Orlu zone otherwise known as Imo West is one of the Senatorial zones that make up Imo state. Apart from having the greatest number of local governments than other zones in the state, it has unique attributes of producing elegant politicians and political playmakers. Orlu zone comprises Orlu, Orsu, Oru East, Oru West, Oguta, Ohaji/Egbema, Isu, Njaba Nwangele, Nkwerre, Ideato North and Ideato South LGAs. Of the ten federal constituencies Imo state can boast of, four are domiciled in Orlu zone.
Going down memory lane, the zone has produced scintillating senators in the past till in 2011, when Hope Uzodimma came on board after a dramatic challenge from his immediate predecessor, Osita Izunaso.
Izunaso, formerly of the PDP upgraded from the House of Reps to Senate in 2007 under PDP. The Oru West born federal lawmaker wanted a return ticket under PDP in 2011 but his interest clashed with that of Uzodimma from neighbouring Oru East. The race for who grabs the party’s ticket was interesting with intrigues and the unprecedented horse trading was not enough to settle the brouhaha raised by the party primaries. Even at the close of primaries and on the day of election, PDP faithful in Orlu zone were not aware who they voted for as the courtroom took charge of deciding between Uzodimma and Izunaso the authentic owner of the votes cast during the last National Assembly elections.
However, the apex court clearly differentiated Uzodimma from Izunaso as the undisputated candidate of PDP in 2011 election. Before then, there has been crisis of confidence in the hierarchy of the party in the state leading to discontent in some quarters. The resultant effect was that Izunaso who seems to have developed the knack not to be outside power and beyond the gate of the ruling class in the state dumped PDP for APGA moments after Rochas Okorocha won the May 6,2011 Supplementary Election. Izunaso instantly became one of the “big fish” to show solidarity and support to new governor. Subsequently, they migrated to APC from APGA where the former Orlu zone Senator continued his jackpot game by grabbing the National organizing secretary job of the newly-formed All Progressive Congress, APC.
Available checks on latest developments in Orlu zone politics indicate that Izunaso wants a return bout at the senate. Apart from informing close associates who are raising political platforms and campaign machinery to make his ambition a fait accompli, Izunaso is said to be using his vintage position as a national officer of the party to pull strings to his side. In apparent bid to ensure that APC shuns mediocre and parades the best in the next general election which would be the maiden litmus test for the party, the leader of APC in the state and governor, Okorocha, is said to be appearing indifferent to the desires of Izunaso as government apparatus and functionaries focused their attention in a notable philanthropist and billionaire businessman, Felix Idiga.
Idiga, it was reported had had initial romance with PDP, before hobnobbing with APC sympathizers. The between APC and, Idiga, otherwise known as JAFAC, romance, it was gathered was meant to give Izunaso tough challenge for the party’s ticket until the Amaifeke-Orlu born mega contractor retraced to PDP to intensify his senatorial ambition.
The action left Okorocha and his APC foot soldiers of Orlu zone in the lurch for fresh search for another challenger to Izunaso. Before now, a former House of Reps member who represented Isu, Nkwerre, Nwangele and Njaba federal constituency, Juliet Obasi-Akano, (Mrs), had been rumoured as a senatorial aspirant of the party. Despite entreaties and image dressing stunts she had done to identify with the Okorocha administration and market APC, Akano seems not to have gotten the overwhelming approval ovation to stand for the primaries against Izunaso. Believing that the former lawmaker also of PDP extraction between 2007 – 2011, may not match Izunaso, one Chigbu Gibson from Nkwerre is the rave of the moment among APC members in the zone.
Chigbu appears to be the latest joker to the ticket as notable government functionaries and egg heads in the party seem to be rooting for him as possible alternative to fielding Izunaso.
Before now, Izunaso has been criss-crossing the length and breath of Orlu zone using his old routes who may have joined him from PDP to APGA and later APC. Under the banner of the Kpakpando Foundation, Izunaso as an old war horse is not leaving any stone unturned in his quest to easily get the party ticket. A routine of political acolytes in APC have been drumming support for Izunaso using the Kpakpando Foundation forum, while the ex-senator has been oiling his desire from the national office. In the post ward, LGA and state congress canker worm that is still rocking the unity of APC in the state, Izunaso’s preferred candidates are said to be the ones officially recognized and authentic officers of the party at various levels against that of the state governor and his agents in Abuja office of the party. More so, his privileged position may not be overlooked even as he will definitely resign before running for the senatorial primaries.
However, Izunaso has an uphill task to overcome in the party before the deciding election. The former senator’s problem emanates from the home front where cold war is said to be brewing between him and his erstwhile ally and Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Donatus Ozoemena, a pharmacist. It is believed that one of the multiplier effects of the Izunaso/Okorocha partnership during the birth of Rescue Mission is the position of Deputy Speaker which Ozoemena merited as member representing Oru West Izunaso’s constituency in the state legislature. Unconfirmed reports have it that the former lawmaker’s surgical incursion into the governor may have earned him the position which Ozoemena gained. But the centre can no longer hold as new election is approaching with both parties nursing contradicting ambitions.
Because of divergent interest, a cold war now pervades between the two Oru West frontline APC stakeholders. Ozonemena has declared interest to run for Oru West, Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta federal constituency election under APC. By implication, two people from Oru West are gunning for the National Assembly tickets of APC which may be suicidal as the other LGAs and political blocks in the area may not fold their alms and allow Ozoemena and Izunaso cart away House of Reps and Senate tickets of APC respectively. This factor may have attracted discortant tunes in their camps and those holding allegiance to the Deputy Speaker in Oru West and entire Federal constituency are said to be opposed to Izunaso’s proposed return, hence their alignment to other candidates from other areas also aspiring for the senate position.
Beyond the home challenge, Izunaso is also suffering fresh acceptability difficulties at the local levels especially from Okorocha’s followers. The ghost of the dismal outing he recorded in 2011 is still haunting him.
The belief in APC quarters of Orlu zone is that he may not garner the needful to prosecute the Senator war against tough opposition considering that as an incumbent in 2011, he could not win the party primaries to a new comer who finally carried the day during his PDP days. Observes vividly recalled that while his main challenger, Uzodimma armed his coordinators with brand new (tear rubber) buses and required incentives, Izunaso’s coordinators managed with rickety vehicles that were unable to survive the pre-election movements. The impression created was that Izunaso failed to provide the needed moral booster against Uzodimma despite his status as a serving Senator. It was also discovered that the un-savoury recall saga he underwent in the hands of Orlu zone constituents piloted by some of his out-of favour comrades during his hey days in the Red Chamber also left a scar in the mental phyche of Imo West Senatorial APC members who may not want a sad reminder of that ill-fated democratic upheaval.
It will also appear magical for Izunaso to excel if emerging trends in Orlu zone arm of APC is anything to be reckoned with. The latest from the zone is that stakeholders of the Ideato federal constituency comprising Ideato North and Ideato South as well as the largest federal constituency in the country Isu, Njaba, Nkwerre and Nwangele have resolved to join forces to ensure the latter produces the APC senatorial candidate. This mutual agreement it was learnt has been communicated to the party’s leader in the state, governor Okorocha.
This agreement gives credence and backing to the separate ambitions of Akano and Chigbu. Both are from Isu, Nwangele, Nkwerre and Njaba Federal Constituency. The resolution of the two federal constituencies is for mutual benefit. While Isu, Njaba, Nkwerre and Nwangele federal constituency and Ideato Clan have been denied the chance to produce a Senator since Nigeria’s nascent democracy debuted in 1999 both want to partner to produce Senator and retain governorship positions in next year general election respectively. So far, no aspirant from Ideato has declared interest to run for senate of Orlu zone in 2015 in APC.
Akano has been awesome and one of the earliest who showed tremendous support to Okorocha government. To usher in her interest, Akano went on billboard maniac with the governor by placing her picture with that of Okorocha at strategic entry and exit points in Orlu zone. She has also gone further to operate as the governor’s female attack dog whenever tackles from the opposition fires against Rescue Mission government. Akano in attempting to curry the favour of the number one citizen of Imo has always responded whenever Okorocha’s female tormentor-in-chief, and Minister of state for Foreign Affairs, Prof Mrs. Viola Onwuliri hurls verbal missiles at the state government. The female ex-lawmaker is said to be relying on the supposed “eye-service” she has rendered so far to the governor and her gender status as weapon to gain the ticket of APC via Okorocha’s sympathy. As a former federal legislator, her political network during her stay in the House of Reps is also another remarkable advantage to garner massive support from the grassroots.
Akano’s suspected poor social carriage and unpleasant relationship with people at all strata may be her greatest albatross at grabbing APC senatorial ticket. Her financial muscle to prosecute a senatorial bid that cuts across 12 LGAs is also a suspect that is giving APC stakeholders cause to worry.
For Gibson Chigbu, a neophyte in politics, his strongest point is that of clean political history. Unlike other aspirants who may be burdened with image baggage and battling to clean stained past stamps, Chigbu is free and marketable. Said to be rich and loaded with monetary logistics if his financial involvement in multi million conglomerate is anything to go by, the Nkwerre-born businessman has become the most sought after Orlu zone APC aspirants. Already tongues are wagging that who-is-who in Okorocha government from the zone are already queuing behind the senatorial aspirant for allention. It was even noted that the need for Chigbu to throw in his hat into the ring for the APC ticket forced the likes of Okorocha’s inlaw and Commissioner for Land, Uche Nwosu to drop the Reps ambition he was rumoured to be nursing. Since Chigbu and Nwosu are from Nkwerre, it would not augur well for other LGAs to allow Nkwerre alone grab available tickets in the zone and federal constituency. Only recently, a newspaper report alleged that Chigbu shares affinity with a kingmaker in Okorocha government, Prof Tony Anwukah, who serves as the secretary to the state government (SSG).Anwukah who is from Oguta, in Orlu zone may go in a long way to pull the strings in the favour of Chigbu when the chips are down.
As a new arrival to the scene, Chigbu may also go through the necessary procedures of scaling hurdles before emerging victorious. Since money cannot get everything, Chigbu may throw away cash to political vampires who have opened their empty vault to milk him dry under the pretext of handing him APC ticket. Already political mongers have inserted their sucking pipes on the Nkwerre man acting as coordinators, facilitators and mobilisers. Except, he builds a perfect campaign platform on all frontiers to make his dream a reality, he could be on a wild goose chase and pay the supreme price of a political JJC in the slippery terrain of partisan politics that is characterized by deceit and under hand plays. Between now and when the hand of the clock reaches the time for primaries, Chigbu needs to cover grounds to garner the needed popularity to match an established Izunaso and Akano who are already ground and parading exiting war chest to battle opponents for the senate ticket.
This commentary for lack of space will end here for now until next week when I will enter into the PDP family where some fanciful gladiators are employing different modules to gain attention. From the incumbent, Hope Uzodimma who seems to be in a dilemma over his next political ambition to the main crusader for the Ideato Clan, ThankGod Ezeani, Orlu born business mogul Joseph Idiga, (JAFAC) the latest entrant, Eze Nwauwa representing the interest of Oil Producing areas of Imo, the coming race will definitely take the shape of 2011 primaries where a photo finish scenario was observed. God’s willing keep a date next week Thursday for the continuation of the series centering on the PDP arm of the aspirants.
