Okorocha’s loss of party grip technically may end Son-in-law’s guber bid
Since the conclusion of Ward and Council congresses by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Imo State, political climate ahead of 2019, seems to be wearing a look, but in a posture that may be worrying the state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
This stemmed from the fact that the governor may have lost grip of the soul of the party in the state as his faction lost out in both elections.
Accordingly, one of the first victims of the literary ‘Arrow of god’ that appeared and made several things ‘no longer as ease’ seems to be the Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, who may have jettisoned his push for the Imo State governorship, following the outcome of the party’s congresses, in which a coalition of stakeholders wrestled the party structure from the governor.
However, in a quickly arranged Press Conference on Monday, Nwosu’s media aide, Mr. Charles Amadi brushed aside the speculations that his boss has ended his guber ambition, saying they are working with the plan of a new congresses which they believe to win very soon in the state.
Residents of Owerri, the capital of the state say since after the congresses, they no longer see the campaign vehicles branded “Ugwumba Movement”.
As if that is not a true colour of happenstances, observers say traffic has ebbed on the daily ‘endorsement’ rituals and solidarity visits by various groups, especially rural women and students calling on the Chief of Staff to the governor to contest the 2019 governorship election.
It was not clear whether the order for the removal of all campaign structures including branded cars off the road came from either the governor or his Son-in-law, but analysts say time is running against the continuation of Okorochanomics in Imo State ahead of 2019.
A top official of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State who pleaded anonymity averred that “Now, ‘It is True’ that ‘Imo must be Better come 2019’.
Besides, trouble go messier for the governor weekend when the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has asked the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, to do a self- assessment because there is a united voice against his style in his state.
He was responding to questions about allegations levelled against him by the Imo State Governor.
The governor had alleged that his travails in the hands of some party stakeholders in his state were orchestrated by the APC National Chairman because he (Okorocha) opposed the tenure elongation earlier approved for the party leadership.
Odigie-Oyegun said while he would not want to go into details with respect to the issue, “there is a united voice against the governor.”
The party chairman equally wondered why Okorocha, who was not even the most vocal opponent of the “so called” tenure elongation, was the only one who is being allegedly singled out for a witch-hunt.
Odigie-Oyegun said Okorocha, “wasn’t the strongest force behind the objection to tenure elongation so why is his case different? I don’t think it is necessary to go into the details.”
But in what looks like the last fight, Governor Okorocha queried the investment scorecard of all those he describe as his political enemies, saying “Where are the investments of Senators Ifeanyi Araraume, Hope Uzodinma and Osita Izunaso in the state? But, I have relocated the headquarters of Rochas Foundation from Abuja to Owerri, the Rochas Foundation College of Africa is in Owerri and the Rochas Foundation College is also in Owerri.
“My wife has built an estate here in Owerri and she has also established a furniture manufacturing company here, in Owerri; my daughter owns the House of Fredda here, in Owerri, and the most maligned Uche Nwosu owns a hotel and a farm here, in Owerri. Now, ask those fighting me to show you their investments in the state.”
Governor Okorocha said “the likes of Senator Hope Uzodinma do not have an address in the state and all they want is to share the resources of the state amongst themselves.”
