By Onyekachi Eze
This cannot be the best of the moment for aspirants having the backing of Owelle Rochas Okorocha to aspire for elective positions in 2019 through APC as a burden on their head is affecting their urge to continue the election process.
Authoritative sources in the camp of Rescue Mission revealed that part of the outcome of a crucial meeting of the group was the mandate given to all the chosen aspirants of Team Okorocha to produce a number of vehicles for campaign purposes.
Trumpeta was informed that the highlight of the meeting was the order handed to House of Assembly members to produce 10 vehicles, Reps 34 and Senatorial aspirants for other zones other than that of Orlu zone, 64, vehicles each.
It was also learnt that for any House of Assembly member in the camp of the governor who does not have the financial capacity to produce the 10 vehicles, any serving commissioner in the cabinet of Okorocha was allegedly asked to assist in the provision.
The directive which is said to be an in-house affair of the Rescue Mission faction of APC has not gone down well with the aspirants who are not only lamenting over the cost implications of providing the vehicles but also disturbed about the short notice given to them for the provision.
In view of the cost for the purchase of the vehicles, some of the aspirants with low financial capacity were said to have frowned faces in rejection, while others scared about the unpredictable nature of the coming party primaries wondered why the mandate for the provision came when time for the primaries are few days ahead.
The Rescue Missionaries suspected foul play that it was an indirect means for them to bear the campaign consequences and expences of the adopted governorship candidate, of the faction, Uche Nwosu and that of Okorocha, who is running for Senator of Orlu zone.
Details about the provision of the vehicles have it that the aspirants would brand it with the picture of Okorocha, Nwosu and that of the doner.
It was also gathered that after the aspirants donate the branded bus, Okorocha will take over and disburse the buses to party stalwarts.
It was also scooped that the big shots among the aspirants loaded with cash, like the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Ugonna Ozuruigbo, former Principal Secretary to Okorocha, Dr Paschal Obi and the immediate past Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Kingsley Uju are reported to be ready with the vehicles waiting for official handover to the Okorocha.
The fear among the Okorocha allies seeking election is that the mandate to provide the vehicles is another testing weapon for the governor to know those truly with him and backing Nwosu governorship bid as well as use it to weed off aspirants without the financial muscle to prosecute the primaries and the election proper.
Most of the aspirants who Trumpeta correspondent met outside the meeting venue wore forlon looks and expressed sadness over the task.
