– Okorocha laments
– Rejected by South East party leaders
Governor Rochas Okorocha, while recently assuring his loyalists and foot soldiers that he is still fully in control of the party structure, told them the efforts some of those he described as “Abuja boys” are making to turn the table against him.
He however, said, he has successfully used his contacts to outsmart and arm twist them, hence there is no cause for alarm, because their collective effort, aimed at rubbishing and making him irrelevant have not only been abortive but of no effect.
It was gathered that there was a meeting of the leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC), in Abuja on Thursday, 18th January 2018, where Governor Okorocha, as the only APC Governor from the South East was chosen as the South East coordinator of the Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign council.
According to our source, “the Governors were chosen to coordinate the campaign in their respective states, because, they are expected to fund it to an extent. Okorocha was therefore, made the coordinator of the Buhari campaign council in the South East because he is the only APC Governor from the zone and not because of his popularity. Senator Uwajumogu as the only senator from Imo state will also play a prominent role.
However, Okorocha’s choice for the position was unanimously rejected by all the APC leaders present, including those from Abia, Enugu, Egbonyi, Anambra and Imo.
Our source who was present at the meeting said, it was Senator Ben Uwajumogu who first publicly asserted that Okorocha was not only unpopular but unfit for the job because his polluted and dented public image will negatively affect the party. “Other leaders and stalwarts of the party, including former Governors from the South East, also condemned Okorocha’s choice as coordinator of the president’s re-election campaign in the South East, stressing that, aside being a rabble rouser, who lacks the necessary where-withal, his track record, antecedents, public image and posturing will work against the fortunes of the party, because he has completely lost credibility and followership”.
It was also gathered that, sequel to his exhibited unacceptability and outright rejection at the Abuja meeting, held last Thursday, Governor Okorocha mobilized all members of the Imo State Executive Council, to another meeting of the APC leaders and stakeholders, held at the Imo House, Abuja, on Sunday 21st January 2018.
A government house source who confided in this reporter, said, “exco members were all mandated to be present at the Abuja meeting, held last Sunday, just to hail and clap, as the Governor spoke, to give the erroneous impression that he has followership, is fully on ground and accepted by the people”.
In the midst of all these, Governor Okorocha is said to be seriously lobbying Northern Emirs and leaders, in his desperate bid to actualize his dream of ensuring that he produces a successor that will shield him from the consequences of his alleged excesses, impunity, bad and insensitive governance.
Dignitaries and party stalwarts present at the meeting where Okorocha’s rejection was made obvious include, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, Senator Ben Uwajumogu, Senator Osita Izunaso, pioneer civilian governor of old Abia state, Dr. Ogbonna Onu, Senator Chris Ngige, who is presently a minister, Hon. George Muoghalu, former governor Martin Elechi of Egbonyi state, former governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu state, Hon. Tony Nwoye, the APC candidate in 18th November 2017, Anambra state governorship election, Chief Orikeze Ajumbe, all federal ministers from the South East, among others.
According to reports, the state chapters of the President Buhari campaign council will be inaugurated soon.
