Some political leaders and stakeholders in Owerri Zone (Imo East) are plotting to produce a consensus candidate among litany of governorship aspirants from the zone for the 2019 governorship election.
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The move is predicated on the increasing number of governorship aspirants from the zone aspiring to be Imo State Governor in 2019 which political pundits have described as worrisome and a gateway to political futility.
With the zone strongly pushing for an Imo State Governor of Owerri zone extraction in 2019 coupled with the persistence by Governor Rochas Okorocha to install his son in law Uche Nwosu from Orlu Zone as his successor, the number of governorship aspirants from Owerri Zone in the three major political parties in the State, APGA and PDP had risen to over 40.
The All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA has the highest number of governorship aspirants which hit above 30 as at last week.
This development is giving some stakeholders and leaders in the zone worry on the grounds that some of the aspirants are said to be moles of the APC government or who are in the race with no clear cut purpose and objective but just to make up the numbers.
This newspaper was informed that based on this disturbing anomaly, some self acclaimed leaders and stakeholders gathered at the private abode of a top politician in Emekuku in Owerri North Local Government Area at the weekend where the idea was mooted.
It was however unclear if the plan will have desired effect as those who attended the meeting were top chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP from Owerri zone who seem to be disposed to the governorship ambition of one of the governorship aspirants from Mbaise in the PDP.
How other governorship aspirants from the zone in other political parties will accept the proposition is yet to be deciphered as some of them tagged it “a PDP Affair” that is not binding on all Owerri zone aspirants in other political parties.
But one of the leaders who was at the meeting said the idea or plan is not for Owerri zone governorship aspirants in the PDP alone.
“ It is true that the meeting was mainly attended by PDP chieftains but most of them are political leaders and influence peddlers in Owerri zone. What is important is for Owerri zone to put its house in order to avoid the decimation of the zone before the governorship election. This is not binding, it is advisory and we believe good counsel is priceless.
“ This has been our undoing in the past. Lack of direction and this makes Owerri zone to be prone to the antics of others who take advantage of the high number of governorship aspirants from the zone to cause confusion amongst us. In the end, we loose out and other zones win the big prize” he said
Though details of the meeting was sketchy as the time of filing this report, concern was expressed on the manner governorship aspirants from the zone in the PDP and APGA in 2015 deserted Owerri zone governorship candidates, Rt Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho who after emerging winners of primaries of their political parties were completely abandoned which made them vulnerable to the political whirlwind of the 2015 general elections.
The duo lost woefully at the polls.
Last year, some political leaders from the zone held a Political summit at Egbu, Owerri North LAG which was attended by who is who in the zone where the need for togetherness and collective understanding was identified as twin factors that will aid the zone to end its marginalization in the political alchemy of Imo State.
The Late Chief Evan Enwerem from Owerri zone governed the State from 1992- 1993 leaving the number one top in Imo State for Orlu and Okigwe zones which has produced two State Governors who did two terms (Achike Udenwa and Rochas Okorocha) and for Okigwe zone (Ikedi Ohakim) who governed the State from 2007-2011