The rumour that the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha had dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA, for All Progressives Congress, APC was confirmed on Tuesday, May 7th 2013, when in the presence of Eight APC governors at Heroes Square, and attention of Imo populace the Governor openly identified with the yet-to-be registered party, and used the opportunity to carpet the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, describing it as a party of failures.
For doubting Thomases in APGA, the day afforded them the opportunity to hear it from the Horses mouth (Rochas Okorocha) that APGA has become obsolete in the political lexicon of the Governor.
I strongly sympathize with APGA members in Imo State, and elsewhere in the Federation, because all their efforts in making Owelle Rochas Okorocha Governor of Imo State during the contentious Imo Guber 2011 have ended in a fiasco, embarrassment. All the “Nzogbu Nzogbu” and sleepless nights have been thrown to the dust bin of history, as the Governor has hurled the APGA members’ goodwill back to their faces.
I shuddered in pain, the day I heard the Governor of Imo State describe APGA, the party under which he won an election, as a “community meeting” and “village gathering”. It serves APGA right!
The climax of it all was the disgrace meted out to the Imo APGA anchor man and financier, Chief Martin Agbaso, following the ignoble impeachment of his younger brother, Sir Jude Agbaso, whom Martin foisted on Okorocha as his running mate in 2011.
With the May 7th Solidarity visit to Imo State by the Eight APC governors, Gov Rochas Okorocha has morphed into a new political element, not only in Imo State, but in the entire South-East Political Zone of Nigeria.
Okorocha has become the first person of Igbo extraction in this dispensation to throw his Hat into the ring for the 2015 general election by stretching the hand across the Niger, which late Dim Ojukwu always proclaimed all his life.
Take or leave it, he is pursuing his political life and survival and has decided to join the Yorubas for his political future.
It is any body’s guess, what could be Okorocha’s gain at the end of the day. But one thing that is important is that he has identified where he thinks his bread would be buttered, than other Igbo politicians, who are still sitting on the fence, while the 2015 election time ticks.
Although there is the rumour that Okorocha may be a mole in the midst of the APC promoters from the West, but one thing you cannot deny the Ogboko born politician is that he has chosen which god to serve. It is only left for his camp to decipher his purpose among them. It is not my business.
But looking at the arrival of APC, with Okorocha’s open embrace of the party in Imo State, the status quo has been shaken, if not altered. Unless those who want to deceive themselves are thinking otherwise.
Okorocha is the incumbent Governor of Imo State, sits atop Billions of Naira every month, attracted Eight Governors to Imo State in a swoop, which included the likes of Fashola, Oshiomole and Shittema and you think all this is a joke? Please, at your own peril!
The biggest mistake the opposition parties in the state will make is to treat the APC invasion of Imo State with levity. For me, there is no how I will describe a gathering attended by eight governors as a media stunt. Could Fashola, Fayemi, Aregbosala, Oshiomole, all serious minded individuals, abandoned state functions for Imo State on May 7th to drink Moet? No. Not likely.
Opposition political parties in the state who wish to make impact in 2015 should not take the APC posture in the state for granted.
This brings me to the only functional and vibrant opposition party in Imo, PDP. Whatever any body may say, the “garagara” made in Imo State on May 7th was all for PDP, and the APC did not mince words in calling a spade by its name.
Each of the Eight Governors who stormed Heroes Square that day harped on how the PDP will be flushed out, if not only in Imo State but at the Federal level. The Speakers did not pretend in their speeches. It was clear, and those who attended listened to these visitors including Okorocha, the Governor.
Now, when APC says it would flush out PDP from Imo State in 2015, what it meant was that it will wrestle over the remaining political positions now under PDP, which Okorocha could not capture in 2011.
Mind you, Okorocha and his horde of civilian soldiers removed the PDP Government at the state level, and even gained foothold in the Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly positions.
Therefore, when APC is talking about flushing PDP out of Imo, it is saying that the present positions occupied by the party now would be retrieved from it in 2015. And the battle line has already been drawn.
So, how prepared is the Imo PDP to retain the positions they presently occupy now and even make incursion to retrieve from APGA/APC those it won in 2011?
Unfortunately, while the APC/APGA (as represented by Okorocha) is boasting to take the battle to PDP in 2015, members of the Imo House of Assembly, particularly of the PDP extraction, were all available at the APC celebrations in the state on May 7th.
PDP members of the Imo House of Assembly were also glaringly present at the Okorocha “Freedom Day” marked on May 6th at Heroes Square, Owerri.
“Freedom Day” was the day Okorocha defeated PDP at the supplementary election which he was declared winner. The Governor therefore highlighted the day by closing markets, schools, hospitals, work places etc to mark the day.
And guess what? Members of Imo PDP, the party which Okorocha was celebrating its vanquish were there clicking glasses. Even when members of the House of Assembly were asked to “keep standing” by the Governor, you saw PDP members of the House of Assembly standing “attention” until they were ordered to sit down.
This development is a big signal to the PDP in the state that a dangerous snake is creeping into her room. It is a situation that should task the party’s hierarchy.
However, don’t forget to shake Okorocha’s hand when you meet him, because it was a big political maneuvering to have manipulated the PDP Lawmakers to celebrate the anniversary of the date their party was diminished.
Members of the House have the right to attend state functions, no doubt. But where is May 6th in the calendar of important dates of Nigeria celebrations? What we have is May 29, Democracy Day and 1st October, Independence Day. So where is May 6? It was a contraption by Okorocha and it worked well for him, as he achieved his aim. It was a shame seeing members of Imo House of Assembly from PDP celebrating the day their party was defeated yet wearing PDP toga. Or were they dancing on the grave of Imo PDP?
The worse was May 7th; the day Okorocha welcomed his fellow Governors in the APC. Members of Imo Assembly of the PDP stock fell over each other to shake the visitors at Sam Mbakwe Airport, when they knew clearly well that the occasion was for APC, an opposition party against PDP.
Therefore, if they should be forgiven for the May 6 debacle, what of May 7th? God help Imo PDP.
At the APC Rally, Okorocha made it clear that 23 Governors have indicated interest to join APC. What he failed to add was that PDP members of Imo House of Assembly have also joined APC.
Let me say that in politics, it is your right to choose which party you want to belong to. This is one of the qualities Okorocha has. He does not pretend to show you where he stands at all times. He even make it clear also to those he hates. This helps the fellows to know his stand with him.
Therefore, Okorocha has made his stand, as 2015 is concerned, in terms of the political party he belongs. Could other Imo politicians please, let their followers know where they stand?
Hunting with the Hare in the night and sleeping with the sheep in the day is very dangerous. Any politician who does not make his position known to his followers at all times is a coward, and playing politics of the stomach.
2015 will be a different kettle of fish as far as Nigerian politics and elections are concerned. Time has past when politicians fool their followers.
These members of Imo Assembly who are members of PDP in body and APC in spirit should come out openly and be men.
The Benji Uwajumogu, Adaku Iheoma, and Acho Ihim formula will never work again in Imo State. The elites have hardened the youthful electorate, who are mainly populated by unemployed graduates. Time was when monkey de work and Baboon de chop! Not again 2015 will be helele and the elections hemehe!
