direction that the Governor’s followers are banking on the emergence of  Adams Oshiomole, an APC national chairmanship aspirant who has been endorsed by President Muhammadu Buhari for the APC top job.

Oshiomole and Okorocha had visited President Muhammadu Buhari last week. The duo refused to speak to newsmen on the outcome of the meeting. It was observed that those in the Governor’s camp are strongly hoping that if Oshiomole emerges national chairman, he will critically “reassess the situation in Imo APC” with a view of finding a solution to the political imbroglio that has made Okorocha to look like an onlooker in the affairs of the party.

Last week,the Imo State Governor constituted a  parallel State Executive and appointed Mr. Chris Oguoma as Acting Chairman. Members of the Imo State House of Assembly had also identified with the parallel Executive when it visited the Oguoma parallel Exco last week. It also embarked on the sale of forms for councillorship and chairmanship aspirants.

However it is expected that delegates from the Imo APC to the national convention will emerge among those who emerged at the just concluded congress.