Irrespective of Governor Rochas Okorocha’s fervent effort to ensure that his son inlaw and Chief of Staff, Chief Uche Nwosu becomes his successor in Government House, in 2019, majority of his followers have started thinking otherwise by rooting for another member of the political family, Hon Chike Okafor.
Okorocha has no hidden his desire to ensure Nwosu, married to his first daughter becomes the next governor of Imo State. The governor’s followers, under the Rescue Mission have also toed the step by backing the aspiration of the Chief of Staff to the governor.
But recent events, in the Imo State APC, especially the outcome of the ward, LGA and State Congresses have started reshaping the mindset of the Rescue missionaries who attribute the misfortune of the congress to the governor’s preference of his son inlaw as the only worthy successor among his followers.
Trumpeta learnt that most of those in Okorocha’s camp who want an elective post in 2019 are worried that the choice of Nwosu may not only spell doom but strongly diminish the chances of the group getting into the mainstream of APC politics both at the state and federal level.
Against this backdrop, some group of persons in the Rescue Mission are clamouring for change of heart on the part of Okorocha by reconsidering another aspirant like Chike Okafor, a member of House of Rep to be supported for governorship in place of Nwosu.
The clamour for Okafor is fast gaining ground in the political family as Rescue Missionaries claim that Nwosu has become a hard sell to the people of the state who may not support Okorocha handing over to his son in-law.
A top APC chieftain who is part of the Rescue Mission, but does not want his name in print said, that a group within the Okorocha fold is canvassing for Nwosu’s replacement with Okafor to relaunch the desire of Okorocha having his choice successor in Government House.
The source offered “that is the thinking in our camp now. We have discovered Ugwumba Uche Nwosu will be a hard sell to the people irrespective of party platform. Even if he gets the ticket, it will be difficult for our APC members to vote for him because he is the governor’s son inlaw”.
Continuing, the source, who incidentally is an appointee of the governor, further disclosed that the “change Chike Okafor for Uche Nwosu” clamour is gaining support from Rescue Missionaries and the governor has been intimated about it. “Yes, the governor is aware; some of us have tactically let him know of the need to reconsider Nwosu. We think Okafor can be a better replacement while Ugwumba can still come up as deputy.
After all, the Okigwe South Reps member has worked with Okorocha as commissioner. It is part of the Rescue Mission and with Nwosu as Deputy; the desire of Okorocha shall be realized”.
Already, notable Okorocha supporters have gone in the social media to draw support for the Okafor matter. One of them, a popular Facebook operator, Odogwu Deca has been promoting Chike Okafor. The operator who has been thinking along the Ugwumba Movement of Uche Nwosu, until recently diverted into Okafor, alongside others who think a lot in the direction.
Meanwhile, the Reps member may be in trouble for alleged sabotage against Okorocha group. The suspicion almost led to fisticuff between him and the Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly Rt Hon Ugonna Ozuruigbo in Abuja.
It was learnt that when the Okorocha group came out from the meeting, an aggrieved Ozuruigbo burning over the dismal outing of his group after other lawmakers were locked out, reportedly charged at Okafor for not rising up to make any comment in favour of the governor at the meeting.
Trumpeta was informed that Okafor’s silence was misconstrued to be incriminating on the part of the pro Okorocha team. The Deputy Speaker was said to have expressed serious misgivings over Okafor’s attitude at the meeting before others waded in to stop further confrontation.
