Ihedioha Puts Imo On Hold

By Ebere Levi

Behind the facade of normality in Imo’s political firmament is the feeling of uncertainty, apprehension and total disorientation, the magazine can authoritatively report.

But why this state of affair?

The magazine has been told that Emeka Ihedioha, who was on January 14, ousted by the Supreme Court as the state governor, and installed Senator Hope Uzodinma in his stead, is the reason political cross-pollination is in limbo in the state.

Nobody wants to be caught on the wrong side of the divide

The reason earth-shaking defections, particularly from the PDP to the APC are not yet happening in the state, impeccable sources informed this magazine, is because Imo politicians are anxiously waiting for the final stanza in the Ihedioha- Uzodinma governorship tango.

“Nobody wants to be caught on the wrong side of the divide by the time the Supreme Court carries out a review of its own judgement ousting Ihedioha from power.

“I think it’s better to either sit on the fence for now or adopt the “sidon look” approach on the issue, a PDP chieftain who confided that he was about to defect to the APC but was held back by Ihedioha’s appeal for review of the Apex court judgement said.

Emeka is still keeping me in PDP

Another party chieftain also confessed he was waiting to see what becomes of Ihedioha’s appeal for judgement review before making a final decision about his political future. “I tell you this, Emeka (Ihedioha) is the person still keeping me in PDP. Emeka’s insistence on getting the apex court to review its own judgement removing him from office casts a pall of uncertainty in Imo’s political arena”, he said.

We are unsure of our next move

Though Imo has gone back to the All Progressives Congress, APC,  following its guber candidate in the March 2019 election, Senator Uzodinma’s Supreme court victory, the party is not yet sure of itself.

Many party stalwarts, this magazine was told, who were waiting in the wings to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had the apex court judgement favoured Ihedioha are unsure of their next move.

“Most of these are some prominent party chieftains who lost out in the fight for the soul of the party between former Governor Rochas Okorocha and the allied forces led by Senator Uzodinma in the run up to the governorship primary in 2018.

Unfortunately, they did not also find accommodation in the Hope group after the party structures had been successfully wrestled from Rochas”, a party insider told The Source (thesourceng.com)

No Commissioners for now:

Multiple Government House and Imo APC sources informed this magazine that the pending Supreme court judgement review is majorly at the heart of why His Excellency, Governor Uzodinma is yet to send a list of Commissioner-nominees to the state House of Assembly. “Don’t expect Commissioners for now. I think the governor wants to cross the last hurdle which is the review of the Supreme court judgement that brought him to office before nominating Commissioners”, one of the sources stressed.

However, the magazine also learnt from a source close to the governor that he is not in a haste to appoint Commissioners as he is still consulting critical APC stakeholders in the state.

“His Excellency has made critical appointments necessary for the smooth take off of his government and to oil the wheel of governance. Commissioners and other positions will follow after due consultations with party stakeholders. Don’t forget that  within the party, there are diverse interests and there is the need for a proper balancing act”, he said.

AA, APGA return to original family:

So far, major defections to the APC in the state, especially among the federal and state lawmakers,  involve AA and APGA members who were originally APC members.

An APC chief puts it in perspective:

“What you have been witnessing  is akin to a child who, out of anger, following some family disputes, decided to adopt a new family name but later reverted to his original family name after the disputes have been resolved.

Senator Ifeanyi Araraume’s APGA, and Uche Nwosu’s AA, all have their DNA in APC.

If Araraume or Nwosu had won the governorship  election on the banner of APGA and AA respectively, they would have eventually moved back to the APC with their supporters, so the defections are like going back to one’s root”