One of the states in Nigeria the outcome of the just concluded Edo State Governorship election has effects on its political hemisphere undoubtably can be said to be Imo.
Even as Imo is not part of the South South geo political zone where Edo State founds herself in the map of the country, ripples associated with the victory of Godwin Obaseki of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP are making resounding sounds and impact in the Eastern Heartland, as Imo state is fondly called.
The consequences arising from the exercise is the resurrection of the deep rooted rivalry plaguing the state chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC. It is a known fact that schismatic developments have ravaged the party in Imo State leading to the creation of two major factors consciously battling for the soul of the party.
It is imperative to state that a faction of the APC in Imo State is considerably elated that their party lost the recent election in Edo. Reason is not far-fetched, as the roots of the depredation in the party can be traced to 2018 during the build up to the 2019 election.
APC in Imo State was firmly under the control of the former governor, Rochas Okorocha, when he held sway in Government House, Owerri, using his Rescue Mission political family to reign above all other party members. There was no doubt that the party’s structures from the ward to the LGA and state levels were products of the former governor until the primaries to produce flag bearers for the 2019 elections commenced. The immediate past chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole wasn’t disposed to allowing Okorocha have his way in all the elective positions including that of his successor he wanted his Chief of Staff and son in-law, Uche Nwosu to be. Opposition against the emergence of his son in-law as the party’s candidate led to the creation of a rival camp in Imo APC known as the Coalition.
At the end of the contest, the Coalition succeeded in snatching from Okorocha and his followers, the governorship ticket in the person of Hope Uzodinma, courtesy of Oshiomole, who told the former governor of Imo that he would not help him build “a political empire of his family” in the state.
In place of Okorocha’s preferred candidate, Hope Uzodinma emerged candidate of the APC in one of the most pronounced governorship primaries history recorders should document as an outstanding political exercise in Imo. That was the beginning of anti Oshiomole stance by the pro Okorocha elements and Rescue Mission die hards. By rejecting Uzodinma as the APC candidate before the 2019 elections, Oshiomole further punished the Okorocha camp of APC through the sack of the Daniel Nwafor led state executive and replaced them with a Caretaker Committee under Marcon Nlemigbo.
The Okorocha arm of APC hasn’t failed to show deep resentment against Oshiomole for making a mincemeat of their political future and continued stay in the party. It wasn’t surprising to see the Rescue Missionaries as the Okorocha’s sympathizers are addressed express joy over the defeat of APC in the Edo Guber.
Before the September 19 contest in Edo, key players of the Rescue Mission faction of APC in Imo, in apparent bid to have Oshiomole disgraced, overtly drummed support for Godwin Obaseki, a former member of the party who left for the PDP, without fear of anti party labels.
Okorocha who had been mute for a while concerning affairs of the party, moments after APC lost the contest opened up to indicate that nothing is left of the party again except that President Muhhamad Buhari is their member. An assessment of the Okorocha’s interview to newsmen shows a different body language that welcomed the Edo defeat against his party.
The factional chairman of the party in Imo, Nwafor wasn’t also left out. His post in the social media getting wide readership suggest that his arm of the party members welcomed the Edo failure. Nwafor in the post was quoted to have said thus;
“God has used Godwin Obaseki to humble and disgrace Adams Oshiomhole and his paymasters. Congratulations to Edo people for resisting Godfatherism”
Other Rescue Missionaries in their handles expressed happiness for the result.
It is evidently clear anti Oshiomole elements are strong in the state chapter.
The outcome of the Edo governorship election has also incensed other parties in Imo to express confidence about the forthcoming Imo North Senatorial elections if allowed to go on without interference will produce the actual winner. Ahead the elections, predictions had tilted victory to the APC side not because it is the ruling party but its ability to deploy “federal might” and resources to prosecute the polls against others. Therefore, it wasn’t surprising that in contrast to the few numbers who competed for the primaries of other parties, APC had not less than nine aspirants that struggled for its single ticket. The earlier impression was that anyone who procured the APC ticket for the senate contest is within spitting distance to the hallowed Red Chambers of the Upper Legislative Assembly in, Abuja. But the way PDP routed APC despite the famed “Federal Might” has started changing permutations about the shape the Okigwe Zone as Imo North Zone is known, will take, during the October 31, 2020 contest.
Very remarkable effect the Edo polls has created is the diminishing effects of godfatherism. It was believed that the APC candidate, Osagie Ize Iyamu is Oshiomhole’s stooge and the decision not to vote him was an excellent rejection of godfatherism. In the coming Okigwe election, there are claims that the holder of the controversial APC primary election ticket, Frank Ibezim came on board through the back up of a particular godfather from the zone holding elevated position at the federal level. Even as the contest is a month ahead, campaigners have started crusading against godfatherism in the Zone. A group of protesters from Okigwe zone showing solidarity for Ifeanyi Araraume of the APC who stormed Government House, Owerri and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, office on Tuesday had alleged that Ibezim is a product of godfatherism people of the six LGAs should reject.
Again, the outcome has raised consciousness in Government House, Owerri where Uzodinma presides. The air pervading the scene is that no election is a walk over and everyone should brace up for greater challenges. On return, the governor is said to be changing gear to bring Imolites to his side through purposal leadership.
Uzodinma was the APC second in command chief campaigner for Ize-Iyamu In last Saturday’s election. The name of the Imo State Governor rang bell in Edo state. It was believed that Uzodinma would produce a specially talisman alongside the governor of Kano state, Ganduje who is the campaign chairman, to deliver the APC candidate. The inability of the Imo governor to confirm this prowess has somehow changed narratives about his political prowess in the state.
