by Thompson Agu, Abuja
Following anticipation of crisis that may lead to chaos and mayhem, Trumpeta has it on good authority that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP hierarchy impresses it on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC its intention to move the Governorship primaries of Imo State to Enugu, Enugu state.
According to impeccable sources close to the party headquarters in Abuja,the Presidency is highly interested in PDP “capturing” Imo state in 2015 election, and therefore not leaving any loop hole to create disaffection that may make PDP lose the state again to any opposition party.
Trumpeta learnt that the PDP is therefore using “mirror” to monitor the activities of all the Governorship Aspirants jostling for the position in Imo, in order not to give room for opposition parties to rubbish whoever the party will produce to hoist its flag in the guber election.
This Newspaper learnt that the reason to take Imo PDP Governorship Primaries out side Imo state is not to favour any aspirant, but for the party to produce a candidate that will emerge in a free and fair primaries, at the glare of every participant, so that the party will not suffer crises that may tear it apart after the exercise during the elections proper.
In order to assuage the aspirant’s suspicions, the exercise will be beamed live on Television and aired on radio, so that whoever loses will have no option than to congratulate the winner.
Another factor is to avoid the interference of the main opposing party, the APC. The influence and suspected interference of Okorocha may spell doom for the success of the party in the state. To avoid unnecessary interference the primaries will go to Enugu State.
It was learnt that before the exercise which is just a few months away, the Presidency will call all the aspirants to a meeting where it would be sounded loud and clear to them that the exercise would be subjected to a most transparent manner, and whoever among them that does not wish a free and fair primaries is free to leave the party, than to cause trouble after the whole affair has taken place.
Already, many aspirants have shown interest in the 2015 Imo Governorship Seat. They include Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, Senator Bright Nwanne, Senator Chris Anyanwu, Bar Ken Njemanze, Bar Humphrey Anumudu, Hon Bethel Amadi, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, Bar Bethel Nzimako, Bar Charles Onyeagbako, Chief Oshieze Ehirim, Chief Jerry Chukwueke, Chief Kenneth Ojiri, Prof Jude Njoku, Chief Emma Ojinere among others.
However, Trumpeta learnt that despite the plethora f aspirants, the Presidency is not yet convinced that any of them could march the incumbent Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, and is therefore alleged to still be shopping for a “candidate that can win election and be trusted”
Our correspondent in Abuja reports that a veteran legal luminary of Imo extraction now on a National assignment at Abuja is being sounded out by some presidency agents, over drafting him into the Imo Governorship race.
Although sources told Trumpeta that the said lawyer is still considering the “ dangling carrot” as it was learnt that the cerebral politician has been “consulting”, because he is afraid of being “brought out and abandoned” by the powers that be, as he is learning from experience.
But the question many pundits have been asking is why taking Imo Governorship primaries to another state? But it was learnt that if what will make PDP regain Imo state in 2015 is to take its guber primaries to Enugu, it is a welcome development.
Another source said that since the development is for a transparent exercise that will produce all-accepted Guber candidate, let it be.
But how will the delegates get to Enugu? The party, it was learnt, would bear the burden, as allowing the aspirants to do that will cause suspicion and enable the aspirants influence the delegates.
“The PDP will bear the logistics. This 2014 Guber primaries will not be business as usual. The Aspirants will be shocked as their game-plans to influence the primaries will be dashed” a highly placed PDP technocrat told our reporter.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that since the total number of delegates will not be much they could easily be transported to any state within the South East.
However, Trumpeta was informed that many of the aspirants will be kicking against the exercise being taken outside Imo, insisting that no matter the plan being adopted by PDP and INEC, the primaries should hold on Imo soil.
