{"id":2365,"date":"2012-09-20T16:59:59","date_gmt":"2012-09-20T16:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/?p=2365"},"modified":"2012-09-20T16:59:59","modified_gmt":"2012-09-20T16:59:59","slug":"2015-guber-can-owerri-battle-okorocha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/?p=2365","title":{"rendered":"2015 Guber: Can Owerri battle Okorocha?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"center\">\n<p align=\"center\">\n<p align=\"center\"><strong><a class=\"highslide\" onclick=\"return vz.expand(this)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/ekpee2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2366\" title=\"ekpee\" src=\"http:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/ekpee2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/ekpee2.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/ekpee2-300x178.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the incumbent Governor of Imo state, who hails from Ogboko in Ideato South LGA, in Orlu Senatorial Zone will seek a second mandate as governor come 2015.\u00a0 Reason?\u00a0 There is no vacancy in Abuja for any other candidates except between President Goodluck Ebele \u201cAzikiwe\u201d Jonathan and a candidate from Northern Nigeria.\u00a0 Mark my words!<\/p>\n<p>Though Owelle Okorocha would have loved to run for the Presidency under APGA, at least for the fun of it, but the forces controlling Gov Peter Obi of Anambra State will not allow APGA to file a presidential candidate in 2015.\u00a0 Read my lips!<\/p>\n<p>Under this scenario, Owelle Okorocha will have no alternative than to hold firmly to the one he already has; which is the Governorship seat of Imo state.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, since Owerri zone has made it clear that it would not only seek to produce the next Governor in 2015, but will occupy Douglas House but in an event Okorocha run as incumbent, can Owerri be able to dethrone him from the seat?<\/p>\n<p>I ask this question because the fight for Imo Governorship seat is always fierce, and produces shocks and uncertainties, which I had enumerated on this page before.<\/p>\n<p>Under which political platform will Owerri go to this fight?\u00a0 Who will lead this fight as the arrow head and candidate?\u00a0 Which \u201czone\u201d within Owerri zone will produce this lucky person?\u00a0 How will Owerri zone arrive on this rare personality? Can this person emerge without squabbles and decimation of Owerri zone before the real fight proper?\u00a0 Questions! Questions! and Questions!<\/p>\n<p>I can be said correctly to say that Owerri zone has been marginalized in the production of those who has governed Imo state since 1979.\u00a0 Okigwe has ruled the state for eight years plus, between Dr Sam Mbakwe and Chief Ikedi Ohakim, while Orlu has had its turn for nine years and still counting, between Owelle Okorocha and Dr Achike Udenwa.\u00a0 But political power is not given based on sentiment.<\/p>\n<p>If it were, Okorocha would not have been on the saddle today.\u00a0 Therefore, it behooves to say that if Owerri zone anchore their argument on brandishing statistics and sloganeering, they would be shocked in 2015.<\/p>\n<p>However, what I think that can materialize the Owerri dream to rule Imo in 2015 include their strategy, the candidate, political party and where such a candidate comes from.<\/p>\n<p>Strategy here covers all that would be done for an Owerri man or woman to be governor in 2015.\u00a0 Like how to work on, and convince the other zones to rally round the zone to produce the next governor in Imo state.<\/p>\n<p>These include the issue of equity and fairness.\u00a0 Doing Peter, how you did James and John.\u00a0 Owerri cannot produce the next Governor single-handedly.\u00a0 Therefore, it must seek the hand of other zones.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the fact that Orlu Okigwe and OZOPOLF have started romancing, but can this love last till the targeted time?<\/p>\n<p>I know for sure that Okigwe people have voiced it in the open that they will not support Owerri in her quest for Imo Governorship seat in 2015.<\/p>\n<p>The simple reason they gave was that after the April 26,2011 Governorship election, the fate of their son nay Okigwe zone depended on Owerri to rally behind Ohakim return to power, but rather they gave their votes to Okorocha.\u00a0 Even the argument that Owerri is populated by visitors, which include even Okigwe indigenes, fell on deaf ears.\u00a0 So,will Okigwe really support Owerri in 2015?<\/p>\n<p>We are all aware of what transpired in the last election on how Orlu people conspired and turned \u2013coat over night to queue behind their brother, Okorocha, devoid of political affiliations.\u00a0 Who will swear that now that Orlu has the throne that they would easily relinquish it?\u00a0 Therefore, Owerri zone needs to go to work on this aspect.\u00a0 They say politics is conspiracy and summersault is allowed. Owerri should work on their cousins now to convince them.<\/p>\n<p>Let us talk about the candidate from Owerri.\u00a0 How would this candidate emerge?\u00a0 I have seen many times where Owerri people under the aegis Owerri Elders Forum arrived on a candidate, yet fellow aspirants shunned the sages and proceeded to the primaries, where Owerri candidates split their votes.<\/p>\n<p>Most importantly, with the last Governorship election in Imo, as regards promises made and what the masses are seeing now, the choice of candidate will earn from the electorate at least 30%, even before the voting Imo people are tried of a candidate who says one thing and does another.<\/p>\n<p>In order words, Owerri people must look for a person with impeccable character, good, pedigree, conduct, mien, character and the fund to prosecute the project.\u00a0 Much as no Governorship candidate can fund his election alone, but the fellow needs to have the capacity to at least begin the battle before helps could come.<\/p>\n<p>A candidate who allows sponsors to write-off his or her campaign funds is recipe to hijack the fellow when he becomes governor and therefore gives Imo a Governor who is under siege of godfathers.\u00a0 This is not what Imo wants in 2015 and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>Under which platform will this messiah emerge from?\u00a0 If we must tell ourselves the truth, since 1999 no Governor has emerged in Imo state without the influence and input of the behemoth, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.\u00a0 It was PDP that made Udenwa, Ohakim and Okorocha governors of Imo state.<\/p>\n<p>Let no one deceive himself that Owerri zone can win Imo Governorship election without the connivance of PDP teeming members.\u00a0 Governor Okorocha maybe bragging today that APGA won him the election in Imo state.\u00a0 But is a wrong assumption.\u00a0 It was PDP members, who conspired with the sprinkle of APGA followers to have their pound of flesh on those PDP big shots whom, they say felt the common PDP members has no power.\u00a0 It was simply a revolt against the leaders.<\/p>\n<p>Was it not Udenwa\u2019s anointing of Chief Ikedi Ohakim of PPA that gave him the key to Imo Government House in 2007?<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, Owerri zone cannot realize this dream without PDP impute.\u00a0 In order words, even if the zone is denied PDP ticket in 2015, for it to make hay, PDP must give its blessing before Owerri zone candidate can make an impact in another party.<\/p>\n<p>Take it or leave it, PDP has a strong hold followership in Imo, and there is yet no political party that has changed this truism.\u00a0 PDP may be lampooned because of their arrogance, losing Imo Governorship seat in 2011 and other follies, but PDP is the only party through which Imo Governor will emerge in 2015.\u00a0 Either as a candidate, or supported by PDP in another party platform, period.<\/p>\n<p>Frankly speaking, the \u201cZone\u201d within Owerri Zone, from which this lucky man or woman would emerge will be another interesting factor.\u00a0 Will the person come from Mbaike, Mbaise, Ngor Okpala, or Owere clans?<\/p>\n<p>I do not know if this project is based on any political platform.\u00a0 For if it is hinged on PDP foundation, it means that the coast favours the Mbaise clan here.<\/p>\n<p>During the last Governorship election, apart from the Mbaise clan which delivered PDP, Ngor Okpala, Owere and Mbaike clans were humiliated by APGA candidate, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, and more worrisome, at a time it was these areas that held the ace for PDP Governorship in Imo.<\/p>\n<p>Should sentiment raise its ugly head from other zones in supporting Owerri realize its dream, can Okigwe person vote for Ngor Okpala, Owere or Mbaike man when the time comes?\u00a0 Owerri therefore should put its house in order before the D day, which may seem too far, but yet near.<\/p>\n<p>Does Owerri zone think that Owelle Rochas Okorocha will fret and run under the bed and relinquish Imo Governorship seat on a platter, without roforofo fight?\u00a0 Not likely.<\/p>\n<p>You can accuse Okorocha of anything, but not a coward, who shy away from fights.\u00a0 Okorocha is going to give Owerri zone, nay PDP a run for their money.<\/p>\n<p>And anybody who has taken time to study Okorocha\u2019s political deft touches will know that he does not take prisoners.\u00a0 The Governor is a good student of Machiavelli.\u00a0 The end justifies the means.<\/p>\n<p>He fights \u201cany how\u201d and only a politician who plays without boots can march Okorocha foul for foul, head butt for head butt and penalty for penalty and free kick for free kick.\u00a0 Does Owerri zone have such a person?<\/p>\n<p>We are all aware how Okorocha confronted PDP in an open fight, without the power of incumbency.\u00a0 Now that he has both power and free fund, what does Owerri zone expect?\u00a0 A titanic battle for power!<\/p>\n<p>The only thing that may work against Okorocha is if he does not fulfill some of those wild promises he made to people of Imo state at the height of desperation to capture power.<\/p>\n<p>But our people forget easily.\u00a0 Should Okorocha throw one or two \u201cmagic\u201d of his in the air before April 2015, our people may be carried away once again.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, while Owerri zone marches on to grab power in 2015, it is better they realize that the journey is hard, even as the road is sprinkled with broken bottle.\u00a0 Only the tough and thick skinned will complete this kind of journey.\u00a0 Is Owerri zone ready for the herculean task?\u00a0 Only time will tell.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the incumbent Governor of Imo state, who hails from Ogboko in Ideato<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-columnists"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","elegant-magazine-featured":"","elegant-magazine-medium":"","elegant-magazine-medium-small":"","elegant-magazine-thumbnail-small":""},"author_info":{"info":["Imo Trumpeta"]},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/?cat=17\" rel=\"category\">Last-Line<\/a>","tag_info":"Last-Line","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2365"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2367,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2365\/revisions\/2367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}