The decision by the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to re-appoint over 80% of his ex Commissioners in the State Executive, thus ignoring other stalwarts from the fold of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has set tongues wagging in the party.
Okorocha had on Monday retained seven Commissioners and appointed four new ones mainly made up of his loyalists and core Rescue Mission disciples.
None of the newly appointed Commissioners cames from component political units such as the defunct ACN, ANPP and CPC that constitute a good chunk of Imo APC where Rochas Okorocha’s APGA faction holds sway. It was unclear if nominees for Commissionership positions were forwarded to the Governor from these quarters for consideration, but some stakeholders in the APC are stunned that none from the fold made the new list.
Political pundits had anticipated that the Imo Governor will accommodate loyalists of his new found political allies in the APC, in the spirit of one accord and party fraternization.
Despite much publicized unity amongst key proponents of the APC in the state, the State Governor shut out former Governor Achike Udenwa from the list of his Commissioner nominees by not appointing any of his followers.
It was not ascertained as at press time if the former Imo Governor sent nominees to Rochas, but close sources to the ex Imo Governor said such possibilities should not be ruled out since Okorocha and Udenwa openly renounced their differences and resolved to close ranks to work for a united APC in the state.
Speaking on the perceived shut out of APC stalwarts in the cabinet, APC stalwart and defunct ACN heavyweight in Imo, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) told Trumpeta that Governor Okorocha’s appointment of Commissioners is not illegal but within his purview.
He said he is not in the habit of criticizing anything legal as the Governor acted within his competence.
In a related development, Mr Chijioke Agugbue, Chairman of defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in Imo State, has denied claims that the party was sidelined in the APC formation in Imo State.
Reacting to Trumpeta inquiries, Agugbue said the defunct ANPP was carried along by Governor Okorocha, saying it landed the post of treasurer of the APC in Imo after APGA and defunct ACN secured the chairmanship and secretaryship positions of the party.
