Fresh fact have emerged why the camp of the Governor of Imo State was roundly routed by opposing groups in the battle for who emerges top in the ward congress of the Imo APC organized on Saturday, May 5, 2018.
It would be recalled that after the disappointing outing which saw the governor rush to Daura, Katsina State and Abuja to see President Mohammed Buhari and the nation’s security chiefs respectively, Okorocha and his followers retraced back home to file appeal against the conduct of the Congress in the 305 wards in the State.
Trumpeta gathered that the Appeal Committee of the party in charge of complaints arising from the Ward Congresses dismissed the petition of the governor for lack of merit.
The report of the committee signed by two of the three members reads; “That the congress committee, whose duty it was to conduct the congress election, affirmed that the election took place. That the state party chairman and his deputy affirmed that the elections were duly held in all 305 wards
“That the persons who would have the right to petition over the conduct of the ward congress election are those qualified to contest the congress, having purchased the forms.
“That the petitions were written by unqualified persons and, therefore, would be construed as lacking the locus standi/basis to bring in any petition and that the video evidence by the petitioner was an incident that took place in a private residence, which was not a ward congress voting venue”
Further details have it that instead of allowing ward aspirants from their camp seeking ward positions to present their complaints before the committee, Okorocha forwarded himself and the petition submitted by his Chief of Staff, which earned the protest a technical knockout.
The Appeal Committee while dismissing the position of Okorocha notes that”After going through the petitions and carrying out our verifications, we have come to the following conclusions:
“That the congress committee which duty it was to conduct the congress elections affirmed that the elections took place;
“That the APC State party chairman and his deputy affirmed that the elections were duly held in all the 305 wards in the state;
“That the video evidence presented by the petitioner was an incident that took place in a private residence which was not a ward congress voting venue.
“Videos were also received from various ward election committees showing ward congresses being conducted in Imo State.
“Finally, based on the evidence and careful consideration carried out by us as the appeal committee, we hereby hold that the ward congresses of the 5th of May 2018 were duly conducted and held in the 305 wards in Imo State and APC ward officers were duly elected.”
Available reports to Trumpeta also have it that the complaints from party headquarter in Abuja that Okorocha and his son in-law, Chief Uche Nwosu, he is planning to make the successor in office come 2019, appears to be a lone ranger in the struggle against the other forces. This belief prompted the decision of the governor to allow the lawmakers of the House of Representatives and Imo State House of Assembly, who are on his side to embark on the Abuja journey to party office where the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun had audience with them
