* Six Okorocha’s Ex Loyalists Square Against Governor’s Choice*
*Owerri Zone Produce 6 Guber Aspirants, Orlu 2, Okigwe None*
*BY RALPH EJIMKONYE*
Six ex loyalists of Governor Rochas Okorocha are in the race for the governorship ticket of the governing All Progressive Congress, APC in Imo State.
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Five of them are from Owerri Zone.
They include Okorocha’s former deputy, Eze Madumere, Sir Jude Ejiogu, a former Secretary to the Government of Imo state and Sir George Eche who had taken over from Ejiogu as Secretary to Government.
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Others are Mr.Chima Anozie, a former Head of Owerri Capital Development Agency, OCDA.
Engr.Chuks Ololo, a Board Member of Federal Institute of Research Oshodi and hubby to Okorocha’s sister and Commissioner of Happiness, Ogechi is also in the race for the ticket.
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Mr.Chris Nlemoha who is not known to have served the present government is also in the race. He is from Owerri Zone.
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The two other aspirants are from Orlu zone namely Senator Hope Uzodinma, senator representing Orlu Zone and Chief Uche Nwosu who is Governor Rochas Okorocha’s preferred choice for the party ticket and former Chief of Staff.
Nwosu is also from Orlu zone.
From all indications, Okigwe zone has no aspirant seeking for the governorship in Imo APC.Senator Ifeanyi Ararume who hails from that zone has left the party for the All Progressive Grand Alliance.
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Political analyst query why Okorocha’s ex loyalists dominated the contest.
The party in Imo State is divided on the mode of primaries as some of the aspirants are opposed to indirect primaries as stipulated by the State Working Committee of the party led by Daniel Nwafor.
Nwafor led exco enjoys the legitimacy of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC having been sworn in by the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole and recently invited to the recent NWC Meeting of the party in Abuja attended by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Though some stakeholders and some aspirants such as Senator Hope Uzodinma, Prince Eze Madumere and others kick against the Indirect Primaries mode preferring the Direct Primaries,
It is unclear if the National leadership may reverse the directive of the State Working Committee having given a proviso that State chapters of the party are free to hold primaries in line with peculiarity of the party in the States.
The eight aspirants reportedly bought APC Nomination And Expression Of Interest Forms for governorship.
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