Political foot-soldiers of former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, are in dilemma over newspaper reports that the former Governor of the State is contemplating leaving the All Progressive Congress, APC for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Okorocha, who presently represents Imo West Senatorial District at the senate and the incumbent Governor, Hope Uzodinma, seem to have political differences as the latter ignored Okorocha’s loyalists when making his appointments and reneging on other ‘agreements’
Governor Uzodinma had reportedly turned down nominees from the former Governor into his government, as the latter showed preference for his CAMP HOPE loyalists and followers only.
Recall that Okorocha and Uzodinma were bitter political enemies during the scramble for the governorship ticket of the All Progressive Congress, APC in 2019.
Okorocha had wanted his son in law, Uche Nwosu, for the guber ticket of Imo APC and as his successor, while Uzodinma was preferred as the governorship candidate of the party by the National Working Committee, NWC.
This led to fierce political fisticuffs.The sack of Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP by the Supreme Court on January 14 as Imo State Governor and his replacement by Hope Uzodinma of the APC led to the ‘reconciliation’ of the erstwhile political foes.
However, another round of love lost between the former Governor and Uzodinma ensued, when the latter refused to appoint Okorocha’s men into his government, in addition to the fact that Uzodinma allowed several panels of Inquiry set up by the sacked PDP administration of Emeka Ihedioha, to continue investigating allegations of fraud against the former Governor.
Sources said Uzodinma’s reluctance to accommodate “other political blocs in the APC” in the State, including members of Okorocha’s Rescue Mission family is already igniting political tension in the APC in the State.
INNONEWS was informed that two options are being considered by Okorocha’s loyalists, which is to either remain in the APC, and hope that Governor Uzodinma soft pedals on his hard-line approach towards them, or they join the PDP.
“We are holding consultations and weighing the options. But i remain doubtul if former Governor Okorocha will leave the APC, a party he contributed to build and nurture in the state, the South East and in the country” said a source close to Okorocha’s camp in Owerri.
Okorocha had lamented last year that the evil that befall him in the PDP exists in the APC.
” The evil I feared in the PDP has befallen me ten times in the APC. I hate injustice” he said