The seeming rosy relationship between President Goodluck Jonathan and immediate past Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, is said to be sending jitters down the spine of the camp of Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Feelers from Government House, Owerri, indicate that uneasy calm and palpable fear have overtaken the camp of the state Governor following the recent attention his predecessor is gaining in the presidency.
It would be recalled that Ohakim was among other serving Governors and high profile dignitaries on Jonathan’s recent visit to USA, where the President met with Barrack Obama and later addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The fresh Ohakim-Jonathan romance is coming weeks after the former Governor’s wife, Chioma and other lieutenants of the Governor were appointed Chairmen and Members of federal boards and parasatals.
Apart from the PDP solidarity, the renewed relationship between Jonathan and Ohakim is viewed from different angles by Okorocha Camp, taking into consideration the yet to be decided court case challenging the authenticity of the May 6, 2011 Supplementary Election that brought Okorocha into power. Since the matter which Ohakim and Ararume want to explore to unseat Okorocha would resume this month, Okorocha’s followers are not comfortable with the attention Ohakim is receiving in Aso Rock.
In view of the ferocity of verbal attacks Okorocha and his aides have constantly launched against Jonathan’s administration since the Imo State Governor joined the APC train, there is fear that the outcome of the pending matter could be an opportunity for the PDP to recapture Imo State it lost to Okorocha under APGA platform.
A source who preferred anonymity told Trumpeta that key aides of the Governor are losing sleep over the pronounced partnership between the Presidency and Ohakim, adding that stringent measures are on the way to counter any threat to be posed by this romance. “Those in Government House cannot pretend to be unaware of the new romance Jonathan is having with Ohakim. Some contacts have been made in Abuja to counter any move targeted at our Governor”, the source added.
