– Deserted by notable APC leaders
Sequel to our last edition’s story reporting that former PDP elements in Imo state have virtually taken over the APC administration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who does not spare any opportunity to lampoon the 16 years rule of PDP in Imo state, it has been said that the Governor of Imo state who was a founding member of PDP, has since turned a political orphan and a pariah to his colleagues in the APC, who have variously claimed that Okorocha is on his own. Indication has since emerged when a chieftain of APC in Imo state described the Governor as unwilling to fund or support the APC structure at both the state, local government and ward levels of the state chapter of APC. Though APC is in power in both the state and federal levels, there are no party offices for its Imo state chapters.
As a result of this development most APC council chairmen of the party openly paid allegiance to Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume, Ugwumba Okigwe who reportedly embraced them by donating various gifts items and cash to alleviate their hunger and despondency. Araraume also played host to the now dissolved T.C members where he passionately pleaded with them to exercise restraint assuring that his emergence as Governor in 2019 will assuage and soothe their frayed nerves. Since then, more APC chieftains at both state and federal levels appear to have deserted Okorocha in droves.
Okorocha’s unbridled penchant and inclination to trivialities was made more manifest when he allegedly nominated his elder sister Geraldine Obinali, for consideration and appointment as Ambassador. But for President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolute decision to reward Justice Sylvester Nsofor who gave the only dissenting minority ruling in his favour at the presidential election petitions tribunal in 2003, Okorocha would have successfully appointed Geraldine Obinali, as ambassador just the same way he imposed his elder brother Gerald Okorocha as a National Delegate from Ideato South APC, against the overall choice and interest of the party leaders in the area.
His failure to frustrate Justice Sylvester Nsofor using his closeness with senate president, Bukola Saraki, has further distanced many APC leaders from him some of who vilify his guts for trying to stop the destiny of an old man who is acclaimed to have remained upright and unblemished as a judge.
Regarded as a low-ranger, Governor Okorocha has furthered his familiocracy syndrome and instincts by nominating his second daughter married to the Anwuka for federal Board appointment. Even the only APC Senator in the entire South East geopolitical region, Ben Uwajumogu is not in his good book. This loggerheads became more glaring and obvious when Okorocha while addressing the recently concluded Common Wealth Parliament session, in Owerri, breached protocols when he failed to recognize Senator Ben Uwajumogu first as a representative of the Senate President, before recognizing Speaker Acho Ihim.
There is certainly no love lost between the APC leaders, going by what happened at the common wealth legislators conference. Now left in the lurch, Okorocha is doing everything to make new friends especially after his visit to Awka in solidarity to Dr. Tony Nwoye where the electorate registered the displeasure over the governor’s activities in Imo. As a pariah before his former colleagues, Okorocha is making new friends but many of those he can abduct are hunger stricken Ex PDP men.
