Despite paying back the Agbaso family of Emekuku-Owerri North with alleged misdeeds after facilitating his becoming Imo state governor in 2011, through APGA platform, governor Okorocha is reportedly going solo again against his former political soul-mate and benefactor, Chief Martin Agbaso.
Martin’s younger brother, Jude, former Deputy to Okorocha was removed under controversial circumstances following allegations of fraud.
In the renewed onslaught targeted at demystifying Agbaso’s political relevance and future ambition, Okorocha is alleged to be having secret deal with a front line governorship candidate in the state and kinsman to the APGA Chieftain, Captain Emma Ihenacho.
Seizing the opportunity of the fresh leadership tussle in APGA, Okorocha has waded in to reportedly cause further schisms with a view to destabilizing Agbaso’s camp in APGA.
It would be recalled that the recent court decision of the Federal High Court that sacked Chief Victor Umeh led Exco and reinstated that of Chief Maxi Okwu opened another chapter of leadership tussle in APGA where the decision is being rejected by the party.
To break the ranks of APGA and weaken Agbaso’s power base, Okorocha has entered into fresh alliance with Ihenacho who may have resigned his fate over the PDP guber ticket. Since Agbaso may use APGA to prove a point to Okorocha and have his pound of flesh in 2015, the Imo governor is pulling all strings to downsize the fair politician fondly called Ochudo of Owerri.
Trumpeta at the weekend gathered that a confident partnership is brewing between the governor and the ship magnate of integrated oil and gas fame ahead 2015. Though details of the partnership and what transpired during their meetings were not made public but it was learnt that the partnership is geared towards making Ihenacho relevant in a faction of APGA loyal to Maxi Okwu executives. Part of the subterranean moves to endear Ihenacho into the hearts of APGA faithful in the state is the planned distribution of twenty-seven vehicles each to the APGA Chairmen in the state for logistics. The vehicle is said to be courtesy of the Chief executive of the state as part of contribution towards making Ihenacho the major stakeholder and prospective guber candidate of the party.
Efforts to get the reactions of Ihenacho on the matter proved abortive but a top Chieftain of APGA denied knowledge of the oil and gas guru joining APGA. The Chieftain who is also a strong member of Okwu group told Trumpeta in a phone chat that “Ihenacho may have interest to be APGA member and governorship candidate but at present he is not a registered member. No matter what he does with Okorocha, we in APGA is geared towards flushing him out in 2015”.
