By Okey Alozie
As the final list of those that are qualified to run for chairman of local government areas in Imo State in the fourth coming council polls organized by the state are being arranged it has been revealed that not less than 20 Transition Committee Chairmen and many political appointee have been screened out from the race by the Special Committee operating at the Imo APC secretariat located, IMSU, junction Okigwe road Owerri, Imo State.
The Transition Committee Chairman and some of the prominent personalities screened out from the primaries include, Hon Ben Nnaka former Transition Committee Chairman of Njaba LGA, Hon Akas, Transition Committee Chairman ISU, Ben Ilochionwu of Okigwe and an appointee, Hon Chinonye Iruno, and Chris Ekweme, for TC Chairman of Okigwe and presently the Special Adviser to the Governor on entertainment and other appointees of the Rescue Mission administration have their ambitions scuttled. Many names of front line Rescue Mission members were said to be omitted both at the ward and LGA levels.
Trumpeta however discovered that during the primaries conducted recently, so many things were turned upside down which eventually led to the conciliation of election at many local government areas. We learnt that when governor Okorocha noticed this development he ordered that the primaries should be re-runned at those places where names of rescue mission people were screened out unlawfully or erroneously omitted. It was discovered that some leaders of local government areas and party officials are refusing to obey Okorocha’s directives by insisting that the list of those the endorsed in the last primaries most hold instead of going back to the field for re-run as directed by Governor Rochas Okorocha in line with option A4.
An insider disclosed that Ugwumba Uche Nwosu and other government officials who intends to run election in 2019 are making moves to influence the leaders to insist that only those in Ugwumba Movement and “I believe in Uche Nwosu Group” that will be favoured in the primaries.
Those structure like Rochas Mandate, Rochas for Good Governance and other group loyal to Owelle Rochas Okorocha are said to not to be fully considered in this council primaries.
When contacted, the acting Imo APC party chairman, Hon Chris Oguoma said the re-run will take place in some local government areas including Isiala Mbano, Isu, Aboh Mbaise, Ezinihitte, Ihitteuboma and other places that had irregularities during the last primaries.
On the issue of omission of names of prominent members, Oguoma disclosed that no name was omitted in the list. He explained that many were screened out by the special committee and aggrieved aspirants were directed to go for appeal and appeal committee led by Hon Engr Chidi Ibe and Dr Mrs Angela Uwakwem who cleared four Aspirants to run. According to the acting chairman, the four people were ask by the appeal to go back and run the chairmanship primaries.
The re-run primaries is likely to take place this weekend in affected communities but accusing figures are being pointed at some officials of the state party secretariat for being involved in the alleged financial scam and other form of corruption.
