Signals from the end of the APC stakeholders in Imo State indicate that there is no end in sight to the troubles bedeviling the party as fresh crisis is underway.
The end of the National Convention in Abuja has not seen the APC in Imo coming out from months of intra party skirmishes ravaging it since the congresses commenced.
Various statements from the stakeholders, otherwise known as the coalition or Allied Forces indicate that more troubles are in the offing as both the Allied Forces and camp of Owelle Rochas Okorocha continue to tango for the soul of the party.
A statement by the coalition made public states that;
“After due reflections on the recently concluded APC National convention, and after due consultations with stake holders particularly from the South East, we decided to share with party faithfuls and indeed all progressive Nigerians the ugly experiences at, and exceptions to what would have been a well organized National Convention of our great party, APC.
You may recall that Distinguished Senator Osita Izunaso, erstwhile National Organizing Secretary of APC was an aspirant for re-election at the just concluded National Convention. You may also recall that for many months preceding the convention, the Governor of Imo State, HE, Anayo Rochas Okorocha never hid his objection to Senator Izunaso’s re-election for personal reasons. He openly canvassed his determination to ensure that Senator Izunaso was not returned because, as he has openly admitted, the Senator had consistently failed to do his bidding of hoisting his son-in-law as the next governor of Imo State. Consequently, Governor Okorocha has openly deployed himself and humongous resources of Imo State to ensure that this would be realized.
“Fully aware of this, we, as law abiding, disciplined and committed members of the party, but believing in the sanctity of the typical electoral tradition of a truly progressive APC, had hinged our confidence on a transparent process. But the outcome of the process with regards to the office of the National Organising Secretary shamefully betrays a conspiracy between Governors Badaru, the Convention Chairman and Rochas Okorocha of Imo State. We opine that Governor Badaru was compromised by his brother Governor, Rochas Okorocha as can be clearly demonstrated in the following presentation.
As you may be aware, Governor Badaru, the Convention Chairman announced Barrister Emma Ibediro winner of National Organising Secretary with a total of 1,749 (One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty Nine) votes while allotting to Senator Osita Izunaso, a total of 1,459 (One Thousand Four Hundred and Fifty Nine) votes only. By these figures the difference therefore between these two aspirants is 290 (Two Hundred and Ninety) votes only. However, it is important to draw your critical attention to the ugly fact that these announced figures were collated from only 30 states and FCT, Abuja as against the 36 States and the FCT, Abuja that were duly accredited and present for the convention. The following States’ votes were willfully excluded from the announced collated results as follows: state accredited delegates, Akwa Ibom 217, Anambra 161, Abia 152, Adamawa 208, Imo 226, Jigawa 282, Total 1246.
“For Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Adamawa states the ballot box containing votes for National Organizing Secretary after due conclusions of the casting of votes were brazenly destroyed in the full glare of the press, security men, returning officers and delegates by thugs and security men who accompanied the Governor of Imo State to the affected pavilion. In the case of Imo State Governor Badaru unequivocally demonstrated his bias, compromise and prejudice against the candidacy of Senator Osita Izunaso and his unhidden support for the sponsored candidate of his brother Governor, Rochas Okorocha. Imo State 226 duly accredited and seated delegates were willfully and skillfully excluded from voting by the convention chairman, Governor Badaru. May I emphasize that this is Senator Izunaso’s home, catchment state.
“The Imo State delegates were duly screened at the Old Parade ground by (Mrs.) Ireti Kingibe along with many other states as duly and officially announced by the convention committee. After our screening and in accordance with the convention guidelines the Imo delegates were accordingly transported with designated buses to the convention venue and thereafter escorted to the Imo Pavilion. It is therefore to the shock of the Imo delegates and the south East in general that Governor Badaru after so much prevarications announced that himself, Rochas Okorocha and the endorsed South East aspirant, Senator Osita Izunaso had reached a consensus that for peace to reign the Imo delegates would not be voting. We quickly contacted Senator Izunaso who vehemently denied ever having a discussion with Governor Baduru talk more of reaching a consensus that will deny his own obvious supporter-state delegates from voting for him. All efforts to make Governor Baduru rescind the announcement proved abortive as he cleverly and artfully evaded all efforts to engage him in any further conversation to expose his lies. Once again, for the records, at no point did Senator Izunaso or any of his agents had such an agreement whether oral or written to disenfranchise Imo accredited delegates!
“In the case of Jigawa State, the Convention Chairman’s own state, the ballot papers for the office of the National Organizing Secretary was curiously missing! Yes Jigawa State – the home state of Governor Badaru!
There is no doubt why Governors Baduru and Okorocha targeted these states for exclusion from collated votes before announcing the results. Anambra, Imo and Abia States are part of the South East zone that endorsed Senator Izunaso unequivocally and were seen to have accordingly voted for him overwhelmingly. In the case of Akwa Ibom and Adamawa states, exit polls indicated also that they voted overwhelmingly for Senator Izunaso. Intelligence information reveals that the ballot papers for Jigawa for the National Organizing Secretary had been pre-marked (pre-thumb printed) but could not be stuffed at last minute as planned because of a failure of their strategy. What a shame!
The statement signed by TOE Ekechi, Mazi Okey Ikoro and Barr Kingsley Ononuju on behalf of the Imo APC stakeholders further states that:
“From the above presentations it is obvious that the National Convention Chairman, HE, Governor Badaru clearly compromised in the discharge of his duty at least with respect to the election of National Organizing Secretary goaded and guided by his friend, Governor Rochas Okorocha. This act is a terrifying disservice to the image of a progressive party which, since its birth strives to be a pace setter in transparency and due process. This rape of democracy, master minded by two sitting Governors of the party is scandalous and therefore condemnable. The redress must be affected to restore the dignity and integrity of our great party, APC.
For fairness, equity, justice, and peace and in line with the tenets of both the APC and Federal constitutions, the 1,246 votes of the affected states must count towards the declaration of the election result”.
Meanwhile, Immediate past Special Adviser to Governor Rochas Okorocha on Trade and Investment, Barrister Rex Anunobi, has described those, criticizing him over his petition against the declaration of Barrister Emma Ibediro as dully elected into the office of the national organizing secretary (NOS) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the just concluded national convention, as fixated, narrow minded and lacking in the proper grasp of issues . Barrister, Anunobi, popularly known as Sokom, had in his petition to the APC national convention appeal panel on Tuesday prayed it to “nullify the declaration and inauguration of Barrister Emma Ibediro as the winner of the election into the office of the national organizing secretary of the party” becomes “the election was inconclusive and a winner ought not to emerge”.
Citing the prevention of 226 accredited delegates from Imo state from voting and the non inclusion of votes from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa and Anambra States, Anunobi argued that since the number of delegates from the six states totaled 1246, the inclusion of their votes would have affected the outcome of the election because the difference between the votes garnered by the declared winner (Ibediro) and the first runner-up, Senator Osita Izunaso was 290 votes.
However some critics have raised the issue of lack of locus standi on the part of the petitioner on the grounds that he had earlier withdrawn from the election before it started. Imo State Commissioner for Information, Nnamdi Obarieri, had in statement in Owerri yesterday averred that “having voluntarily withdrawn his candidature, in the eyes of the law, Sokom reverted to his status as an ordinary APC member, lacking requisite locus standi to present an appeal against the outcome of the election since he is no longer a candidate “.
In a similar vein, another pro Okorocha politician in the state, Hon Nnanna Igbokwe, member representing Ahiazu-Ezinihitte federal constituency in the House of Representatives, said in a statement also yesterday that the petition will be of no effect because the national convention committee which set up the appeal panel has ceased to exist because it was dissolved immediately after the convention. According to the law maker, it will take another national convention for the report of the appeal panel to be looked into. But on the issue of locus standi Barrister Anunobi insists that his petition is in order. He said: ” I did not withdraw in a vacuum .I withdraw in order to ensure that the first runner-up, Senator Osita Izunaso, emerged. In the full view of television cameras, I directed all the delegates that would have voted for me to vote for him instead. In other words, i was still an interested party and as such, the prevention of the accredited delegates from Imo state from voting and the non inclusion of votes from the five other states, which included those where I have strong support, rendered the support ineffective thereby causing great damage to my interest and that of my numerous followers “.
On the claim that the petition will be of no effect because the national convention committee was purportedly dissolved, Anunobi said,” there is no such thing”, adding, “why then was the appeal panel set up in the first place?”
He added that the party itself had anticipated that disputes will arise from the convention hence the need for an appeal panel “Honestly, such a statement is an insinuation the party leadership deliberately set out to deceive members. There is no such thing .The claim by the honourable member is quite unfortunate”, said Anunobi
