Analysis By: JUDE UDEZE
There has been concern among members of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Imo State on the fate and future of the party after suffering a crushing defeat in the 2019 general elections in the State.
The APC fell from Olympian heights in 2019 not just losing the governorship election (though it is challenging it’s outcome at the Election Tribunal), but failed to even produce a single member of the State House of Assembly.
Though it boasts of two senators in the National Assembly (Benjamin Uwajumuogu representing Okigwe zone and Rochas Okorocha who represents Orlu zone), the party is in limbo.
“Governor Rochas Okorocha may also be in the running to retake the leadership role of the party after governing Imo State on its platform for eight years. But he may be limited by the array of opposition within the ranks of the party and his suspension which is yet to be lifted by the National Working Committee, NWC”.
To say the least, the APC in Imo is in terrible condition with two factions laying claim to be the authentic party structure.This is one of the core reasons why it performed poorly in the last elections and why it is coasting down the lane so fast.
Two factions, one loyal to then Governor Rochas Okorocha and another co ordinated by the governorship candidate of the party, Senator Hope Uzodinma had claimed to be regulating the heartbeat the party.
Uzodinma’s faction enjoyed the backing of the National Working Committee, NWC before the elections, but it had the Okorocha faction to contend with despite the latter’s interest and support for Uche Nwosu, who left the APC for the Action Alliance, AA where the latter became the governorship candidate.
Despite Okorocha’s suspension from the party, there is no gainsaying that he still maintains some level of stronghold in the party in the State with his remnants of some loyalists and followers.
The Uzodinma camp had severally claimed that their chances were undermined by the then Governor which led to a dismal performance. He placed a distant fourth position in the election.
“Nwajiuba, an ally of the President Muhammadu Buhari had been a serial governorship aspirant in the past and his loyalists contend that he will be ideal person to revive the APC in Imo ahead of 2023 general elections”
With elections over, party chieftains and members who were marooned by the defeat of the party in the elections believe this provides an ample time for “surgical operation” in Imo APC ahead of the 2023 polls.
As it stands now, the party in the State is faced with a herculean task to get its acts together to enable it play it’s role as an effective opposition to the ruling PDP.
Analysts however contend that the party can only take a new colouration after the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Owerri reel out its judgement on a petition filed by Senator Hope Uzodinma challenging the declaration of Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as winner of the governorship election held on March 9.
“The judgement of the Tribunal if it goes the way of the Senator is likely to re confer on him the leadership role of the party in the State. In the event it does not, it opens a new chapter for the APC in the State as regards who leads the process of reviving the comatose party”
Senator Uzodinma, in his petition before the tribunal claims that INEC erred by declaring Ihedioha winner on the grounds that some results in some wards which favoured him were excluded by the commission.
The judgement of the Tribunal if it goes the way of the Senator is likely to re confer on him the leadership role of the party in the State. In the event it does not, it opens a new chapter for the APC in the State as regards who leads the process of reviving the comatose party.
This is expected to provide ample opportunity for Hon.Emeka Nwajiuba, Minister designate from the State chapter to lead the revival process on the grounds he is the highest political office holder of the party in Imo State.
Nwajiuba, an ally of the President Muhammadu Buhari, had been a serial governorship aspirant in the past and his loyalists contend that he will be ideal person to revive the APC in Imo ahead of 2023 general elections.
He had defected to Accord Party in search for the realization of his ambition to represent Okigwe South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. He rejoined the ruling party on the day he was screened as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Governor Rochas Okorocha may also be in the running to retake the leadership role of the party after governing Imo State on its platform for eight years. But he may be limited by the array of opposition within the ranks of the party and his suspension which is yet to be lifted by the National Working Committee, NWC
Observers say only time will tell who carries the burden of the party in the State which at the moment is swayed by the wind of uncertainty as a result of internal bickering among its political gladiators, a key factor that made it a mince meat for the PDP in the last elections.
“To say the least, the APC in Imo is in terrible condition with two factions laying claim to be the authentic party structure.This is one of the core reasons why it performed poorly in the last elections and why it is coasting down the lane so fast.”
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