The victory of Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, is likely going to change narratives of coming events in the political landscape of Imo State.
Anyanwu, otherwise known as Samdaddy in political parlance was last weekend elected national secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP after the party’s convention.
The former member of upper legislative chamber of the national assembly after getting overwhelming endorsement of the party leaders and governors earlier before the national convention, was elected unopposed by the delegates.
Trumpeta however observed that the outcome is shaking the political family of the governor of Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodinma who is of the APC.
Recall that Samdaddy ran for the governorship primaries of the PDP in Imo State in 2018 ahead the 2019 general election where he lost to the Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha. At the end of the primaries, this newspaper noticed that many of his die hard supporters who didn’t fancy the victory of Ihedioha as the flag bearer shunned the party ahead the governorship election.
Many of them quickly pitched tent with the APC governorship candidate, Uzodinma, who later emerged the governor after the Supreme Court final judgment. At the end of Ihedioha’s stay in office on January 14, 2020, after the Supreme Court judgment, some of the remaining Samdaddy supporters in PDP dumped the party to join Uzodinma’s APC fueling speculations that the Senator who represented Owerri Zone 2015-2019 was on his way to the ruling party.
The emergence of Samdaddy has opened a new vista for his backers as some of his allies who left PDP are reported to be retracing steps back to the umbrella party.
This newspaper’s investigation also discovered that most of those who left PDP to Uzodinma’s Camp of APC except for very few have remained outsiders in the 3R government and not considered in the scheme of things in the party, hence the new development has offered them a chance to return and get accommodated again in the PDP.
Sources close to those who left PDP for APC reveal that they are not only regretting the move but also considering a return to the party because of the national office Samdaddy now occupies in the PDP.
The source further revealed that with the strong return of Samdaddy and national office position, they may be handed soft landing to re-integrate into the PDP easily.
Already reports reaching the newspaper has it that Samdaddy’s DG during the governorship trip three years, a prominent businessman in Imo State, Evangelist Mike Ikoku is already heading back. At the emergence of Uzodinma, Ikoku, the owner of AllSeason Hotels formed Hopism after joining APC. Midway into the tenure of Uzodinma and following new position of Samdaddy, the erstwhile pro Imo APC politician is on his way back to APC. He was spotted on Sunday night at the venue of the victory party for the senator who represented Owerri Zone few years ago.
Top among those said to be in this category is the former party chairman who prosecuted the 2019 election, Chief Charles Babatunde Ezekwem.
It was learnt that Ezekwem had challenges with Ihedioha after the 2018 primaries because suspicion was rife that he had sympathy for Samdaddy. Trumpeta was even informed that but for the position of Heartland FC Chairman handed over to him, Ezekwem would have operated without a portfolio. It wasn’t suprising that moments after Ihedioha was removed, Ezekwem was one of the early decampees who left PDP for APC.
With the new turn of events in APC where Ezekwem not only got kicked out from Heartland FC Chairman job by a commissioner of sports in Uzodinmma’s government, he is yet to get any meaningful position and ignored during the party congress. It was also learnt that Ezekwem has backed out from the Uzodinma structure of APC as he was alleged to have been in sympathy to an opposing camp to the governor’s group of the party during the primaries for the Okigwe Zone bye election.
Further details have it that the emergence of Samdaddy may likely attract Ezekwem back to PDP due to old ties.
This newspaper was unable to reach a former Commissioner in the Uzodinma administration, Dr Fabian Ihekweme. Ihekweme from Obowo LGA was an associate of Samdaddy during the Imo governorship project of 2018 but drifted to Uzodinma’s arm of APC after the primaries. He was appointed a Commissioner but sacked alongside others during cabinet dissolution six months ago.
Indications are high that, Omu, as Ihekweme is fondly called may be plotting to rejoin Samdaddy as he has appeared to be too quiet in recent times. In the past, Ihekweme had drummed support for the Uzodinma government but recently slow paced suggesting he may have done so to reconsider reconnecting with the new PDP national secretary.
Not left out among those within the speculation bracket for possible return to PDP is a prominent politician of Mbaise extraction, Chief Chrisogonus Okoro. Okoro is an associate of Samdaddy and likely to dump APC for PDP in the wake of the new position of the former member who represented Ikeduru State Constituency.
There are insinuations that other political friends of Samdaddy like Hon Peter Orji and Barr Willy Amadi May crawl back to him in PDP. Amadi has already bagged and appointment with the Uzodinma government.
Orji from Okigwe Zone was one of political heavyweights who were behind Samdaddy in the 2018 race.
