By Orji Sampson
Uneasy calm seems to have gripped members of All Progressives Congress APC in Imo State, especially those seeking for elective positions following the uncertainty surrounding the fate of their primary elections.
The situation has not been helped by the outcome of the guber primaries which was characterized by counter claims from the two major factions; the Coalition and the Rescue Mission over who won the primary elections which was subsequently cancelled by the National Working Committee NWC as announced by the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole.
Another major factor that may distort the conduct of the Senate, Reps and Assembly primaries in the state is the impossibility of holding the three different primaries same time and same venue with that of the Governorship which was earlier cancelled but Government House Sources in Owerri are claiming would be done same day, especially as it proved difficult for them to hold just the guber primary in a day.
The worries is also heightened by the impossibility of the party beating the INEC deadline as the fear of having imposition of candidate has started rearing up its ugly head in the party.
The situation is however not helped by the automatic ticket grant extended to the serving lawmakers which was further confirmed by the disappearance of Prof Nnamdi Obiareri’s name from the list of senatorial aspirants for Okigwe zone. This equally suggest that the likes of Goodluck Opiah, Chike Okafor and Nnanna Igbokwe Reps members representing Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, Okigwe South and Ezinihitte/Ahiazu respectively may also emerge.
Although there is unconfirmed reports that INEC may have shifted the deadline for conduct of primaries by all political parties, to Tuesday October 9, 2018, the situation surrounding the election primaries of Imo APC makes it almost impossible for them to beat the date considering problems bedeviling the party.
Further reports have it that fresh fear has gripped Governor Rochas Okorocha’s supporters, otherwise known as the Rescue Mission group of Imo APC over the alleged plans to adopt a consensus candidate for the party as Imo APC guber flag bearer and other offices for 2019 general election.
Findings revealed that Okorocha and his team held a crucial meeting on Wednesday night at Imo Government House to analyze the issue of the botched guber primaries and activities of the Coalition, but could not ascertain how to get out of the trouble arising from it.
It was gathered that Okorocha’s mood and other top flight politicians in his camp dampened the morale of the entire political family.
Despite the group claiming victory, it was frightened by the declaration of party chairman Adams Oshiomole which stated that the results were fake.
What further weakened the Rescue Mission was the disappearance of Prof Nnamdi Obiareri’s name from the list of APC Senatorial candidate for Okigwe zone thereby paving way for one of the opponents of Okorocha, Senator Ben Uwajumogu emerging unopposed for a second term.
As at the time of report, no official information of Obiareri taking part, a clear signal that there is cause for alarm in the Okorocha group as other aspirants are afraid that they may not scale through after primaries.
