Except there are desperate tactics to keep his men and women together, allies of Governor Hope Uzodinmma maybe on their way out to join forces with Senator Samdaddy Anyanwu, the new national secretary of the PDP in his party.
Uzodinma is at the verge of losing some of his followers to other camps if developments in the governor’s end are anything to go by.
After the euphoria that greeted his coming into power on January 14, 2020, which saw many politicians from different divides join him in the ruling APC, Trumpeta can reveal that the ovation is gradually slowing down with many of Uzodinma’s followers retracing their steps back to former bases based on old party and political inclination.
As next general election is approaching, this newspaper has it on good authority that the national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Sam Daddy Anyanwu has also tactically moved in to poach from the Uzodinma political family.
It was learnt that Sam Daddy Anyanwu who is winning large followership from outside the PDP is still in search of a strong support base to enrich his bargaining power in the umbrella party ahead next general election. Based on this, he is reported to have started moving into the enclave of politicians who left the PDP to join Uzodinma in APC two years ago.
Only a week ago, Sam Daddy was spotted at the Abuja home of a die-hard Uzodinma supporter, Dr Fabian Ihekweme. Ihekweme, popularly known as Omu joined Uzodinma moments SamDaddy lost out from the PDP governorship contest of 2019 election.
Apart from joining Uzodinma’s camp, Ihekweme decamped to APC from PDP having been part of the SamDaddy’s governorship campaign train in the run up to the 2019 election.
When Uzodinma came into power in 2020, Ihekweme was among those rewarded with position of commissioner as he became the pioneer commissioner for foreign affairs in Imo State.
Though, Ihekweme is yet to officially speak on the outcome of the Samdaddy visit, but it is believed that his accepting to play host to the PDP scribe are strong indications he may soon dump Uzodinma and his APC party.
Trumpeta observed that unlike in the past Ihekweme took to the social media to canvas support for Uzodinma and his 3R government, the former commissioner may have severed relationship with the incumbent governor of the state to quit from such public act
Trumpeta learnt that many other Uzodinma followers shall also move out from APC to join PDP for the sake of SamDaddy.
Already the fate of the former PDP chairman, Chief Charles Babatunde Ezekweme is unknown as he is no longer within the radar of Uzodinma’s APC at the moment. Few weeks after Supreme Court handed Uzodinma Imo State Governorship, Ezekwem, who was incharge of PDP when Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha was elected governor in 2019 dumped the umbrella party for APC. But the emergence of SamDaddy as national scribe of the party has given rise to a change of heart in the part of Ezekwem who is said to be considering a volte face about his continued stay with Uzodinma’s APC.
Ezekwem is also said to be among the Uzodinma’s ally that would likely return to PDP going by Samdaddy Anyanwu’s overtures.
Trumpeta was also informed that another of Uzodinma’s men and founder of Hopism; Evangelist Mike Ikoku of All Season Hotels fame has already retraced steps back to PDP courtesy of SamDaddy Anyanwu.
Ikoku, who was part of the SamDaddy governorship campaign in 2019, couldn’t wait for long to declare return to PDP after the former Owerri zone Senator emerged scribe of the party after the national convention in Abuja.
Exclusive reports gathered that the PDP scribe has also made considerable inroads into the camp of Uzodinma and in the next few months majority of those approached would quietly leave the APC to join PDP.
This newspaper was further informed that some office holders in Uzodinma’s government who are uncomfortable with the manner of governance in the state are also making subtle moves to leave the 3R government to join SamDaddy rejig PDP ahead the 2023 election.
