*BY RALPH EJIMKONYE*
News had surfaced at the weekend that harmonization is underway in the Imo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC.
One of the party stakeholders, Senator Hope Uzodinma,who represents Orlu zone at the senate had hinted that the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole, had suggested conceding 55% of the party structure to the State Governor, Rochas Okorocha while 45% will go to him and other stakeholders in the party.
This was expected to lay to rest the much reported disunity in the party in the State. But feelers from Okorocha’s camp indicate that they are not keen to tow along this purported suggestion by the Senator who is eying the Imo governorship race on the APC platform.
Governor Rochas Okorocha is backing the present State Executives in the party in the State which had ordered the use of Indirect Mode of Primaries to conduct elections to elect party candidates in Imo State.
This was opposed by another set of stakeholders who had called for Direct Mode.
However, barely 24 hours the Senator opened up on such a harmonization plan, the party in Imo State in a statement by its Publicity Secretary,Mr. FCC Onwusoanya Jones said there is no room for such harmonization
“ The idea of harmonization on the basis of some elitist considerations is strange to the APC. As a strictly democratic organization, leadership structures in the party can only emerge through transparent internal processes, like party congresses.
“This process has long been concluded in Imo State and majority of Party members had made their decisions by voting for those they wish to lead the Party at various organs of the Party, in the State” he said
However, the national leadership of the party is yet to confirm or refute claims made by the senator. But it remains doubtful if such harmonization plan will materialize barely a week to the primaries as feelers emerged that the 22 State Governors of the party were conceded the right to hold any mode of primaries that suits their various State chapters.
