- As party leadership beams searchlight on him
Ahead of 2019 presidential and general elections, there are indications that Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha, is working clandestinely with General Olusegun Obasanjo, to undermine the chances of President Muhammadu Buhari retaining power beyond 2019. Against Okorochas pranks and well known antics of a storm in a tea cup, he is said to have for long perfected plans to hijack power from Buhari, in 2019, following Buharis confinement in a hospital on ill health, Okorocha was already parading as heir apparent of animal kingdom.
Immediately Buhari returned and showed signs of fast recuperation and good health, Rochas Okorocha in a bid to restrategize with Obasanjo, on how best to circumvent Buhari, used the diversionary project of moulding a statue for discredited President of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma, and his 55th birthday ceremony to bring Obasanjo to discuss the way forward for 2019.
Though Obasanjo’s effigy or statue was not moulded like those of Zuma and Madam Eirleef Johnson of Liberia, he was nevertheless appointed and inaugurated at the occasion as the President of Rochas Free Education Foundation International. Though Okorocha had at the occasions, bemoaned his disregard and negligence by President Muhammadu Buhari who he accused of not subscribing with attending his 55th birthday celebration, the occasion was allegedly used to seal to deal to enable him run against President Buhari in 2019.
As a fall-out from this plan, he has since commenced campaigns for the re-election of Muhammadu Buhari under a suspicious manner even though he had in 2015 supported Goodluck Jonathan against Buhari in appreciation of Jonathan’s donation to Okorocha’s 2011 campaign fund through Chief Emeka Offor of Chrome Oil Company Ltd. Dame Patience Jonathan was reportedly sighted at Ogboko home town of Rochas Okorocha where she passed the night in 2010 in attempts to facilitate the emergence of Rochas Okorocha as executive governor of Imo state.
It must be recalled that though he was a candidate of APGA in 2011, Okorocha printed large format flex banners and bill boards with a combined pictures of himself and Goodluck Jonathan who contested on the PDP platform. During discussions on the zoning of offices in APC way back in 2014, Okorocha insisted, resisted zoning and that there should be no zoning of offices including the presidency, simply because he was determined to contest against aspirants from the North including Buhari who was preferred and adopted by other party leaders.
When he was beaten to the last position after the APC Presidential convention and primary election, he unopposed himself of governorship candidate of Imo APC which had endorsed his son-inlaw as candidate in what was described as kangaroo election in Lagos. Remarkably, throughout the electioneering of 2015, Okorocha who was fond of displaying his large flex banner and campaign poster with Goodluck Jonathan even while contesting on a different platform, could not consider his party’s presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari for a combined campaign billboard and flex banner. Until Buhari arrived Owerri central stadium to flag off his campaigns, Okorocha never sponsored or placed a single poster for Buhari.
However, events in recent times show that Okorocha is sponsoring and bankrolling what Obasanjo presently cradled as the only alternative to APGA, PDP and calls third force or coalition of political interest groups against Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. Already in order to win sympathy in favour of his new power broker after Goodluck Jonathan, Obasanjo has been shouting himself, hoarse against marginalization of Ndigbo and lopsided appointment of service chiefs.
The APC party hierarchy having gotten wind of Okorochas conspiracy with Obasanjo has decided to distance themselves from Okorocha’s meddlesomeness. This is even coming on the heels of a motion by Okorocha for the APC governors forum to endorse Buhari for a second tenure. In recent times only his Deputy Prince Eze Madumere is invited to crucial party and stakeholders meeting of APC leaders.
The last outing of Igbo leaders who visited President Muhammadu Buhari to negotiate for power ahead of 2019, was without him. Ever since he was rejected as the South East coordinator of Buhari Presidential Campaign Organization (PBO), he has refused to shed more light on the agitation for Igbo presidency in 2023, fuelling speculations that he is waiting in the wings to be foisted as presidential candidate of the third force coalition so as to contest against president Muhammadu Buhari (PMB).
