BY RALPH EJIMKONYE
Former Imo State Governor, Hon Emeka Ihedioha has been fingered as the “arrow head of the opposition in the state” to the present Hope Uzodinma administration in the state.
This is among other factors, why the former Governor has to be probed by the present administration, top level sources in Imo APC have revealed to this newspaper.
The Supreme Court had on January 14, 2020, sacked Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as Governor of Imo State and replaced him with Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressive Congress, APC.
Imo State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Hon. Declan Emelumba, had recently accused the Ihedioha administration of misappropriating N19.36 billion naira local government funds.
The Imo State House Of Assembly, dominated by the ruling APC, says it will proceed with the probe of the past administration.
According to multiple sources who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity, Uzodinma never contemplated probing the former Governor, but indications that “Ihedioha has resolved to contest again for Imo governorship in 2024, is the chief factor why they decided to go after the Mbutu born politician”
The source said “It’s all about 2024. As it is now, Ihedioha is the leading opposition figure and arrow head in the State. Other opposition leaders have either lost steam or capitulated. There is no known politician in the state, who will have the nerve to challenge the APC government in 2024. Some have even fled the political stage and they will not have the muscle to return. There is no strong opposition to the present government except Ihedioha and the PDP.
“The only opposition figure that is formidable in Imo State is Ihedioha and the PDP and we are aware he still retains considerable level of support and followership in the state because of the manner he was kicked out of office by the Supreme Court.
“That sympathy is there for him and if he nurtures it till 2024, he will be the biggest threat to the APC government in the State, which has started on a shoddy note by not paying salaries to workers and pensions to pensioners.
“Ihedioha has showed signs that he wants to stage a come back to Government House in 2024 and it is public knowledge, that he still enjoys support and sympathy from the Imo populace, who have not really accepted the Uzodinma government.
“Public sympathy still sway in Ihedioha’s favour and Uzodinma knows this fact. And it is important that such public support is decimated before the next election cycle
“This is the reason, Governor Uzodinma said leadership is not a popularity contest but he forgot that popularity is a major plus to win elections.
“ Once he is politically decimated with all these allegations of fraud, he will lose credibility in the eyes of the voting masses by the next election cycle” the sources concluded
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