By Okey Alozie
Barely 18 days to the commencement of the general election, things are said to have started turning up side down in Imo APC.
Apart from being in financial mess, the party is said to have lost so many political heavyweights to PDP after its primaries.
Last Friday, during the visit of the Nigerian first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, it was reported that over 2000 APC women decamped to PDP describing their former boss, Owelle Rochas Okorocha as “Mr know it all”.
Serious panic has gripped Okorocha and his group following the Carpet crossing of these key members of the rescue mission. Hon Mrs Collins Obi who led the decamped to the podium acknowledged cheers from members of the public.
The PDP women leader of Okigwe zone and former ALGON chairman Hon Mrs Ruby Emele while addressing Journalists at the venue said she masterminded the cross over adding that the new PDP converts are strong politicians who have a lot of things to offer. She maintained that before the election proper, the remaining APC women will collapse their structures into PDP.
Speaking further, the former TC chairman of Isiala Mbano hinted that Imo PDP is not relenting in it’s strive to win and take over Douglas.
Meanwhile, the mammoth crowd of women and youths that trooped out en mass to receive the first Lady of Nigeria is now causing serious panic in the state.
Governor Okorocha who has received the message of the mass turn out according to a source is now having sleepless nights and is planning to do anything possible to bring back those that left the party.
In other development the former Speaker Imo State Hon. of Assembly (IMHA) and PDP candidate for Ohaji/Egoema/Oguta/Oru west Federal constituency Rt. Hon. Goodluck Nana Opiah and Ohaji/Egaema State Constituency candidate, Emma Orie have stormed Awarra Autonomous Community in the LGA for ward rally, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) members numbering 200 have declared and defected to PDP to support the party achieve victory. The rally was held at Awarra Central School last Saturday as fear griped opposition parties over the massive turn-up.
The decampees led by the former APGA Chairman of Ohaji/Egbema LGA Chukwuma Isoma who explained himself as among major founders of APGA in the council, who worked tirelessly toward the achievement of Okorocha as governor under APGA platform, stressed that governor Okorocha of Imo disappointed him and APGA entirely.
He disclosed that Chief Martin Agbaso was the last hope of APGA in Imo State but was maneuvered by imposed leaders of the party and that Agbaso decamped to PDP left instruction that they should all join him but they still stayed in APGA under Okey Eze faction till date that Ihenacho has personalized APGA ideology.
According to the spokesman of the community Boniface Ojeoru who on behalf of the good people of Awarra lamented and frowned over non-existence of town union in Okorocha’s administration which he noted continued to cause conflict in the area.
Ojeoru described Awarra as PDP doorstep and assured supports for Opiah for House of Rep. and Orie for IMHA seat as he charged the m never to dump Awarra people as several Govts have done.
The people of Awarra demanded for construction of Awarra Egbeda road, Awarra Ikwerede road, Awarra Umuokani road also beseeched more oil companies that will join in residing in the area for development and jobs opportunity, enjoined Opiah to create appointment slots for their sons and daughters especially those PDP loyalists if elected to enable them benefit from state government dividend of democracy.
The people said Awarra Community is beyond one INEC ward and urged him to assist them achieve more INEC wards, they begged for fertilizer as agriculture based area. The women of the area complained of lack of hospital in the community describing health centres in the community as dead as they lacked equipments, nurse and professionals on health matters adding that such constantly result to untimely death of their people.
The youths of the community registered their insecurity challenges to Rt. Hon. Opiah, demanded for the construction of more buildings to their primary and their only secondary school also disclosed that the entire schools in the area are lacking teachers.
They begged Opiah to reinstall his youth empowerment spirit especially through amnesty programme to enable alleviate poverty and joblessness among the youths. Responding Rt. Hon. Goodluck Nana Opiah specially saluted the PDP victory mission of the former councilor of the community Hon. Chidi Igwe, the Awarra/Ikwerede ward chairman Kenneth Ekwueme and Vitalis Nwulu for their constant and harmonized team for the betterment of PDP in the constituency.
Rt. Hon. Goodluck Nana Opiah hinted that APC mission is creation of troubles in all PDP strong base like Awarra, as he strengthen them to withstand on PDP favourable ideology for voting president Jonathan, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha for governor and him for by Federal Constituency.
The Ohaji/Egbema born politician who opened up that the administration of Ihedioha and him have budgeted for youths empowerment programme and creation of jobs in the state, promised to counter electricity joke of Okorocha against the good people of the. LGA by electrifying the entire council and also promised to restore the glory of ISOPADEC which he described as dead under Okorocha Govt.
