Even as the whistle has not yet been blown to commence activities leading to who will be the Chief Executive of Imo State government come 2019, a frosty relationship is gradually brewing among the gladiators expected to succeed incumbent, Goernor Owelle Rochas Okorocha, in All Progressive Congress, APC fold.
By 2019, Okorocha would have completed two tenures ruling him out from further contest in the governorship race. Automatically, another protégé of the Rescue Mission Group, the political umbrella of the governor, is expected to take over and maintain the post-Okorocha hegemony in Government House, Owerri.
The quest for this inevitable succession has however instituted cold war among two frontline political office holders in Okorocha’s government believed to be favoured with the necessary trappings to steer the ship of the state after Okorocha.
Trumpeta gathered from top Government House sources that supremacy war is tearing apart the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, and Chief of Staff to the governor, Uche Nwosu, who are unshaken loyalists of Okorocha. The seeming cold war which has appeared in public glare especially to close allies of the governor is centred on who should succeed the number one citizen of the state come 2015.
This newspaper learnt that the wide gulf between the second in command and Okorocha’s inlaw is caused by power tussle over certain prerogative functions in Government House as well as official functions of government. Despite Madumere’s position as number two after Okorocha, Nwosu is said to be exercising over-bearing influence in government circle thereby over shadowing the Deputy Governor in certain official functions.
Imo APC stakeholders and Okrocha’s political family are said to have expressed that the early rivalry and desire for exclusive state functions may not b e unconnected to the quest for who succeeds Okorocha in 2019. The action of the governor who partially asked his reliable son-in-law, to keep in his custody, the APC governorship flag for Imo State after he lost the presidential race battle of the party was a signal that Nwosu may emerge his successor against expectations that it would have been any of his Owerri zone die-hard followers like Madumere and the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Chief Jude Ejiogu.
However, the recent rousing honour extended to Madumere by people of Owerri zone is said to have not only heightened tension but sent shivers down the spine of the likes of Nwosu and his sympathizers who nurse the hope that the Nkwerre-born fast rising politician will govern Imo after his father-in-law’s eight years reign.
The acceptance Madumere received across party lines and support from the people of Owerri and beyond during the event held a fortnight ago was said to have resuscitated the rivalry in Government House.
Trumpeta learnt that the degree of the animosity has increased with the unperturbed Deputy Governor tactfully shut out from certain Government activities.
Part of the overwhelming influence Nwosu is showcasing is the new Mecca his office and houses have turned to for political office seekers who want appointments in the yet to be constituted Okorocha Exco. Trumpeta was told that alleged forces working for the Chief of staff are also working surreptitiously to undermine the relevance of the number two citizen in the state. It was even learnt that a group under the aegis Ugwumba movement, a pro Uche Nwosu campaign outfit having been alarmed by what Owerri zone group displayed for Madumere recently, is planning to work underground for the political progress of Nwosu ahead 2019 election. The group is said to be working in strong alliance with another top appointee from Owerri zone as partners for the governorship project.
Their project is to have Nwosu as guber candidate, while the Owerri zone man, an emerging idol in Okorocha’s government will run as Deputy.
Madumere’s Owerri zone background is said to be causing sleepless nights to those advocating for Nwosu. It is believed that after doing eight years, Okorocha would as matter of equity, fair play and justice back Owerri zone, who he promised in 2011 to hand over, to produce the governor, he general believe that Madumere who has the governor’s ear and enjoys cosy relationship with APC chieftains in the state, will easily step into Okorocha’s shoes is said to have made them change tactics on diminishing the Deputy Governor’s rising profile and acceptance across Imolites.
Madumere’s growing influence, according to inside sources in Government House is said to be hinged on his Owerri zone background, rich political pedigree and unassumining loyalists of Okorocha having served as his Chief of staff for several years before both entered Douglas House, the seat of power in Owerri in 2011.
It was however gathered that Nwosu’s lack of political experience having only bounced into political limelight as the governor’s inlaw with associated influences, power and cash flow, made APC stakeholders in the state to look towards Madumere. More so, the Chief of Staff’s Orlu background ruled him out in favour of Madumere, who is from Owerri zone, ahead political calculation for 2019 election.
Even, yesterday at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, where the Prince Eze Madumere athletics championship 2015 rolled off, any person that is somebody in Imo APC came to fraternize with the Deputy Governor except the Chief of Staff, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu. Political observers say absence his spoke volumes as regards the believed sour relationship between the two political gladiators.
