By Okey Alozie
In a bid to be in full control of power and recover party structure from his opponents, especially the Coalition group who fight against Rescue Mission Agenda and policies in Imo State, Governor Rochas Okorocha is said to have planned to hold fresh Imo APC congress.
Addressing stakeholders of Imo APC on Tuesday at the Imo International Convention Centre, IICC, on Bank road, Owerri, the governor revealed that there will be fresh primaries to bring the party to the grassroots and wrestle power from the Allied Forces who claimed they are on top. According to the Governor, the earlier congress which was characterized by fraud and hijack by the coalition group has been nullified by court, therefore there is need to hold a fresh congress in Imo.
He warned that only a credible aspirant will be allowed to contest. He further explained that party leaders and political heavy weights, especially, those who have been tested and trusted will be favoured so that they can use their money and wealth of experience to handle party activities at the ward level.
Moreover, he disclosed that the ward chairmen who will be elected will now replace commissioners and lawmakers as Government Liaison Officers and mini governors of the areas, according to him will bring administrative convenience.
He submitted that names of aspirants for the congress will be shortlisted and sent to the State Security Service department for special screening adding that his political followers otherwise known as the Rescue Mission group should now rejoice because they have recovered all that they lost to the Allied Forces because the “coalition group has been caged”.
In the same meeting at IICC Owerri Tuesday, the Governor said he has set up reconciliation committee handed by Hon Macdonld Akano to reconcile all those that had differences during the recently conducted Rescue Mission primaries in Imo State and areas were primaries were declared inconclusive. He hinted that a new date will be fixed for the election if the affected people refused reconciliation and harmonization. Governor Okorocha further promised to look into areas where there are controversies over aspirants for higher positions.
The governor at the forum called up Pastor Frank Onwumere, the Commander General of Imo Community Watch, the State government owned Security outfit and condemned his action against the coalition group during the convention held recently at Eagles Square, Abuja.
According to the Governor, the idea of using thugs to people who are in the same party is condemnable. He therefore warned Pastor Onwumere not to repeat such act in subsequent exercises.
Meanwhile 18 local government areas out the 27 LGAs have concluded their LGA chairmanship primaries while the remaining 9 councils were declared inconclusive.
Those areas where primaries could not hold as a result of crisis include. Ihitteuboma, Aboh Mbaise, Ehime Mbano, Ngor Okpala, Ideato South, Ohaji Egbema, Oguta, Njaba.
It was also observed that election for the councilors could not hold in 20 autonomous community out of the 664 approved wards for the council polls primaries.
The governor maintained that he only wants the aspirants with the crowd to win and not once that only have the endorsement of leaders.
“It is unacceptable for leaders to reject aspirants that is the people’s choice” Okorocha maintained.
Speaking further, the governor warned APC leaders on his side to desist from imposing aspirants on people especially those who are unpopular at the grassroots level.
“I condemned the coalition group for hijacking sensitive materials meant for our congress and in the same vein I condemn primaries that were mared with fraud and irregularities. People have to go back to the field to correct their wrongs” Okorocha concluded.
