Despite the decamping of the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to the yet-to-be registered All Progressives Congress, APC, the state has been described as still being controlled by the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, the party platform under which Okorocha was elected.
This was disclosed by Owelle Rochas Okorocha himself while speaking to Pressmen in Owerri, Imo State.
According to Gov Okorocha, in answering a question if Imo State was still an APGA-controlled state now that he has joined APC, he replied “Imo is an APGA State until the merger is consumed. Once the merger is consummated, then we will be in the APGA/APC as far as this is concerned”.
Okorocha maintained that he is not in disagreement with APGA national Leadership, even as he made it clear that Chief Victor Umeh remains the National Chairman of APGA.
Hear Okorocha “I know we are not in disagreement with national Leadership of APGA. Umeh remains the Chairman of APGA as far as I am concerned”.
Meanwhile, a statement from Imo APGA to Trumpeta reads “Be informed that there is nothing like APGA/APC. The National Chairman of APGA, Sir Victor Umeh has made it clear that APGA is not and will never be a party to the APC merger.
“We therefore inform APGA members to disregard the plans by Bon Ariri and Co to deceive them. Rochas can leave with his Agenda Group, APGA will never go with him”.
However, Okorocha went on to explain that APGA still exists with Umeh as the National Chairman, pointing out that APGA cannot just fold its tents and join APC, because “we still have issues in court, but I am optimistic that once these matters are all over we will come to the round table, discuss about full merger with other parties”.
Okorocha said that Ojukwu even in his grave would love APGA to join APC to have a hand shake across the Niger.
“I don’t think APGA will like to be a very tiny party in Nigeria that cannot even guaranty itself a state, and APGA is not ready for that” Okorocha said.
Meanwhile, the defection of Governor Rochas Okorocha from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to All Progressive Congress, APC, has continued to deepen the depth of political enormity among two blocs that constitute the entire membership of APGA in Imo State.
Imo APGA is erected on two political blocs – the Agenda Group fiercely loyal to Governor Rochas Okorocha and another bloc said to be controlled by Chief Martin Agbaso.
While those in Agenda group are said to be in total support of Okorocha’s resolve to join the APC, others are said to be unhappy over the Governor’s position for several reasons.
An APGA stalwart in the state who spoke to Trumpeta on condition of anonymity, said, the entire APGA structure in Imo State is not totally in support of the governor’s move to the APC on the basis that they are unsure and uncertain of their political fate in the yet to be. According to him, those in APGA who okayed the move are those in the Agenda group who benefited immensely from Okorocha through largesse or political patronage.
According to him, those on Agenda Group, who are members of Okorocha’s political structure, are the ones in APGA who are backing the governor because they occupy juicy positions such as Commissioners, Special Advisers and Sole Administrators in his Administration.
Trumpeta learnt that those who were in APGA and loyal to Chief Martin Agbaso before Okorocha came into APGA to contest for the 2011 governorship are opposed to the move a situation which degenerated after the Agbasos and Governor Okorocha were engaged in political altercations during and after the JPros contract scam saga that culminated in the impeachment of Sir Jude Agbaso as Deputy Governor of Imo State.
The Agbsos had served on the APC Constitution/Manifesto committee, on the recommendation of Governor Okorocha but backed out when the intensity of the political romance took a negative dimension as a result of the impeachment process against the younger Agbaso, Jude.
In his response to the Imo State APGA Chairman, Prince Marshal Okafor-Anyanwu, denied the existence of such rancour or division in Imo APGA.
Speaking to Trumpeta on phone, he said there is no going back on the party’s move to APC, adding that anyone can hide under the canopy of APGA to insinuate issues that does not exist.
