As the 2019 general election draws closer, the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has been reengineering his political family, otherwise known as “Rescue Mission”.
In a bid to pick some of his Aides ahead others in his strategy to plant his followers in certain top election positions in 2019, Okorochas has in the process put a spade in the political progress of many, who had hoped that their political future and destiny lie in the hand of Okorocha.
Trumpeta can therefore describe some of these Okorocha Aides who failed the Governor’s cut-off mark as losers, not that they lack the qualities to challenge the favoured choices, but because they seem to have labored in vain all these years in following Okorocha blindly and in loyalty.
Among those whose current sorry situation in the political hands of Okorocha is baffling many is Hon Chike Okafor, a member of the House of Representatives for Ehime Mbano/Obowo/Ihitte Uboma constituency.
Chike Okafor was Okorocha’s former Finance Commissioner who is being accused of schooling Okorocha on how to manipulate State funds.
Chike was later “settled” by Okorocha with his current position as a Federal lawmaker. And many had hoped that with his cosy relationship with Okorocha, his second term bid was a foregone issue.
But to the surprise of many, Chike Okafor’s second term project has hit the rocks as one Ndubuisi Emenike is said to have been brought out by Okorocha to challenge Chike for the position.
With this latest development Chike Okafor may end up being a loser in the end, as all his services and loyalty to Okorocha has ended abruptly.
Hon Mrs Uche Ejiogu from Ihitte Uboma, is one of the loyal legislators who carried out the hatchet jobs for the Executive in the legislature. Sources said Ejiogu did all these dirty jobs so that Okorocha can back her up for a second term bid.
However, all that has evaporated in the air, as Mrs Ejiogu has lost out and may not go back to Imo House of Assembly.
Hon Chinedu Offor has been schemed out for another term. He is from Onuimo constituency and was Okorocha’s first Chief Press Secretary CPS. But today, Offor has kissed the dust of abandonment by his erstwhile Boss, Okorocha.
Dr Angela Uwakwem was the controversial Medical Director of FMC Owerri, whose reign witnessed tumultuous clashes between Management and Staff until she left that position.
However, she later re-appeared as Okorocha’s Commission for Health, from where she indicated interest to run for Federal House, which attracted good reactions from many people from Isiala Mbano/Onuimo/Okigwe constituency.
But Okorocha has done away with Uwakwem for Simeon Iwunze, a former House of Assembly member and Okorocha Special Adviser on projects.
The situation of Hon Chika Madumere is still confusing. He is from Nkwerre constituency, where Uche Nwosu, Okorocha’s son –in-law and anointed Governorship candidate of APC hails from.
Many had hoped that with Uche Nwosu, Madumere will simply walked back to Imo House of Assembly.
But sources said that the owners of “Rescue Mission” have fallen out with the one term legislator from Nkwerre.
From the beginning, many knew that the relationship between “Rescue Mission” with Hon Emma Orie from Ohaji/Egbema Constituency was that based on political expediency.
Orie who could not move any motion throughout his stay in the legislature is said to have his match against Chief Iyke Onwukwe, a former MD of ISOPADEC, and the chosen apostle to send Orie back to his private business.
That of Chief (Bar) Tony Umezuruike is pathetic. Umezuruike was poised to pick the ticket of Owerri Federal Constituency in 2015, when Okorocha brough in his inlaw, Chuks Ololo to snatch the ticket from Umezuruike, a grassroots politician.
In the end, Ololo failed the main election which may has tipped Umezuruike to win for APC.
Again in 2018, as the Amakohia born Commissioner for Housing was gearing up for the slot again, Chief Mbata from Owerri Municipal and Commissioner for Finance, who was already doing battle with Lugard Osuji for the Owerri Municipal Assembly ticket, was instructed by Okorocha to jettison his Assembly ambition and move up to the Federal House.
This situation seems to have staked the Bags against Tony Umezuruike again, since it is believed that with Okorocha behind Mbata, is will be an easy sail for Mbata.
Next edition we shall update with more lists of the losers in the Okorocha chase-Board politics of “Rescue Mission” family.
