By Okey Alozie
The new dawn in Imo State chapter of APC where Senator Hope Uzodinma is the party’s flagbearer for the governorship contest has opened a new vista in leadership status thereby arrogating the Orlu zone lawmaker a new designation in the political firmament.
Recall that the NWC of the party submitted Uzodinma’s name as governorship candidate for the 2019 election. The action has thrown the followers of Governor Rochas Okorocha off balance forcing them to make a vote face of their support to the governor.
Trumpeta learnt that the inability of the governor’s son inlaw, Chief Uche Nwosu picking APC ticket for next year’s election has started taking its tool on the side of the Okorocha, who is fast losing some of his followers.
The instant rise of Uzodinma into another political stardom is predicated on his new position as the APC governorship candidate and undoubtedly the person entrusted with the fortune of the party.
Our reporter gathered that moments after Uzodinma was declared the candidate, some erstwhile allies of the governor were reportedly spotted at his Abuja home gate attempting to gain entrance while others were said to be making phone contacts and using other subtle means to get into the camp Hope political structure.
A particular politician from Owerri, (name withheld) with notoriety for jumping ship easily and perching with any person in power was spotted with a lawmaker of the Imo State House of Assembly seeking audience with Uzodinma.
The presence of the politician and lawmaker who before now were major backers to Okorocha almost caused a stir in Uzodinma’s camp members who spotted them at the Senators’ Abuja home.
A source informed our reporter that others from Okorocha faction are applying similar pattern to reach out to the Senator for possible inclusion into the camp Hope team.
Information revealed that uncertainty has continued to becloud the Rescue Mission camp in Abuja as the lawmakers who were formerly supporting Okorocha’s son inlaw (Ugwumba Uche Nwosu) to become governor of Imo State have now change their mind to join Senator Hope Uzodinma group.
From all indication, the lawmakers who were endorsed by the governor were unable to get the APC ticket and for that reason the ignored the governor and his son inlaw and remained in Abuja to fight for themselves even when the governor directed that they should return home to create awareness and convince people of the state that Uche Nwosu won the Imo APC guber ticket.
The aggrieved lawmakers were said to have stayed back in Abuja and refused to come back to Imo State for the meetings that governor Okorocha arranged secretly to hold with core rescue mission group, instead of coming back, they allegedly snacked into Uzodinma’s camp to reportedly beg for ticket.
Uzodinma who is now expected to be back home today to celebrate his guber ticket with his supporters has promised to receive all the rescue mission decampees including the House of Assembly members. Trumpeta was told that because he is the governorship candidate, the NWC allowed Uzodinma to be incharge of the majority House of Assembly candidates leaving Okorocha with only 9 slots out of the 27 chances.
Okorocha’s followers as we observed are now very few. The remaining rescue mission members who spoke to our reporter disclosed that they have resolved to join Uche Nwosu in his plan to switch over to another party.
