Dr. Ikedi Ohakim’s top aide when he was the Governor of Imo state, Hon. Chikwem Onuoha is said to have joined the camp of the incumbent Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
Impeccable sources told this Newspaper that Hon Onuoha was allegedly sighted at the Government House, Owerri last Saturday, emerging from a vehicle belonging to a top member of the Imo House of Assembly, and the time was around 12.30 am.
Onuoha, the PDP House of Representative candidate for Okigwe North Federal Constituency in the 2011 election was said to have begged the Governor to forgive and forget whatever he may have done to him in the past, saying that it was all politics.
Why Onuoha decided to join Okorocha and abandon his town’s man and mentor Ohakim has remained a mystery to many political observers in Imo politics.
Onuoha was the closest politician and aide to Ikedi Ohakim throughout his four years in office as Governor. Hon Onuoha was the Senior Special Assistance, Special Duties, before he was later made the Deputy Chief of Staff till the end of Ohakim’s administration even as they have known each other and related well for years before Ohakim became Governor.
Through Ohakim influence, Chikwem Onuoha was given the ticket to run for Okigwe Federal Constituency under PDP, where he contested and lost to Hon Matthew Omegara of ACN.
Recently, Ohakim nominated Chikwem’s uncle, Chief Eddy Onuoha as Ambassador Nominee, who has since been cleared and posted to Hungary.
Pundits are wondering what may have led Onuoha to toe the present path. Unconfirmed sources said Chikwem is angry with Ohakim over his failure to win the House of Representative election, as he was alleged to have said that Ohakim left him to his fate during the election.
However, sources questioned Chikwem why he should blame Ikedi Ohakim for his failures, when the same Ohakim was busy battling to retain his office.
“Chikwem Onuoha is an ingrate. He should rather than thank Ikedi Ohakim for his life as it was Ohakim that lifted him out of poverty. Who was Chikwem before 1999?” A source asked Imo Trumpeta.
It was learnt that Chikwem was managing his life in Lagos until Ohakim invited him and some other Isiala Mbano people to “come chop”.
And among these people, Chikwem was the most beneficiary as he became Ohakim’s close confident and man Friday and was on Ohakim’s side, whether in Nigeria or abroad for the four years he was in power as Governor.
Ohakim’s kinsmen who have joined the present Government to fight “their brother” include Chief Tony Black Nduka and Sankod Okoro.
However, Imo Trumpeta was told that the problem Ohakim has with his kinsmen was that he appointed unprofessional and jobless people into political positions, instead of professionals and they thought the goodies will last forever.
The source went on to say that all the professionals in the Ohakim Government have all found their ways after the administration was voted out. While those who have no meaningful means of income are making themselves available as political jobbers.
Meanwhile, all our calls on Hon Chikwem’s phone were not picked. But one of his aides told Imo Trumpeta that although his boss visited Imo Government House, he did not go there to beg anybody, since he did not commit any offence that requires begging. The aide also said his boss remains a member of PDP and as a free Nigerian has the right to Freedom of Association.
“Chikwem remains a member of PDP and respects his fundamental rights to Freedom of speech and Association and therefore knows his rights and cannot be intimidated” Chikwem’s aide told Imo Trumpeta.
