By peter uzoma
Fresh developments on reasons why the party structure of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, is said to be wavering support to the ambition of Capt Emma Ihenacho, one of the contenders in the party is gradually unearthing.
It would be recalled that following the purported adoption by a certain group in APGA which has been dismissed by the party hierarchy in the state as farce, discordant tunes have been pervading the party.
However, Trumpeta leant that subtle intrigues may have induced the said purported adoption that okayed Ihenacho as consensus candidate favoured to carry the party’s flag. It was learnt that there was an alleged understanding between the two parties before the adoption proposal got a go ahead.
Trumpeta reliably gathered that the suspected bias the party chairman and members of his Executives are exhibiting for Ihenacho’s candidacy, stems from an arrangement that will allegedly benefit both parties at the end of the election should the shipping mogul wins. The arrangement, the newspaper learnt is that the party chairman in the state, Barr Peter Ezeobi will emerge the Deputy Governor and running mate to Ihenacho, while the three zonal chairmen become automatic commissioners.
Not also left out in the said sharing of war booty of the election before the battle of votes are the 27 LGA chairmen of the party who will also become the Transition Committee Chairman of their respective areas in 2015.
A source in APGA hierarchy in the state confirmed the development adding that a mock cabinet has already been raised to accommodate interest of stakeholders in the party. According to the source who is also part of the decision-making team in APGA, the idea is to hook party officials into Capt Ihenacho’s governorship project.
Said he; idea is to ensure that all stakeholders buy into the project and be a stakeholder to not only ensure that Capt is the sole candidate of APGA but also lead him to victory. Apart from the said monetary incentives, this is the clincher that is attracting APGA members to Captain’s camp.
This newspaper was further informed that the consideration of Ezeobi as running mate is to ensure that he favours Ihenacho in the party primaries as it is widely suspected that the former Minister is believed to be behind his appointment as APGA state chairman. Ezeobi, formerly a commissioner representing Imo state on the board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is form Oguta in Orlu zone while Capt Ihenacho is from Owerri.
The Ihenacho/Ezeobi ticket to ensure striking partnership for a zonal balance of sharing political offices striking partnership would have been secured to ensure balance.
The matter which has leaked to members of the public is causing serious disunity and the attendant lack of trust in APGA fold.
A party leader in the state fumed at the suspected exercise, informing that it is another charade and part of the desperate bid of one of the candidate to get undue advantage ahead of APGA primaries. The leader who preferred anonymity for fear of victimsation accused the party chairmen of unwarranted sectionalism for personal gains at the detriment of success.
“It is unfair that instead of playing role of a father to all aspirants, the party chairman has interest and that has manifested in the report that he has been promised a Deputy Governor position.
