•Isieke Community Writes Uzodimma, Insists It’s Their Turn To Produce Councillor
It is a time bomb about to explode in Isiekenesi Ward 1 of Ideato South LGA, Imo State, if no urgent intervention is done, no thanks to the alleged infiltration of the PDP into the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.
Except the leader of the party in Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodimma, through the APC leadership wades in to calm the gathering storm, APC is at the brink of collapse in Isiekenesi Ward 1.
This newspaper authoritatively gathered that the landslide victory recorded for APC from the said Ward in the last 2023 general elections had raised a serious threat for the upcoming Local Government Areas election.
While it was supposedly learnt that to actualize the target of diminishing the strength of APC in the Ward, the leaders of the People’s Democratic Party are said to have planted a member into the APC to wrestle the Councillorship seat under the APC platform.
The proxy PDP card carrying member who claims to be contesting the Councillorship election under the ruling “broom” party, we scooped is flying under the wings of yet to be disclosed persons.
Grapevine sources revealed that in Isiekenesi Ward 1 which comprised of three blocs viz; Isieke, Umuaghobe, Awalla, they had a standing rotation agreement that had existed for over 3 decades.
The sharing arrangement was specifically hinged on only elective positions.
However, while it was learnt that the agreement within the past 30 years had respected the pattern with Umuaghobe clan taking turns successively, and later Awalla, Isieke clan had been unfortunate.
Following the upcoming Council polls, in a meeting conveyed at the residence of the apex leader, Prince Nixon Okwara, it was said that the reaffirmation to maintain status quo in rotation of elective offices was admitted and signed.
By so doing, Umuaghobe and Awalla were asked to support an Isieke-Isiekenesi person so as to maintain equity and fairness.
Also, Mr Chibuike Philip Charles was duly presented and adopted as a consensus candidate having come from Isieke, the rightful community to produce a Councilor in the forthcoming LG election.
Meanwhile, concern has been placed on why some APC Chieftains would compromise to foist a non active party member, Cyprain Obiagwu from Umuaghobe to contest the ongoing polls knowing that the last Councilor hailed from Umuaghobe.
Chief Bonny Ebili who is a card carrying member of the PDP from Umuaghobe may not have escaped being roped in as it was believed he is also behind the aspiration of his kinsman, Obiagwu, thereby defiling the same norm he (Ebili) fought hard years ago to institute (rotation of elective positions).
Accusing fingers also pointed at Engr Chuks Okwaraejiaku known as Babanture who was alleged worked for the ACCORD Party in the last general election against all the APC Candidates.
Asides being appointed as the VIO Commander, and also hails from Umuaghobe, same community with Obiagwa, he is believed to be fuelling the crisis about to engulf Isiekenesi Ward 1 for some egoistic reasons.
Some of the APC stalwarts who laid complaints on the perceived injustice about to be meted on Isieke clan disclosed that in the 2023 general elections, it was Prince Nixon Okwara, another APC leader and a close friend of the governor, Mr Andy Okwara, and few other selfless individuals who stood their ground financially, physically and morally to ensure that APC won in Isiekenesi Ward 1.
“If not these mentioned persons who disarmed PDP in that Ward and gave APC the overwhelming victory it had in the 2023 elections, would all these moles in APC be speaking or coming out to contest? If this is not corrected before this primary election tomorrow, it will be a big lost for APC and I know that will return PDP to power in Isiekenesi Ward 1”, said a concerned Party faithful.
They reiterated that based on the elective sharing access formula, after Isieke goes this time, Awalla and Umuaghobe will take turns respectively in subsequent Councillorship elections.
The aggrieved persons furthermore alleged that the aspirant from Umuaghobe, Cyprian worked against Governor Uzodimma and lost his booth 003 Afonta in the last Governorship election, a sabotage against APC, to the extent that they conceded the booth to Chief Bonny Ebili, the main reason they wanted to impose him on APC for the Councillorship position.
