By Onyekachi Eze
It is no longer a hallucination that strong allies of the former two-time governor of Imo State, who is now in the red chambers representing Imo West at the Senate, Rochas Okorocha, have dumped APC for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, rather the new expectation is the suspected defection of some APC lawmakers close to Okorocha.
In preparation for the forthcoming 2023 general elections, loyalists of Okorocha who got the mandate to represent their respective Federal Constituencies at the House of Representatives in 2019 have embarked on search for a better political space after the ill fate that befell their fortune in APC.
Apart from Deacon Chike Okafor representing Obowo/Ehime Mbano/ Ihitte Uboma, who left Okorocha’s camp for Governor Hope Uzodimma’s 3R.
Government, his colleague; Honorables Paschal Obi (Ideato Reps) has made a quick move to the PDP. Based on earlier permutations and stories carried by this newspaper that other lawmakers loyal to Okorocha are on their way to PDP, the party is expecting other House of Reps members of APC like Honourables Ugonna Ozuruigbo OZB (Nkwerre, Isu, Nwangele, Njaba) and Kingsley Uju (Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, Oru West) and other lawmakers in the state House of Assembly.
Already, member for Nkwerre in Imo House, Prince Obinna Okwara had joined PDP from APC, he is also Okorocha’s loyalist.
Recall that during the Okorocha’s Rescue Mission Government (2011-2019), Chike Okafor held plum position of the Commissioner for finance, while Obi, Uju, and OZB occupied the Principal Secretary, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, and Deputy Speaker Imo House of Assembly, respectively.
Following a video clip obtained by Trumpeta Newspaper recently, Obi was seen addressing a cross section of PDP members in his Ideato residence.
He also made his intentions to go for a second tenure under the umbrella party.
Having officially dumped the APC, all eyes are now on Uju, OZB, and others who may follow suit in no distant time.
It could be also recalled that during the welcome back party organized by the Imo State chapter of the PDP in honor of the National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Samdaddy), OZB was absent, but fully represented by his fan group.
Youths who wore branded polos with OZB’s inscription on it were given a special position at the arena, which was considered a pointer to the next political movement of the former Nwangele born Deputy Speaker.
For Uju, same story could be traced to him, considering his closeness to the former first citizen of Imo, and with a burning desires for a second term.
This newspaper authoritatively gathered that the trio of Obi, Uju and OZB had secretly purchased the PDP expression and nomination of interest forms for 2023.
Their public declaration into PDP may not exceed this month of April, so as to meet up with the party’s primaries, in line with the INEC’s election guidelines to political parties.
Not only the aforementioned, other die-hard fans of Okorocha with different ambitions have dumped APC for PDP, while others have already purchased the House of Assembly forms under the new party.
Although their principal who is gunning for the number one seat in Nigeria, Okorocha, is still with APC as his political vehicle, that is not same with his followers, who have made an early exit from the broom party.
However, reason for their rejection of APC may not be divorced from the internal leadership wrangling rocking the party in the State, especially with the displacement of their factional chairman, Dan Nwafor, who up till date is still in Court for recognition.
