The indecision of Governor Rochas Okorocha to clearly state his position on which office to seek in 2015 is breeding untold anxiety and tension in his political family.
While office seekers especially serving governors have openly declared their intention and officially informed supporters on next line of action, Okorocha is still dilly-dallying by toying with the idea of running for the post of presidency and that the post of presidency and that of Governor at the same time under APC ticket.
Even as pundits and close watchers of political developments in the state are of the view that Okorocha wants to gamble with the presidency ticket to make a case for Vice-President, Government House source indicates that failure at the national level will automatically bring the governor home for a second missionary journey in 2015.
When signs appeared that Okorocha would pick APC ticket in Abuja after moving the entire state Exco and members of the APC facilitators/coordinators to the federal capital territory and other states to advance his presidential ambition, the governor returned on Monday to create another version of his 2015 aspiration by stating that he will not abandon the state for PDP “hawks” an indication that he may have lost out in the initial Vice Presidential ticket bargain. Though, Okorocha did not make categorical statement but his body language and innuendos built into his speech suggest that a second tenure is in the offing for the Ogboko Ideato South born politician.
Furthermore, the inability of any person from the governor’s camp especially his lieutenants to collect forms to run for the governorship under APC is another strong revelation that the party ticket strictly reserved for Okorocha if he fails at the national stage.
However at the recent swearing in of new commissioners and Transition Committee Chairmen of councils on Monday, Okorocha did not hesitate to inform his listeners of intention to consolidate his gains after first tenure in office, stating that he will use next election to retire PDP from Imo. Wide jubilation erupted in the camp of the governor when he signaled intention to remain in Imo for 2015 election.
Surprisingly, 48 hours after the Owerri speech where he rekindled interest in having another shot in Douglas House, the seat of power in Imo, Okorocha was one of the fire gladiators the national party chairman, Chief John Odiejie-oyegun requested to make a brief speech during the special mini convention held in Abuja.
Apart from the grand entry of House of Reps speaker, Aminu Tambuwal into APC, the other highlight was the 2-minute speech granted to presidential office seekers. With the exception of Abubakar Atiku, other aspirants spoke including Okorocha.
As Okorocha mounted the rostrum to address the convention, uneasy calm pervaded the Imo State arm of the pavilion when APC members from the state spoke in hushed tone wondering what could be amiss with the number one citizen of Imo.
Our reporter who monitored the Wednesday event in Abuja expressed worry over the pattern of the governor stating that amounts to gambling on the part of the governor to speak from both sides of his mouth on his 2015 election.
The renewed ambition of Okorocha to pick the presidential ticket of APC dominated discussion in the stand of the state at the convention.
Our correspondent at the home front noted that most of his followers expressed same feelings concerned the ambiguous nature of Okorocha to his next political destination.
