An air uncertainly is pervading the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, Imo State chapter at the moment, following recent developments bothering on who controls the party’s structure ahead 2019 election in the state.
In contrast to the general belief that the leader of the party in the state and governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha is in charge and controls all the structures, recent developments indicate that the governor is fast losing the Imo APC political empire to another major challenger, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, said to be interested in 2019 governorship election.
Before now, Okorocha had a firm control of all the structures using his Rescue Mission government platform to remote the party branches from the state to LGA and ward levels. However, the entrance of Araraume, a two-time Senator who represented the interest of Okigwe zone in the National Assembly, middle of 2015, has changed the game plan in the party, thereby showing tough times ahead.
As the build up for 2019 election gathers momentum and Okorocha optimistic about producing his successor as governor with Araraume not included in the possible line up in APC, the struggle for who controls the party machinery, especially the delegates that would vote for the flagbearers, has commenced.
Recent developments within the party structure give credence to the fact that despite coming into the fold two years ago, Araraume is gradually gaining control of the party structure by winning to his side a considerable number of the LGA and ward chairmen including state party officers.
Alarmed by the development, Okorocha was said to have recently summoned a meeting of the party officials from the LGAs where it dawned on him that some of the LGA party chairmen have not only him but also pitched tenth with the Araraume camp.
Trumpeta was informed that while some of the LGA chairmen showed remorse and regretted their action in aligning with the Araraume Destiny organization campaign group, others were bold enough to inform the governor they are no longer with him. Those who braced all odds to tell off the governor pointblank by pointing out that since he came into power, he hasn’t be able to recognize and carry them along in the scheme of things as LGA chairmen of his party. Trumpeta learnt that the chairmen regretted their association with him in the past adding that he preferred other structures than uplifting the course of APC at ward and LGA levels. It was further gathered that the grouse of the LGA chairmen centered on the governors preference of the Nneoma Women group, a pet project of his wife, ahead APC Women leaders and the undue attention given to Rescue Mission and Ugwumba Movement protagonists against APC officials.
Furthermore, the chairmen lamented their utter neglect by the governor and non servicing of the party structure since the 2015 election ended until recently, when Araraume came in to revitalize the party structure at the ward and LGA levels. Trumpeta was told that apart from receiving incentives and monetary patronage to run the affairs of the party at the LGA levels, Araraume was alleged to have promised to provide transport logistics in form of vehicles to the LGA Chairmen while the ward chairmen will get motor cycles.
These revelations were said to have strongly caused upset in the camp of Okorocha who was accused of walking out on the chairmen during a party meeting. Trumpeta findings further indicate that the oath-taking allegation Okorocha raised recently where he fingered a party Chieftain interested in 2019 guber cannot be divorced from the development.
