The Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has made it clear in many fora that he would not be participating in the 2019 election as a candidate for any position, be it for Senate or Presidency.
Although many people doubt it, saying that Okorocha will contest a position in 2019 to keep his political profile rising.
But a source close to the Governor revealed that truly, the Ogboko, Ideato South LGA born politician will not contest, because he does not want any distraction on the important project the Governor has for 2019.
According to the source, the major problem occupying Okorocha’s time and energy now is to produce a successor, who according to him, will continue the good work he started in Imo State.
Trumpeta was told that should Okorocha get involved in pursuing his own personal political ambition in 2019, after having lead Imo State for Eight (8) years, he may lose the important matter of producing his successor.
This Newspaper was told that the issue of who succeeds Okorocha in 2019, is like a matter of life and death to the incumbent Governor, who sees the only way to sustain his legacy is to foist a successor on Imo State in 2019, which is more important to him than vying for Orlu Senate Seat.
The impeccable source said that Okorocha had about two years ago made up his mind on who to leave behind as successor, but only bidding for the appropriate time to make the disclosure, which will be next month.
The source hinted that Okorocha will do everything possible to plant his son inlaw, Chief Uche Nwosu, as his successor, but have been weighing the options as it affects various factors in Imo political rotations.
It was learnt that one of the factors facing Okorocha over the Uche Nwosu saga is that he is also from Orlu zone like him, which has dogged the Governor since, and has been plotting how such an idea can fly among Imo electorate, even when he gets the Governorship ticket for Uche Nwosu.
Another major hurdle facing Okorocha on the Uche Nwosu matter is that he is his father inlaw, which makes it seem like he is handing over power to another member of his family, just after leading Imo for eight years.
But the source assured Trumpeta that within weeks, Okorocha will make the Uche Nwosu option public and dare the electoral consequences.
However, the Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Imo State, Hon Nze Emeana said that Okorocha is not seeking for a successor to continue from where he stopped, because there is nothing to continue from, but instead fighting to install a stooge who will cover his tracks, because Okorocha has bleeded Imo State dry.
Nze Emeana maintained that Okorocha will do everything to plant Uche Nwosu as his successor, but such will not succeed, because Imo electorate know better than have another Okorocha after 2019, in the person of his son inlaw.
Chief Uche Nwachukwu, a motor spare part dealer told Trumpeta that Okorocha is not planning for Uche Nwosu to succeed, saying that if so, the Governor could not have embarked in such anti people policies like the demolition of markets and ban of Keke at this crucial time.
“Let me tell you. Some of the things Okorocha is doing are good. But he hardly had patient to allow them mature. How can you sack traders at the middle of December when they do Christmas sales, even when the new sites are not ready? Who will vote for Okorocha’s successor? Is it these Traders and Keke Drivers he have used and dumped at this hard time that will vote for his candidate? Chief Nwachukwu asked Trumpeta.
