As the dust raised by the change of camp by Chief Clems Owunna, Imo State University, Pro-Chancellor who few days ago made a volte face about his desire to continue with Okorocha government, more facts have emerged why he has shifted his senatorial ambition race to APGA.
Barely 24 hours after he was in cloud nine with Governor Okorocha to savour success recorded over the construction of a recreation Park at IMSU during the official opining event, Owunna, an Aba-based businessman turned coat, an action that jolted many APC followers in the state.
Trumpeta learnt that apart from the factors earlier enumerated by this medium while giving the exclusive report on Tuesday edition of the newspaper, there were behind the scene incidents that warranted Owunna’s exit from Okorocha’s camp to APGA. This newspaper learnt that the inability of Okorocha to wholly back and pull the structure of Okigwe zone APC to his favour to grab the APC Okigwe zone Senate ticket, against the interest of the Speaker of Imo Assembly, Benjamin Uwajumogu, may have been responsible for his latest action. For this the road is now clear for Uwajumogu to grab the ticket.
It was learnt that managing the interest of Owunna, his new found friend and that of another top shot in Rescue Mission, Uwajumogu who has contributed greatly to the stability of the present administration as witnessed has so far put Okorocha in limbo and state of confusion. Inside sources in Government House, Owerri, revealed that the Imo governor almost developed heart ache trying to handle the interest of his henchmen from Okigwe zone eyeing the senate ticket of the APC.
It reached a crescendo where Okorocha was said to be forced to pacify both men by also allowing them produce political appointees from the area. It was further gathered that Okorocha sensing danger ahead preliminary politicking for 2015 and in view of the brewing crisis in Okigwe zone APC over the interest of Owunna and Uwajumogu reportedly convened a meeting to find amicable solution. In the meeting attended by the governor, Uwajumogu, Owunna, Chief Marcon Nlemigbo and a political leader from Okigwe, Dr E.J Onyewuchi, there was no truce as both parties refused to step down for each other. While Uwajumogu favoured a democratic process of primaries to determine a winner, Owunna was alleged to be favourably disposed to obtaining an executive adoption from the governor for the APC ticket. The inability of the contending factions to reach a common agreement was said to have left Owunna upset.
The Okigwe LGA-born Owunna was said to have expressed indignation that the ticket was not sealed and to be delivered to him with ease since his Okigwe North bloc is favoured to get the ticket ahead Uwajumogu’s Okigwe South bloc under zoning arrangement. After handing the position on two instances, it is expected that Okigwe North deserves the chance, hence Owunna’s believe that Okorocha will favour him. The lukewarm attitude of Okorocha to that bargain made him lose faith in the APC dream.
What however, nailed Owunna’s ambition in APC is his lack of stronghold in Okigwe zone of the party. Trumpeta learnt that during the formative stages of APC in the zone, Owunna was not forthcoming thereby giving Uwajumogu free space to dictate the pace by producing most of the ward, LGA and state officials of the party from the zone. The phobia of going into primaries against a grounded Uwajumogu forced him to back out.
Trumpeta moreover gathered, that a delegation of Okigwe zone leaders had also made a strong case for Uwajumogu before Okorocha thereby disabusing the governor’s mind towards tilting support to Owunna.
Apparently informed by the undercurrents and odds working against him, Owunna had to call it quits with Okorocha and APC for a political fortune in another camp.
