Even as it is about three years ahead, the struggle for who will be Governor of Imo State, after Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has commenced among All Progressive Congress, APC members in the State.
It would be recalled that Okorocha had few weeks ago at a press parley raised the issue of his successor in 2019 where startling revelations of those who may not smell the position were made public.
Trailing the briefing are subterranean moves by some top shots in the State, especially those of the APC. While PDP is embroiled in intra-party feud, the race of Douglas House, the Seat of Power of the State, is gathering momentum in APC fold.
At the moment, Trumpeta gathered that none of the possible contenders have openly declared interest but they are reported to be working behind the scene to be favoured.
The race is said to be narrowed towards people of Owerri zone since the nine LGAs that make up the Senatorial district have not been handed the opportunity to govern Imo unlike others in the past. Apart from Owerri zone, Okigwe zone is also said to be kicking strongly with fresh interests from Orlu.
In Owerri zone, the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere is leading the pack and joined by the former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Jude Ejiogu. Other interested bidders who cannot be left out in the race are the current SSG who has dumped his career civil service job for politics, George Eche and Theodore Okwu Ekechi (TOE) both of Ngor Okpala in Owerri zone. Others are Hon Chike Okafor from Obowo LGA, Speaker of Imo House of Assembly, Rt Hon Acho Ihim, and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, all from Okigwe zone.
Should Okorocha decide to bring his successor from Owerri zone, the four mentioned persons will not escape the Governor’s dragnet in the choice for APC candidate. Madumere has been a loyal aide to the Governor even before they came into Government House in 2011. As his Private chief of Staff, the Mbieri-born Deputy Governor has been moving and enjoying political patronage from Okorocha and a succession gesture may not be ruled out in 2019.
Already, Madumere has been receiving several groups comprising pseudo political organizations especially of Owerri extraction whose interest may not be unconnected with the production of a Governor of Owerri zone come 2019. In the same vein, Madumere is also said to be positioning himself by not only making a reach-out to who is who but also exploiting his office to launch himself into reckoning. The opportunity to represent Okorocha at certain national functions has opened Madumere’s contacts and the recent style of visiting people during social events is said to be another subtle campaign style of wooing people.
For Ejiogu, it was learnt that his towering personality, urbane and simple lifestyle, coupled with the talisman to fit into the big shoe to be left by Okorocha appears to be his strong point to be counted.
The Emekuku-born former SSG is said to be well loved and admired by scores of Rescue Mission apostles who have started advocating him for the ticket of the party. Though out of office, those close to Okorocha are of the view that his removal may be tactical on the part of the Governor to allow and give him ample chance to prepare well for the governorship race come 2019. The manner Ejiogu has been going about in showing concern for APC programmes in the State and relating well with the Okorocha family, sources in Government House, Owerri, reveal, is an indication that his ouster from SSG office may be a blessing in disguise.
Despite being out of office, Ejiogu is said to be winning the sympathy of Okorocha’s loyalists and receives patronage from power brokers in the State arm of the party. It was also observed that, the Abuja arm of the party holds the former banker turned politician in high esteem to be considered as Okorocha’s successor.
Also tipped is the new Secretary to Imo State Government, Sir George Eche. His emergence was a surprise to many, not because he is not qualified for the job, but because he was an astute technocrat.
Eche who hails from Obiangwu in Ngor Okpala LGA has made friends across political lines, due to his nature which makes him make friends easily.
Although it is not yet clear if the youthful SSG will join the race, but sources said that if his Boss, the Governor, is “well with him” he has no option than throw in his hat into the ring.
Already sources said that should Eche join the race, he would use his quiet mien and social interactions that know no bounds to attract followers.
And again, sources told Trumpeta that Okorocha in his quiet moments always sympathizes with the likes of Ngor Okpala LGA that has been submerged into political marginalization in Imo State for too long now. However, sentiments do not win power.
Another personality suspected to be eyeing Imo Government House is Dr Tobias Ekechi (TOE) from Umuoye, Imerienwe in Ngor Okpala LGA. He was a former Commissioner in Imo State, and was appointed the Director of Strategy in the Buhari Campaign Organization.
It is learnt that as part of his plan to target Imo Governorship, he recently floated a national Newspaper called “Sunrise”, to help articulate his plans and take it to the public domain.
Since he left office as Commissioner, not much has been heard of the Media guru, who is an outdoor Advertisement Specialist. But how he will create impression within the APC to grab the diadem is the serious matter. But many say that since he is romancing with the APC hierarchy at the Abuja level, and also liked by Okorocha, who knows, as anything can happen.
From Okigwe zone comes the Speaker of Imo House of Assembly, Rt Hon Acho Ihim. Even as most people may not reckon with his ambition because of his zone, but in politics anything is possible, as Acho Ihim who is the Speaker today never dreamed of this when he was the elected Chairman of Okigwe LGA many years ago.
Amicable and friendly, Acho Ihim cannot be removed from the equation or judged by his present predicament as Speaker, because the environment under which he operates presently is not favourable to a self-minded fellow.
In other words, Ihim as an Executive Manager can as well assert himself and be his own man. Following his experience in the Executive as a former Council Chairman, and Lawmaker, many believe that such a fellow is what Imo needs in the nearest future. But time will tell.
On the roster of would-be Imo Governor in 2019 is the infant terrible of Okigwe politics, Hon Chike Okafor. He was a former Banker before he was made the Commissioner for Finance after Okorocha won election in 2011.
Since that time, the Obowo born Chike Okafor has risen in status and stature in Imo politics, to the extent that he is one of the Cocks that crows at the National Assembly Abuja as the Chairman of Health Committee.
Because of his own pattern of politics which abhors clan, place or origin, Chike has endeared himself to many people, who see in him a rising star that may end up ruling Imo State one day. But whether it is after Okorocha in 2019 is another matter, as he is young with age on his side.
The other fellow who cannot be wished away in Imo Governorship battle in 2019, is the lion of the tribe of Ishiebu, in Isiala Mbano LGA, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume. Like him or not, the Senator is a recurring decimal in Imo politics no matter which political party he finds himself.
The issue here is whether Okorocha endorses him or not, should Araraume feel like joining the fray in 2019, only God can stop him, as all those interested in 2019, under APC should gird the loins and get ready for the Araraume persona.
Although Okorocha said Araraume cannot succeed him, and later denied it, but since the former Governorship candidate of too many Governorship battles has not said anything yet, let it all remain in the conjecture of the masses and his followers.
Chief Uche Nwosu, the present Chief of Staff to the Governor, and son inlaw to Rochas Okorocha is another name that must be mentioned here despite the fact that he comes from Nkwerre LGA, which is Orlu zone, like Okorocha who is handing over power in 2019.
Already, the youthful Nwosu had started the project in earnest through subtle recruitment of followers, which is carried out by his pet political Group, called “Ugwumba Movement”.
The young politician, who is the defacto second in command in Imo State is said to have amassed enough war chest to execute the project, through a free hand given to him by his father inlaw to get solid financial base for the task ahead.
Despite Okorocha’s posturing these days which seems to cool the fire off Uche Nwosu’s back, pundits swear that Uche Nwosu could be Okorocha’s joker in 2019, as he is the only person he can hand over political power and go home and sleep quietly ever after, as Uche by his current position is a son of Okorocha from another mother, since he is married to his first daughter. But whether Okorocha’s permutations will work out in 2019 is yet to be seen.
