As the celebration of the Governorship seat won by the All Progressives Congress APC in Imo State hots up, an implosion is about to hit the party, following the news that three names of inlaws of the incumbent Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha were among the names submitted to Abuja for consideration for ministerial slot of Imo state. They are Prof Tony Anwuka, Chief Chuks Ololo and Chief Uche Nwosu.
According to sources, there is an uproar within the Imo APC as members have vowed to resist any attempt by Governor Okorocha to ignore the party in whatever he is doing again as he (the Governor) has discovered from the elections that he alone would not have made his second term success if not for the doggedness of members of APC across the state.
Trumpeta learnt that members of APC believe that it will not be business as usual for the Governor to carry on in his dealings without putting APC hierarchy in Imo state in confidence.
APC members are said to have rejected the names of Anwuka, Ololo and Nwosu. They argued that there are a legion of other qualified Imo citizens who can be nominated as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The APC followers maintained that Okorocha should consider others in his second-coming as Governor because his immediate family and Associates were major beneficiaries in his administration in the last four years.
“Owelle should throw his net wider in Imo state this time around, and fish out qualified Imo people. His family has benefited enough. Let him try others who have risked their lives and businesses to serve him” A top APC member told Trumpeta.
Prof Tony Anwuka is presently the Secretary to Imo State Government, SSG, and was nominated as a member of the National Presidential Transition Committee which is organizing the Presidential hand- over of power from PDP to APC on may 29,2015.
Anwuka’s son is married to one of Governor Rochas Okorocha’s daughters. Chief Chuks Ololo was a Transition Committee Chairman, and later Sole Administrator of Owerri North LGA, from the inception of Okorocha’s administration, until recently.
Ololo was until March 28, 2015, the APC House of Representatives candidate for Owerri Federal Constituency. He is married to the Governor’s younger sister.
Chief Uche Nwosu is the Commissioner for Lands, Imo State, and a strong pillar of the Okorocha Administration. He is married to Okorocha’s first daughter.
However, a source from APC told Trumpeta that the party was still savouring its victory in the various elections in the state, adding that the party has not sat down yet to decide on the list of ministerial nominees for Imo state, pointing out that even if the Governor submits the names of three people mentioned, there was nothing wrong with that as they are qualified to hold such position, but added that the Governor has not submitted any names yet.
Meanwhile, most of Imolites who spoke to Trumpeta said that Prof Tony Anwuka is fit to be a Minister for his age, experience and education qualification, but they frowned at the names of Uche Nwosu, and Chuks Ololo, describing them as political neophytes whose only qualification is that they have a Governor as an In-law.
“Uche is too young, and Ololo does not even merit a mention for such a position when Imo state is brimming with seasoned Technocrats” Trumpeta was told.
