By hector obinna
As the jigsaw puzzle between the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and Members of the Imo State House of Assembly over party affiliations continued to rage, another dimension is entering the scene with the number one citizen of the state said to be dangling a carrot to woo the lawmakers.
Since joining APC from APGA, none of the lawmakers of APGA extraction has publicly declared intention to be part of APC. What however is said to be disturbing the Governor is that despite his romance with the lawmakers especially the PDP members, none is yet to join him to APC. Okorocha had at a recent meeting inquired from the lawmakers their political platform with a view to determining their political destination come 2015. The lawmakers were asked by the Governor to name any position they want in 2015 election as he would guarantee them the positions as pre-condition to join APC. A member, who preferred anonymity in an interview, confirmed the development adding that “the Excellency as part of his plan to get us involved in the APC show wants us to name positions we want in 2015 which shall be reserved for us by him if we play along in the APC spirit”.
The “carrot” dangled is said to be causing friction in the State Assembly with members divided on the issue of party lineage. As at the time of this report, members are at crossroads on which party platform to run even as majority of the lawmakers are threatening to move en masse to PDP should Okorocha employ undemocratic means to box them into APC.
In the meantime, some lawmakers are said to be considering the Governor’s APC platform. In the roll call for pro-APC lawmakers are Speaker Uwajumogu and Deputy, Donatus Ozoemena, others are Ikechukwu Amuka, Mike Ndubuaku, Luke Chukwu, Ugonna Ozuruigbo, Ikenna Ekeh whereas Dan Ikpeazu, Innocent Ekeh, Victor Mere, Acho Ihim and Adaku Ihuoma, few others are included.
Despite the rosy relationship with some PDP members, there was indifference attitude on their part towards Okorocha’s APC desire.
The development has sent shivers down the spines of the Speaker who is said to be worried by the development. Because of the threat to move en masse to PDP, the Speaker was reported to have avoided the last plenary session which could not hold due to their inability to form quorum. Only the Deputy with three lawmakers appeared before adjourning to tomorrow. The absence was tactical to avoid skirmishes in the Assembly. The time gap is to buy time to reach the entire members before the matter degenerates.
Meanwhile, one time Majority Chief whip in the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon Dr Steve Orji has refuted his alleged move to All Progressive Congress, (APC), in a chat with journalists in Owerri, the ex legislator stated categorically clear that he is a die hard member of the People Democratic Party, (PDP), and has never nursed any plan of joining any other party.
The Orlu born political leader maintained that he would not join a party that does not have registration card for member like APC. In his words “I have not joined APC, you know that there was never anytime APC had registration cards, the so called APC member are walking on air”
Hon Orji declared that his major political interest now is how to return PDP to Imo State Government House and ensure the return of President Goodluck Jonathan to the presidency come 2015 by encouraging the PDP to adopt a hard fighting spirit at all levels. He berated the present group of politicians occupying various elective positions in the state, whom he described as swindlers, 419ers who he said have remained the bane of the state and Nigerian democracy.
The member of the Imo House of Assembly service commission that was dissolved by Governor Rochas Okorocha also revealed to newsmen that he has been chosen by political leaders and stakeholders of PDP in Orlu LGA to be their leader considering his political track records at a stakeholders meeting. At the meeting, Hon Orji promised to empower the LG financially and morally to make sure that in 2015 general election, PDP will have a land slide victory in all the electoral booths in Orlu LG.
Reacting on the purported Obasanjo’s letter to President Jonathan, he condemned it, stating that it is just a calculated attempt to wrestle power out of the Southerners “It is no sign of a statesman, Obasanjo belittled himself with the purported letter to Jonathan”, said Hon Orji.
On the issue of Dr Achike Udenwa’s return to PDP, the Orlu political leader averred that, it is just a rumour because there has not been any indication in the ward and at the LG levels. He also believed that the party is big enough to accommodate any positive member that will be loyal to the constitution of the nation and that of the party.
