How Okorocha Plots To Disrupt Ihedioha’s Swearing In On May 29, .As Inauguration Committee Raises Alarm

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Indications are that the swearing-in ceremony of the next Governor of Imo State, which comes up on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, will be low key, following the behaviour the out-going governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
According to information available to Trumpeta, the hand-over ceremony, which is a statutory responsibility of any out-going administration, to usher in a new one, has suffered abandonment in Imo State, because of Okorocha’s nonchalance.
Sources told Trumpeta that the incumbent, but the outgoing governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, whose responsibility it is to over-see the ceremony has not yet released funds weeks to the epoch-making event, even when other States are busy nearing end of their own arrangements.
This situation, the Newspaper learnt, has caused reaction from the camp of the Governor- Elect, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, who has now resolved to seek for means of making sure that the ceremony holds, despite Okorocha plots.
Two days ago, the Media sub- committee of the Ihedioha Inauguration Committee raised an alarm, that the Imo State Government is not showing much interest in the event.
In a Press Statement signed by Chief Emeka Omeihe, the Secretary of the Media Subcommittee, it read in part “With barely a few days to the commencement of some of the activities presaging the actual swearing-in and hand-over, we regret to say that the body language of the State government no longer imbue confidence that it is genuinely committed to the over-all success of the exercise”.
It would be recalled that a month after the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC announced candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha as the winner, the out-going Governor has not made contact with the winner over the process of hand-over which is normal.
After waiting without signal from Okorocha, the Governor-Elect had to announce his own Transition/Inauguration Committee.
However, Okorocha later followed suit by announcing his own inauguration committee headed by Hon Mark Uchendu, the Secretary to Imo State Government, with Twenty One members.
Ihedioha had to select Thirty One (31) persons from the original committees to join the Okorocha “Twenty One” to interface on how the ceremony will take place.
Since then, the merged committee made up of the Okorocha members and that of Ihedioha had met with the Governor who promised to spear-head a smooth hand-over to Ihedioha on May 29, 2019.
Shockingly, days after some Elements headed to a Federal High Court in Owerri asking for injunction to stop Ihedioha’s swearing-in.
Imo PDP appointed fingers at the direction of Imo Government and the Governor as the sponsors of the litigation to stop the Ihedioha Hand-over.
Even though Okorocha denied that allegation during a Sunday service in Government House chapel, but PDP is still adamant saying that the Governor is doing everything possible to abort Ihedioha’s swearing-in.
But speaking to Trumpeta, Imo PDP State Secretary, Nze Ray Emeana, a former member of Imo House of Assembly, said that all Okorocha can do now is to deny the inauguration committee the funds to organizing a first class hand-over ceremony, which he said cannot stop Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha being sworn-in as Governor come May 29, 2019, even if there is no water to drink at the ceremony.
“The matter is over for Okorocha. Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha is the next Imo State Governor. Whether Okorocha releases fund or not, the ceremony will take place” he told Trumpeta.
Meanwhile, a lot of Imo citizens have been reacting to Okorocha’s attitude towards the May 29, 2019 hand-over.
A majority of them called on the out-going Governor to respect the decision of Imo electorate and vacate office peacefully than heating the polity, since his latest posture is an affront on Imo people.
“Okorocha has ruled Imo for Eights. What he should do now is to organize a befitting hand-over for his successor, just like Ohakim did for him in 2011, even though he lost an election. In the present scenario, it was not Okorocha that lost the election but his son in-law. Does Okorocha want to remain in office against the constitution of Nigeria?” Prof Jones Iheakaram asked Trumpeta.

Imo APC Faction Ressurects, Disrupts Tribunal Case Against Okorocha
The rested supremacy war between two major factions in Imo State chapter of APC appears to have resurrected with the tribunal cases raging at the High Court premises after the election.
Prior to the 2019 election, two major factions have been at each others throat over who leads the party structure at the state level.
Before the governor was handed an indefinite suspension over alleged anti-party, a caretaker committee was raised to take charge of the party in place of Dan Nwafor led Exco. The Nwafor exco who enjoyed Okorocha’s support reportedly went to court but the Adams Oshiomole led NWC of APC insisted on the caretaker committee of Marcon Nlemigbo.
During the elections, pockets of troubles were witnessed over the Exco entitled to produce agents.
A de ja vu of the election period is about to be witnessed as the warring factions continue to scramble for the soul of the party.
Trumpeta learnt that the struggle has affected the Election Petition Tribunal Case filled against Okorocha for Orlu zone senatorial zone.
According to reports available to Trumpeta, when the matter came up on 13th May, there was a disagreement as the Dan Nwafor led Exco clashed with that of the caretaker on who is authorized to hire a lawyer to represent APC in the matter prompting the judges to adjourn the matter to 22nd of May 2019.
The shift of the case was to avoid a logjam over the claims of Okorocha group against the Caretaker Committee.

Plot to Change Proposed Imo Agric University Uncovered
.As Host Community Describes Govt Plan A Grand Deceit,
A purported plot to surreptiously change the law establishing the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences has been uncovered even as the host community, Umuagwo in Ohaji/Egbema LGA, has declared the plan as part of the grand deceit perpetuated by an interested person to deceive Imo people and the National Universities Commission, NUC on the new institution.
There has not been peace at the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo campus since the state government reportedly established the new varsity that would see the Polytechnic relocated to another location.
Apart from going on protest, the community after due considerations of the conditions warranting the new varsity, declared the exercise a grand deceit promoted by an agent to subtly acquire the community land for purposes of the selfish interest of his sponsors against the general interest of Imo people.
The community through some of their leaders exposed the plan while reviewing the situation. It was gathered that the state government and its agents who are suspected to be the Public Private Partnership, PPP operators of the institution yet to make their interest public having being exposed with the faulty law establishing the institution are quietly cornering few members of the House of Assembly willing to do their bidding to change the law.
It would be recalled during the protest, that the Host Community had revealed about the said law establishing Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences by stating that it hasn’t Imo State Polytechnic Umuagwo was not captured as the abode of the institution and querried why it was asked to move to another location without an enabling law.
Also, the Umuagwo community discovered that it was a solely a Public Private Partnership initiative with little or no government interest.
According to findings, a figure who is behind the arrangement having discovered that the host community has exposed shortcomings associated with the takeover of the premises, is meeting members of the Imo State House of Assembly leadership to carefully change the laws after the initial one the House passed into law had been submitted to NUC, JAMB and other relevant bodies for operation.
Trumpeta learnt that without the Executive arm writing the lawmakers for an amendment of the law, the interested person working in concert with others wants to personally supervise the change without undergoing legislative touches.
The newspaper further learnt that apart from enshrining the name of Umuagwo in the University law, the PPP factor that guaranteed NUC license is to be erased to appease the protesting land owners who are not disposed to the arrangement.
Meanwhile, the Host community has restated willingness to continue to resist attempts by the state government and its cronies to take over their land for other purposes under the guise of establishment of a University.
The community spokesman, Hon Chief JohnBosco Ben after a meeting of the people in Umuagwo stated that all acceptable measures and legal means shall be deployed to resist the unjust takeover of the land for personal reasons. in the meeting involving the Town Union Executives, Village chairmen and community leaders, it was agreed that anyone from the community speaking about the development without the support of the general body is nothing but a saboteur that may be visited with a persona non grata.
The people of the community therefore disassociated themselves from any statement indicating that they are comfortable with the so called new varsity.
They said that anyone doing so is at his or her own risk as the community is working under one umbrella against the forcible removal of the Polytechnic for a controversial University.
They described anyone who goes contrary to the wish of the community to make any statement in favour of the Govt plan as a fifth columnist not worthy to be reckoned with.

I Acted Under Influence As Imo Governor, Says Okorocha
By Okey Alozie
Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has confessed that most of his actions were done under an influence which he attributed to sheer craziness. According to him, such bizarre actions were only meant to fix Imo to a modern model state and tourist centre.
Speaking during the ceremony held in Owerri to commission the new judiciary headquarters on Wednesday, Okorocha explained that he was much in a haste to deliver and put Imo into an enviable position as number one state in Nigeria as well as create an enabling environment for investors to come to the state.
Okorocha who said he is the most controversial governor in Nigeria admitted that sometimes he could be crazy to achieve great things for Imo people, adding that he was not packaged by any God father to dictate the affairs of the state.
Speaking further, he disclosed that he came through the window of the masses just to become governor.
Therefore, “I was doing unusual things to rescue my people and lay a very good foundation for the future of our children” governor Okorocha submitted.
According to him, “I bended the protocol, but I didn’t break it.
The outgoing governor boasted that he will be forever be remembered for free education, security, youth empowerment, rehabilitation of roads, adding that no governor can come in Imo to build hospital, Universities, College of Education and Polytechnics again. He advised the incoming governor to concentrate on finishing some of the abandoned projects dualize Owerri Umuahia and Orji, Okigwe road and have reasons to forgive his Rescue Mission administration any where he noticed any mistake. “Ihedioha should consider it necessary to give me the contract to demolish all the shanties along Owerri Umuahia road and that of Orji, Okigwe road which according to him make the dualization so difficult.
Governor Okorocha said that new judiciary headquarters was named after Justice Chudiefu Oputa because of his great achievements. He revealed that the building will upgrade the status of Imo Judiciary as it will continue to maintain fairness, Justice and Equity. The Hon Justice Tanko Muhammed who was ably represented by Justice Amina praised Governor Okorocha for his great achievements. Justice Amina advised judges to stand on the truth.

Imo Assembly on Fire
Speaker Gets Impeachment Notice, Dissappears With Mace
.Chinedu Becomes Protem Speaker, Lloyd Now Majority Leader
By Samuel Ibezim Onyekachi Eze
The uneasy calm pervading the Imo State House of Assembly took another shape on Wednesday as the disagreement among lawmakers is about to sweep off the speaker, Rt Hon Acho Ihim.
An air of uncertainty had hovered the Assembly in the past few weeks following the sudden rise of consciousness of the lawmakers to undertake their responsibilities as elected members.
Apart from pardoning the suspended ones who were out of the chambers for not less than eight months, the LGA chairmen were suspended last week signaling a wake up alarm from the lawmakers.
The tensed situation changed gear yesterday when the members disagreed on common issues leading to the push to remove the speaker and majority leader, Hon Lugard Osuji.
Aside from the mountain of animosity majority of the members have against speaker Ihim, Trumpeta learnt that his alleged connivance with about few others to unilaterally recall the suspended council chairmen against the wish of the majority induced his colleagues to go for the jugular.
It was learnt that after the unresolved situation during the Executive Session that lasted for hours, Ihim came into the chamber announced the lifting of suspension of the chairmen and ran away with the Mace.
After Ihim frustrated the plenary by carting away the Mace, majority of the lawmakers kept their positions on the floor of the House. Despite shutting down power supply that threw the chamber into darkness, the lawmakers resolved to serve Ihim impeachment Notice over alleged offences. In his place, the member representing Onuimo was elected as Speaker while Owerri North member, Lloyd Chukwuemeka, the majority leader. The acting Speaker said that 21 lawmakers out of the 27, two third majority had served impeachment notices on Ihim and Osuji.
According to our correspondent, the lawmakers had quoted the order is of the House Rule which enabled the lawmakers to contribute before the Speaker rules but Ihim said that no lawmaker was allowed to speak on the matter.
Meanwhile, security agencies, especially of the Red Cap police have infiltrated the complex. They were spotted at several spots inside the complex.
Meanwhile, the embattled Speaker, Ihim has insisted he is still incharge as the Imo State Assembly Speaker adding that the action of his colleagues is of no effect.
Describing the said ‘suspension or impeachment’ news making rounds on social media and across the State as an illegal act that can’t stand any democratic system. Ihim said nothing of such ever happened. He attributed it to the handiwork of his detractors.
Narrating what transpired yesterday, he said during their Executive session, they all resolved to lift the suspension of the 27 LGA chairmen as was suggested by the Obowo lawmaker, Kennedy Ibeh.
According to the Speaker, surprisingly while he was reading a resolution in tandem with the recall of the suspended Chairmen, the same Hon Kennedy Ibeh interrupted with “an order observation” which he as the presiding officer overruled and subsequently adjourned sitting for 21st May 2019.
He also acknowledged ordering for the turning off of the electricity supply to the complex, signaling the end of the day’s business.
The Okigwe representative further added that even if a Speaker would be impeached, his Deputy would have taken over and not the other way round.
Acho Ihim therefore called on Imolites to disregard any rumour about his impeachment or suspension, stressing that he is still incharge till the end of their legislative business as 8th Assembly on June.

Andrew Amaechi To Dump APGA for PDP?
By Onyekachi Eze
There are strong indications that the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, in the just concluded 2019 general elections for Ahiazu Mbaise House of Assembly seat, Amb. (Dr.) Andrew Onyedikachi Amaechi would be waving a goodbye to the Imo APGA.
Suspicion became rife when the APGA Assembly flagbearer was spotted recently in some of the meetings convened by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
A stanch party chieftain of the “kokorokoo” party, whose victory in the party’s primary election was resounding may be having a new political family and allies in PDP, judging by his body language.
Andrew Amaechi was the second runner up at the just concluded General elections. His campaign witnessed and was recorded the best in the history of Ahiazu Politics, whose departure from APGA if the rumors making the rounds are anything to go by, would be a big blow and a major setback to the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Ahiazu and Imo state.
Information gathered by Trumpeta Newspaper disclosed that arrangements have been concluded for his safe landing in the “umbrella” party.
With few weeks left for the handover of power from Okorocha to the Governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha, it is believed he would be making his defection official.
A scoop gathered by this Paper regarding his reasons behind joining PDP may not be unconnected to his resilience in ensuring an effective, people oriented governance, already promised by the Governor-elect.
The news of his pitching tent with another party is believed to be fueled by the alleged internal sabotage and express orders from party leaders to work against him during the last election.
Andrew Amaechi as gathered by Trumpeta long before now had the intentions of impacting massively for the growth of humanity, the major reason he contested for house of Assembly.
More Revelations why he would leave his former party to the later might be his rumored love, interest, long standing relationship and likely favor garnered from the PDP and the Governor Elect which has been going across quaters that the governor-elect is eager to have the fine young man amongst his rebuild Imo team.
It would also be recalled that the young entrepreneur and real estate guru recently bagged the 2019 African Youth Human Right and Citizenship Development Initiative award by the United Nations, UN, on Sustainable Development Goals, SDG.
Meanwhile, efforts made to reach him proved abortive as at press time.

Anorue Takes GIA to Greater Heights
.As Group is 2 Years Old
A strong political group that have managed to make a bold political statement in Imo State, the Greater Imo Assembly, GIA has clocked two years.
The group made up of political technocrats and juggernauts from all parts of the state has strong followership and evidence of existence in the 27 LGAs of the state.
According to the governor of the GIA and an icon of politics in the state Chief Dave Anorue, GIA is a political movement, non partisan that supports good governance.
Said he “Greater Imo State (GIA) stand, “for”Oga Na Ihu Imo”. Continuing, he stated that” GIA is a political movement, non partisan that support good governance in the State. GIA believes in Technocracy which is a system of governance where decision-makers are selected on the basis of their expertise in their areas of responsibility, particularly scientific knowledge. This system explicitly contrasts with the notion that elected representatives should be the primary decision-makers in government, though it does not necessarily imply eliminating elected representatives.
Speaking further Anorue said GIA stands for the progressive Imo, True Democrat, Believes in Justice, Equity and prosperity of Imo State were the leadership skills decision-makers are selected on the basis of specialized knowledge and performance, rather than political affiliations or parliamentary skills.
He averred, “We are coming up to destroy that political space. We are using innovation and technology. We are actively as a first step going to register ten million members from our group that is not currently participating. We have GIA in the 27 Local Government Areas and 305 Wards with their coordinators and Executives.
“Greater Imo Assembly is not competing for space; we are creating a new space that they don’t have control over.
“Greater Imo Assembly stands for better Imo State. GIA not playing the game their playing, we are playing differently,” Hon Dave Anorue.
Continuing, Anorue stated that after the 2019 election, GIA is not a loser but part of the greater Imolites that gained from the victory of Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha considering the steps taken so far by the governor-elect who has shown signs of forming a Government of Unity.
The former aspirant for Ikeduru/Mbaitoli Federal House was of the view that Ihedioha adopted the Donald Trump misled of “carrying along all persons irrespective of party platform and political living.
Anorue is of the view that the pattern Ihedioha showcased so far is in line with the ideals of GIA which supports good governance.
On the two years of the organization which has Lady Ukanwa as the General Manager, Anorue said that the association which championed the governorship ambition of Stanley Amuchie, is moving from strength to strength and is re-organizing for to take the storm in the coming dispensation.

Okigwe South Reps
Why Chike Okafor Was Knocked Out
By Tochi Onyeubi
It is no longer news that the All Progressives Congress candidate representing Ehime Mbano/ Obowo/ Ihitte Uboma Federal constituency has lost his coveted seat to the Accord candidate, Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba in a recent court ruling in Abuja.
It would be recalled that INEC added a new drama into the issuance of Certificate of Return when the Accord party candidate, Emeka Nwajuba was given a COR to kick out Okafor from the throne.
This followed cases filed against the Lawmaker for his party not participating in the primary election for the office and which he didn’t refute.
Recall that, Okafor’s myriad of problems started when one Mrs. Uzoma Chioma Maryann filed a suit at the High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recently, challenging the emergence of APC and two others, while also, asking it to declare as unconstitutional, illegal, null and void, the primary election conducted for the federal constituency and not to recognize the candidate from APC for Okigwe South Federal Constituency.
Trumpeta in its usual pattern carried the story in the February 21st edition of the tabloid highlighting the court ruling that sacked Okafor.
From the details Trumpeta obtained, Justice Kawu who delivered judgment, had said that APC did not conduct primary for the House of Representatives seat for Okigwe South Federal Constituency and therefore should not be allowed to field candidate in the 2019 ballot for the office.
He added that APC guidelines stipulated the electoral process that should be adopted for the primaries, which he said was not complied with by the party during the primary elections for Okigwe South Federal Constituency.
The judge also noted that, the defendants did not show any appearance nor were they represented by counsel and frowned that the defendants did not deem it fit to file a counter affidavit.
The court therefore restrained INEC from further recognizing, accepting or listing the name of Chike Okafor who was the 2nd defendant as the candidate of APC in the ballot paper for Okigwe South Federal Constituency, because, the party did not conduct primary election for the office.
Instead of looking at the contents of the judgment which this newspaper made public, Okafor only chose to put a rejoinder only. Now Nwajuba who came second went for order of mandamus, the Reps member has become a loser.