The political feud rocking the relationship between two political titans in Imo State, Dr (Mrs) Kema Chikwe and former minister of Interior, Capt Emmanuel Iheanacho manifested at the Imo Political Summit held last Friday in Owerri.
Trumpeta observed that Kema who arrived the event late and sat on the side row for other VIPs eventually made her way to the high table where she sat close to the former Minister of Interior, Capt Emma Iheancho.
Ihenacho had arrived much earlier and sat on the VIP sit close to the chairman of the event, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyawu.
When Kema eventually made her way to the VIP sit, she refused to exchange pleasantries with the sailor as she first engaged herself in a tete a tete with one of the summit organizers and former Commissioner for Information in Imo State, Chief Elvis Agukwe. She later went on to exchange pleasantries with other invitees.
It was carefully observed that throughout the duration of the epoch making event, Chikwe and Iheanacho never exchanged banters and pleasantries as exhibited by other political invitees that graced the event, thus fuelling speculations that the ex minister of Interior and the immediate past National Woman Leader of the PDP are yet to gloss over their political differences which dates back to the 2011 elections.
Iheanacho and Chikwe became political cat and mouse when the latter accused Ihenacho of working for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Owerri North LGA, an act she alleged contributed to her political misfortune when she vied for the senatorial seat in 2011.
The duo hail from Emekuku in Owerri North LGA.
Despite Captain Iheanacho’s denial of involving in such anti party activities, he was suspended as Minster of the Federal Republic by President Goodluck Jonathan. He was later reinstated.
Ihenacho is currently eying the Imo governorship seat in 2015 while Chikwe is battling to regain her position as National Woman leader of the PDP, a position she lost alongside some other members of the National Working Committee of the PDP whose election into the committee was declared illegal by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
To fill up the vacant positions in the ruling party including that of Kema, the party has scheduled August 31st, 2013 for a special mini national convention.
Meanwhile, Stakeholders and participants at the first Imo Political summit held in Owerri, Imo State capital have unanimously agreed that the charter of equity that ensures equitable power sharing among the three geo political zones in the State be restored.
The Imo Charter of equity is an unsigned mutual political agreement among the three zones in the State Orlu, Okigwe and Owerri zones.
One of the zones, Orlu has had more than a fair share of the governorship seat of the State occupying the seat of governance for 12 years, while Okigwe zone had 9 years and Owerri zone a meagre 22 months.
The summit dominated by political gladiators from Owerri zone canvassed the need for an Imo governor of Owerri zone extraction in 2015.
The event was attended by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Senator Chris Anyanwu, former PDP national woman leader, Dr (Mrs) Kema Chikwe, former minister of Interior, Capt Emmanuel Ihenacho, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Prof Viola Onwuliri, former Imo State Deputy Governor, Dr (Mrs) Ada Okwuonu, Imo PDP Chairman, Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), Chief Osmond Ukanacho, Nze Ignatius Umunna, Chief Chris Asoluka, Barr Humphrey Anumudu, Hon Gerald Ironna, Prof Nnamdi Obiareri, Chief Chris Asoluka, Hon Ernest Ibejiako, Chief Osita Okereke, Dr. Chuma Nnaji, etc.
The Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha was represented by a former Commissioner in the State, Chief Obinna Okuwaka.
In his speech, Chairman of the event, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu decried the distortion of the charter of equity in the State which has promoted mutual political understanding among the three geo political zones.
He lamented those most civilian governors that has governed the State flouted the charter whenever it does not suit them.
Senator Chris Anyanwu said the State is hungry for redirection, stating that there is need for equity and justice to ensure mutual political harmony among the three geo political zones in the State.
Former Information Commissioner in Imo State and one of the summit organizers, Elvis Agukwe, urged stakeholders to stand on the path of truth and ensure that the distortion of the charter of equity in the State is restored in 2015.
He recalled that there was political accident in the State in 2011, when Governor Rochas Okorocha from Orlu zone, violated the charter of equity and the State Governor. He called for a reverse, saying that an Owerri zone governor in 2015 will balance the political equation in the State.
However, Former Imo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Prof Nnamdi Obiareri made a case for Okigwe zone. He said Owerri zone would have had a smooth sail to the governorship seat of the seat in 2015 if it had not voted for Orlu zone in the 2011 elections. He said the Imo Charter of Equity will be restored if Okigwe zone is allowed to complete its tenure.
Meanwhile, the Imo Youths Coalition (IYC) an apex youth organization in Imo state has thrown it’s weight behind Chief Chyna Iwuanyanwy as the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
In a release signed by the organizations National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Ikechukwu Stanley on behalf of the Imo youths, described Chief Chyna as the best candidate for the post vacated by Chief Olisa Metu, considering his background in the media industry.
The release said that it has become clear that the party’s poor media outing portrays the PDP led government as not doing enough for her citizenry when by assessment, the President has done impressively to be commended by Nigerians.
According to the youths, Chief Chyna is our own and his appointment or election into such position will further endear PDP to the teeming youths of the state who feel that the party has not given Imolites especially the youths a sense of belonging which is one of the reasons they revolted against the party in 2011.
Continuing, it maintained that, the youths being an indispensable part of the society should at all times be reckoned with by leaders and elders especially at a time like this when the nation need them for the transformation Agenda of Mr. President, His Excellency Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Pat of the statement read “as youths who still believe strongly in the party and considers the party as the only alternative for 2015 when fully restructured, we request that the Imo people be given an opportunity to produce the next National Publicity Secretary who must be a man who has the capacity to carry the youths along and ensure that Imo State is positioned to take over power from the incumbent Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.”
