Even as the state congress of the All Progressive Congress, APC, has not been held, it is not in doubt that going by the ward and LGA congresses organized earlier, Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma won’t get obstacles before getting another ticket of the party to run for second tenure.
The APC started congresses to elect new party officials since two months before it shifted the state congress that would have been held next weekend.
Trumpeta can disclose that going by what transpired, the ground has been well prepared for Uzodimma to have a smooth sail to picking the APC ticket again for next general election.
Apparently aware of the duties of party officials and roles during primaries to pick candidates for elections, this newspaper has it on a very authority that those who emerged as ward officers were the products of strong allies of the governor.
Sources in the party further disclosed that in the absence of the participation of other bigwigs in the party like Senators Ifeanyi Araraume and Rochas Okorocha, who have their faction that didn’t partake in the Congress, Uzodinma’s sympathizers emerged unchallenged.
Similarly, apart from having the structure that produced the LGA party officials, Trumpeta noticed that some offices of the party in the 27 LGAs were exclusively reserved for him to produce during the congress that was held two week ago.
Reports by our reporters who monitored the Congress proceedings noticed that about six positions said to be substantial office occupiers were left for the governor to produce. To avoid further internal schisms and rancour that have been rocking the party because of the Congress, Uzodinma was said to have called a leadership meeting among his followers on ways to observe a peaceful congress. It was learnt at the meeting that senior agents of the governor directed leaders of the various to meet before the congress for harmonization where interest of all should be protected in the production of the officials.
Of the 27-man LGA exco list, the party leaders in each LGA were asked to harmonize and produce only 21 persons leaving 6 out for Government House, Owerri to provide.
Trumpeta however learnt that the six the leaders of the LGAs were asked to hands off included the Chairman, Secretary, Youth Leader, Woman Leader, Organizing Secretary and Treasurer. While nominations for the 21 persons the leaders in each LGA agreed and harmonized were taken to Government House, Owerri, the remaining six which were filled in by the agents of the governor.
This newspaper further gathered that with the structure of the wards in his kitty and getting that of the vital six LGA offices including position of the chairman producing the officials for the State chapter of the party in October will be a fait accompli.
With all the structures of the party controlled by him, Uzodinma is likely not to have a challenge against a second term ticket next election.
