By Thompson Agu, in Abuja
The unity of purpose which was the strength of the group of APC stakeholders, nick-named “Allied Forces” that stood against the desire of the Imo State governor to control the party structure during the last congress has started waning if latest developments from the Abuja National Secretariat of the party in Abuja are anything to go by.
Trumpeta recalls that before the APC congresses conducted in May this year, top members opposed to Okorocha’s dominance of party proceeding gathered under a coalition known as the “Allied Forces” to resist any attempt to take away the party structure from them.
The Allied Forces consisting of the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, National Organising Secretary of APC, Senator Osita Izunaso, other Senators like Ifeanyi Araraume and Ben Uwajumogu, BOT member, Jasper Azuatatlam, Dr TOE Ekechi and former SSG, Jude Ejiogu, applied several tactics to outwit the governor, who ended up going to court for redemption when it dawned on him that he had lost out.
Our correspondent monitoring situation in Abuja observed that schisms has crept into the new found political alliance following discovery that the earlier agreement on sharing of office and LGAs allocated to the major playmakers could not be sustained after all.
In line with Thursday’s publication of Trumpeta, where the newspaper reeled out who got what in the 27 LGAs, it was gathered that the Councils were distributed accordingly to respective big wigs who provided logistics to battle Okorocha. But latest discoveries by party chieftains of APC indicate that either a different list was finally submitted or the ones earlier used for the ward congress have been “doctored” by a suspected official among the Allied Forces.
Further information has it that few of the G16 LGA party chairmen and their support group made up of ward officials, it was earlier agreed would be accommodated for their support, lost out as their names were missing.
However, latest report has it that apart from some of the G16 chairmen and ward officials, not making the final list that may have been accepted and going to be used for the National Convention, top notchers of the Coalition who had their favourites in the list of ward LGA Excos were also said to have been removed and replaced with other names too.
Grapevine sources within the party secretariat further revealed that worst hit is the Senator for Orlu zone, Hope Uzodinma, who joined APC recently. Trumpeta has it on good authority that the fair skin Senator managed to have few areas and LGAs allocated to him while another top shot from the zone secured many slots. A source has it that Uzodinma is banking on the support of the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to gain more grounds in the final list. Assurances from the party chairman is said to be keeping the flame of Uzodinma alive in APC.
Also three of the G16 party chairmen are said not to be on the final list of the APC LGA officials. How they lost their positions could not be ascertained before press time but there were indications that a top national officer privy to the list may have been involved in the changes.
This newspaper, however learnt that accusing fingers are pointing towards the side of the National Organizing Secretary, Izunaso, because of his key position and involvement in the whole arrangement. Though, no official statement or reaction could be obtained from him over the matter, more challenges are coming from APC members from the state who are said to be interested in the position he is occupying.
