From Ejike Chinedu, Enugu
The issue of whether or not Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State will retain his seat in the douglas house come 2015 is a puzzle that is currently hanging in the balance and will remain there till the elections are won and lost.
This is based on the fact that Gov. Okorocha seems hell bent on taking a shot at the presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, even when the body language of the party leadership seems to point to have zoned the slot to the north.
Analysts say the main reason he dumped APGA, a party he rode on its back to the government house was the need of a credible platform to realize his ambition of being a President. However, the recent events around the Governor whom many critics say he is the most controversial governor in the country, suggest that he is serious but at same time, opponents say he is very unserious.
Feelers from Imo state suggest that the greatest fear for Gov. Okorocha is the likelihood of letting the governorship seat slip away from his hands while pursuing the presidential ticket that may end an elusive. HOMELAND NEWS was told by very reliable sources that do not want to be mentioned that the governor has begun moves to counter the fear.
According to our source, the governor secretly purchased governorship nomination form for his deputy governor, Eze Madumere who will literarily hang in there in wait for what will happen at the APC Presidential primaries.
In the event that Gov Okorocha fails to win the ticket, he will apply the provision for substitution of candidate as provided for by the electoral act and the constitution of the political party.
Our source went further to express the concern of a few people loyal to the governor.
“I am scared if Oga goes ahead with such plans. He may seem to trust any of these his boys but I tell you, power is one thing that everybody wants any time. If you remember, similar episode played out in the state in 2007 when Governor Achike planted Osita Izunaso to secure the Senatorial ticket while he took a shot at the presidency but before he realized what was happening, Izunaso held on to the ticket and eventually went ahead to win the election. I expect Oga to be thinking in that direction that nobody can be trusted in politics.”
A legal practitioner who was reacting to another rumour that the governor may have purchased the form for the governorship election at same time with the Presidential nomination said the governor may be toying with outright disqualification. Asked why the party itself did not stop him from purchasing both forms, he said the party is out to make money from sales of forms and will not interfere in such issues but will only wait to disqualify the candidate at the end if the candidate will not favour their permutations in that election.
While other presidential aspirants like Mohammadu Buhari, Atiku Abubakar, Ndah Isaiah, Rabiu kwankwaso and the newest entrant, Aminu Tambuwal have all bought their expression of interest forms, that of Gov. Okorocha is still enveloped in secrecy while he has embarked on what might be termed aimless gallivanting of the nooks and crannies of the country at the slightest of opportunities of events as he had toured Zaria, Kaduna, Abuja and in recent day, Enugu.
With just days left for the APC guber primaries, no one is yet sure about which way Gov. Okorocha is going. While some say his actions is a clear manifestation that he has read the handwriting on the wall which points to the fact that the PDP has put its house in order and are resolute in snatching the state which will deal a heavy blow to Okorocha’s political life and as such, he prefers to fly the Abuja kite and loose through the back door than being disgraced in his state as an incumbent.
