Fresh facts on reasons behind Wednesday’s dissolution of the State Executive by Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha are beginning to emerge even as lobbyists in the new list of cabinets are sharpening their tactics for consideration.
Gov Okorocha two days ago swept away the highly powered 72-man expanded Exco in one swoop that generated reactions. Those who lost their positions include Commissioners, Special Advisers, SAs, Senior Special Assistants and Personal Assistants.
Apart from plethora of complaints from the public and constituents that flooded the Governor’s office about the activities of some of the sacked appointees, there were other cogent reasons that made the restructuring exercise inevitable.
Apart from the reasons adduced by Okorocha for the total overhaul which is aimed at accommodating the feelings and desires of the APC stakeholders in the Rescue Mission government under the new party brotherhood and including those who would inject new and fresh ideas to take the state higher, the clean sweep where every appointee was shoved aside is to avoid suspicion within the “Rescue Mission” family and to avoid suspicion of victimization.
Top government officials from Government House disclosed that the decision was tactical to avoid some people being branded as “sacrificial lamb” in the new APC spirit.
“In as much as we know that most of the removed appointees would be back to their positions, the move is to erase suspicion that some people would lose their positions as sacrifice to accommodate new comers in the APC family”, the source added.
It was further learnt that the Agbaso imbroglio was another veritable factor that led to the mass purge following the altercation that led to the removal of Sir Jude Agbaso as Deputy Governor and the cross fire tirades that ensued between the state government and the Agbasos. The Okorocha regime had been looking for the opportunity to fire all Agbaso elements. Undoubtedly, the Agbasos are instrumental to the formation of the new State Exco as their relations, cronies and political allies were handled political appointments at the birth of the present administration when the going was rosy. It was in the process that the wife of Jude Agbaso was appointed an aide to Okorocha’s wife, while Dr Obi Njoku, said to be a maternal relation of the Agbasos was handed the Health Ministry portfolio. The Governor would have been accused of political vendetta if the Exco was sacked immediately and the likes of Obi Njoku removed. To offload appointees traceable to Agbaso family who may have been suspected of leaking official information and secret to them, and to carefully delete the wife of Jude from Nkechi Okorocha, since the former Deputy Governor’s wife has not officially resigned her position after the skirmishes. There are others in this category, like Mrs Ann Dozie.
Similarly, it was further gathered that some office holders in Okorocha government have been maintaining incriminating silence on the APGA to APC shift. Security and intelligence reports to Okorocha indicate that some die-hard APGA followers within the “Rescue Mission” are uncomfortable with the APC romance. Most of those appointees carefully keep away from APC oriented functions and scrumptiously identify with the faction that still believes in APGA. Trumpeta was informed that many of the sacked appointees are aggrieved at some of the utterances of the Governor on APGA matters especially the notion that the platform that brought him into power is now a “cultural organization” as well as his dislike for the growth of the party. Most of them who attempted to voice out their feelings were branded saboteurs and willing tools in the hands of opponents, hence the reason for the dissolution.
Another factor that contributed to the dissolution is the suspicion within Executive Council that some of the sacked appointees were using their privileged offices as a grandstanding for future political ambition which may have been in contrast to the wishes and desires of the Governor.
Reports have it that instead of concentrating and discharging their respective duties to further the Rescue Mission, the former appointees used government resources to oil their own political machinery for 2015 election. Their ambitions are said to be disturbing and culpable of within political family.
The exposure generated by the recent town hall meeting the Governor had with all appointees and elected persons from the various LGAs was another factor that led to the sack. Okorocha was jolted by the statements from the constituents where most of his trusted reliable and allies serving as Commissioners and aides received severe bashing from the masses. It was embarrassing that the Governor could not help but shake his head with disbelief when speakers rated his beacons of hope in office as mere “paper tigers” and Owerri based politicians without substantial value and prominence at home. Several Commissioners who were part of the Exco fell in the category.
Meanwhile, some aspirants seeking re-appointment and others willing to be accommodated have besieged powerful prayer warriors to actualize their dreams.
Our reporter learnt that some are playing guests to famous miracle worker, Pastor T.B Joshua of the Synagogue Church for prayers in his Emmanuel Church, Lagos. They were spotted at the church yesterday queuing for prayers and consultation at the worship centre.
