*Ihedioha Neck Deep In Romance With Atiku
*Sam Daddy In Tango With Wike, May Emerge PDP National Chair If Ayu Quits
*Uzodimma’s ex loyalists, Agbaso, Ihekweme, Ononuju Back Peter Obi.
*APC, PDP Decampees Join Labour Party, APGA
Some top political players in Imo State are shifting political allegiances and changing camps, which underscores ongoing political alignment and realignment in the political landscape of the state.
This is coming barely seven months to the 2023 general elections and 16 months to the next governorship election in the state.
In the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which is the main opposition political party in the state, two major players in the party, former Governor Emeka Ihedioha and PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, have begun early preparations to pick the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2023 governorship election.
Ihedioha, widely believed to be making moves to come back to Douglas House, after his removal as Governor by the Supreme Court, is deeply in alliance with the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
His long time ally, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, had played a crucial role to ensure Atiku’s emergence as PDP presidential candidate.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had placed second in the contest after Tambuwal had stepped aside from the race and backed Atiku for the party’s presidential ticket.
The Tambuwal/Atiku alliance was a technical knock out for Wike.
Senator Anyanwu (Sam Daddy), the PDP National Secretary, is a known unrepentant ally of Governor Wike. The Rivers State Governor reportedly played a strategic role to ensure Anyanwu’s emergence as PDP National Secretary.
Wike and Atiku are at cross roads at the moment over the former Vice President’s decision to dump the Rivers State Governor for his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his Running Mate.
Wike insists that Iyorchia Ayu ,the PDP National Chairman must quit, as a basis for reconciliation with the former Vice President on the grounds that the Party’s presidential candidate and National Chairman cannot come from the North.
The political gymnastics in the PDP at the national level do have serious implications for the Imo State chapter of the party because it shaped the political alignment of the two competing political actors in the party.
Sources said Senator Anyanwu is favoured for the PDP National Chair position if Ayu resigns, a position expected to give him the cutting edge over other contenders for Imo PDP guber ticket.
With the party’s presidential candidate from the North and Vice Presidential candidate from the South, the South East is in pole position to grab the National Chair job of the PDP if Ayu eventually goes.
In the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, some loyalists of Governor Hope Uzodimma have also changed political camp, while some have shifted allegiances.
A handful of them have joined Peter Obi’s Obidient movement in the labour party. They are Chief Martin Agbaso, two former Commissioners, Mr.Fabian Ihekweme and Barr Kingsley Onunuju.
Pictures of Agbaso and Peter Obi, the Labour Party Presidential candidate had surfaced online two months ago, giving credence to widely held belief that the Emekuku born politician has dumped the ruling party.
Also, those who lost party primaries in the APC and PDP in the State have realigned and shifted allegiance to other political parties, majority of them opting for Labour party.
Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi who lost the PDP Imo East Senatorial ticket to Hon Uche Onyeagocha, has crossed over to the Labour party.
A former Majority Leader of Imo State House of Assembly, Hon Uche Ogbuagu dumped the APC for Labour party, where he is the candidate of the party for Mbaitoli/Ikeduru Federal Constituency.
Hon Henry Nwauba, who is seeking a third term at the House of Representatives has joined the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA after losing the PDP ticket.
