By Tunji Adedeji
Further details emerged on Saturday as to how the Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC , Imo chapter, Chief Marcellinus Nlemigbo lost his bid to return to the position and how the newly-elected Chairman of the party, Hon MacDonald Ebere as well as other members emerged last weekend. One of the highlight of the event was the disagreement among some of the leaders in Uzodinma’s camp of APC as the Chief of Staff to the governor, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie was reported to have had issues with the secretary to the state government, Chief Cosmos Iwu.
Trumpeta gathered that there are raging controversies over the real motives and the circumstances that may have warranted the removal of almost all members of the Imo APC State Working Committee.
In line with earlier predications carried in previous editions of this newspaper about the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma’s role in the composition of the new state exco, what played out at the weekend in the newly name Ndubuisi Kanu Square confirmed Trumpeta postulation.
It was obvious that Governor Uzodinma was behind the emergence of the new state exco under the chairmanship of MacDonald Ebere considering the composition made up mainly of the governor’s allies, even as complaints from the member of the camp are trailing the emergence of the new officials.
Signal that the former Caretaker Committee Chairman, Prince Nlemigbo won’t return manifested when the governor gave him a parting gift of brand new jeep and irresistible packages few days before the completion of his tenure.
Initially feelers were high that the sealed lips of Uzodinma before the state Congress was an indication that Nlemigbo and other members of the Exco would be allowed to continue.
Even as the hands of the clock tickled towards the state congress day, even the delegates and party officials were unsure of the identity of the contestants. Trumpeta was informed that all eyes were on Uzodinma till the congress day when the identity of the anointed candidates under the consensus arrangements was made public.
It was obvious that going by the identity of the new exco members and how they emerged, it was apparently clear the governor single handedly picked the Imo APC SWC without the contribution of party leaders apart from the position of the Publicity Secretary, Cajetan Duke who enjoys the support of many party leaders.
Trumpeta even noticed slight disagreement during the announcement of the names as one of the leaders was accused publicly of shortchanging names. The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Chief C.O.C Akaolisa was accused of allegedly masterminding the wrong names announced on the podium as the consensus candidate but the Orsu born politician was overhead saying it was from Nnamdi suspected to be Barr Nnamdi Anyaehie (the Chief of Staff to the Governor) the list announced came from.
This brief incident which occurred at the congress venue, Trumpeta was further informed may not be unconnected to the displeasure of a segment of the party leaders in Uzodinmma’s camp of APC over the manner the candidates for the state party exco emerged. Trumpeta learnt that members of Uzodinma’s Camp who got displace in the scheme of things murmured at the event that they were shortchanged.
Pained more were those from Okigwe zone who had expected the position of the chairmanship in the absence of Nlemigbo. It was learnt that when the zone was settling down to have it, the governor surprised them to go for Ebere.
The governor had at a leaders meeting before the state congress opted to have some slots before leaving the rest for the apex leaders to chose. The office of the chairman was the one among those left for the governor to chose.
Another issue causing trouble after the congress was the misplacement of names of those tipped against those not mentioned at the harmonization stage. It was learnt that the SGI, Chief Cosmas Iwu was reportedly aggrieved that few names for the Okigwe zone slot were not finally announced which pitched him against the Chief of Staff, Nnamdi Anyaehie. For instance it was said that the office of publicity secretary was for Okigwe zone meant for one Cajetan Anowey of Ihitte Uboma but Cajetan Duke of Ngor Okpala of Owerri Zone was called.
Trumpeta noticed those from Okigwe zone were in sad mood at the venue over these developments.
Our reporter also gathered that the names of those who won came few hours to the congress, adding that the delegates were not even aware of what transpired.
However, the Imo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, on Saturday swore in the newly-elected executives of the party in Owerri, the state capital.
The newly-elected Chairman of the party in the state, Hon MacDonald Ebere , who was the Environmental Transformation Commission, ENTRACO, General Manager, was sworn-in alongside other members of the state executives by Bar. COC Akolisa.
Akolisa, the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, administered the oath of office on the new executives at the Ndubuisi Kanu Square, Owerri.
Speaking in Owerri shortly after the inauguration of state party executives, Governor Hope Uzodinma promised to give the party executives needed support.
The governor, who described APC as the party to beat in Imo State, charged the party faithful to go out and reconcile all manners of people for APC.
According to him, “I will give you all the required support. I thank members of the party and urge the newly executives not to betray the conference and trust reposed on them.”
Ebere in his acceptance speech vowed to run an open door policy.
He said, “I will be the party Chairman for everybody and all the three senatorial zones in Imo State. I will also unite all working factions in the party.”
While announcing the results, Hon. Godwin Anaughe, the Chairman of Imo APC State Executive Committee Congress, said new party executives were elected for the state at the Congress by consensus.
He commended all delegates for their peaceful disposition before and during the process.
Those elected as SWC of Imo State APC were Macdonld Ebere -Chairman, Hon Mathew Omegara- Vice Chairman, Greg Madu- Secretary , Ikechukwu Ume – Org Sec, Ifeoma Ndukwu – Woman Leader, Cajethan Duke – Publicity Sec , Ijeoma Onyebuagwu- Welfare Sec, Peter Madu – Auditor, Samulson Emeribe – Physically Challenged.
All statutory delegates include serving and former national assembly members, former and serving members of the House of Assembly and others approved by the national body as delegates were present.
