As the political parties perfect their last minute preparations for the forthcoming governorship election, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, reports that electorate in Imo State are afraid of possible violence arising from the complexities that have shaped the election campaigns
THE tension that has punctuated the political texture of Imo State, following the implosion of Governor Rochas Okorocha’s political family, has deepened since Tuesday’s assassination of Ifeanyi Ozoemema, the All Progressives Congress Ward Chairman of Logara/Umuohiagu, Ngor Okpala Council Area of the state.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that Ozoemema was shot few hours after he presided over a meeting of his party in the ward. The meeting, according to insiders was part of the party’s preparation for yesterdays rescheduled presidential and National Assembly polls.
The Vice Chairman of Logara Development Union, Chief Martin Opara, had told reporters, while confirming the incident that the community had been gripped by panic and mourning.
“This killing is strange to our community. Report said that he was shot several times in his house until he died. We have met with the Eze-in-Council and have sent a delegation to the DPO requesting that the killers should be arrested immediately.
“Logara community is known for peace and we won’t jeopardise it. The deceased just finished hosting a meeting of APC members in his ward, before gunmen operating in a jeep came and requested to see him. On sighting him, they shot him several times before they left.”
Coming at this time, sources said Ozoemema’s murder has reawakened the fear of some electorates and stakeholders that the crisis in Imo APC may further endanger the peace in the state during the forthcoming governorship election.
Following the inability of Governor Okorocha and the other leaders of APC in the state to resolve their differences over the party’s governorship candidate in this election, informed observers have expressed fear that except the security agencies take extra care to oversee elections in the state, especially the governorship election, the state may be thrown into chaos as the desperate candidates and their supporters may be tempted to reach out to each other’s throat.
It would be recalled that barely seven months earlier, at the peak of the leadership intrigues in the party, Chief Sunny Ejiagwu (Onaneze), the party’s Chairman in Ideato North Local Government Area, was also reportedly murdered in very worrisome circumstances. As would be expected, the news of his assassination caused panic in the state because he met his violent death shortly after he and 27 others were inaugurated as the party’s local government chairmen after the state APC rescheduled election as ordered by the court.
Even before the recent assassinations, The Nation had reported that in the entire Southeast geo-political zone,
Imo State, which is currently administered by an All Progressives Congress-led government, promises to be the hottest state to watch during the elections.
Insiders confided to us that this fear is primarily because the disintegration of the political family of the out-going governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, had created so much bad blood that it is feared today that the estranged members of the ruling party in the state, the APC, and some of their estranged members now in other parties may make room for the opposition parties as they are likely to see themselves as the primary political opponents in the contest. If this happens, as is being feared during the governorship and other state elections, it may be difficult to guarantee violent-free elections there.
We have reported earlier that the political tension in the state could be traced to the high level criticism against the leadership style of Okorocha almost all through his second term in office. This was worsened by the open disagreement of top members of his political family and other stakeholders within the political party over the result of the governorship primaries.
It would be recalled that the bone of contention was the choice of the governorship candidate, a disagreement that led to a major division between Okorocha and his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, who is today the running mate to APC’s governorship candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma. Okorocha had pushed for Uche Nwosu, his son-in-law, who also served as his Chief of Staff, as the party’s candidate, but APC national leadership finally chose Uzodinma with Madumere, as his running mate, a decision that Okorocha has continued to oppose openly.
Not only had Okorocha condemned the decision of his party’s leadership on the matter, he had continued to back Nwosu, who had since defected to Action Alliance (AA) where he hopes to actualise his ambition.
Since last December when President Muhammadu Buhari openly declared support for Uzodinma at a rally in Owerri, notwithstanding Okorocha’s disapproval, the complexities of Imo governorship election have become more obvious. This complexity was further emphasised by Okorocha and Nwosu’s AA supporters’ resolve to support Buhari in yesterday’s presidential election but to contest against APC’s candidates in the governorship election. Since Governor Okorocha remains a member of APC, observers wonder how his open support for AA candidate in the coming governorship election will ultimately affect the fortunes of both APC and AA and how it will impact on the polity?
“The situation is not just complex, we hope it is not an open invitation to chaos. The truth is that in Imo State today, there is confusion, especially among the members and supporters of APC. Some of us do not know who to believe as our known leaders in the state have parted ways and are telling us different things. It will be a miracle if in this circumstance; the forthcoming governorship election in Imo is violent-free. We are not only worried but afraid,” said Mrs. Nkechi Chikezie, a woman leader in Okigwe.
APC governorship candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has also expressed concern over the complexities that seem to define Imo governorship elections. Uzodinma, who spoke to journalists after the last women rally, said “The world has seen how the governor is working against APC in the state. I want to appeal to the leadership of our great party to look into the matter and take appropriate action. I cannot tell you whether his action is anti-party or not but you could see the response of our members when he made his comments. You people will judge. But I will only tell him that only God, and not him, can make me governor. And I will become governor because Imo people have spoken and God heard their cries. Rochas has only few months to leave Government House and whether he likes it or not, he will leave on May 29, 2019,” he said.
These concerns, according to Dr. Kingsley Uzoma, confirm the fear in the state today that the ruling party in the state, the APC, may have become the most endangered as a result of the disagreement of its leaders.
The Nation however reports that in the forthcoming governorship elections, APC is not the only party that is now under tension. The other leading parties have issues that have made the likely outcome of the elections rather difficult to predict. It would be recalled, for example, that the governorship candidates that would contest with APC’s Uzodinma, include the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha (PDP), Senator Ifeanyi Ararume (APGA), Honorable Tony Nwulu (UPP), Linus Okorie (YPP) and of course, Uche Nwosu of AA.
Backed by Okorocha, there is no doubt that Nwosu will be one of the major frontrunners in the governorship contest. Sources said his campaign was one of the most funded and intense but added that because of the circumstances that threw him up as a candidate, it is feared he may suffer some protest votes not necessarily intended against him as an individual but against the political forces that is desperate to crown him.
Commenting on the development, Dr. Vincent Nwahunanya said “the campaigns for this year’s elections in Imo were very tough and intriguing. Apart from the fact that all the parties have strong and rich backers, the emergence of AA and its candidate specially helped to spice up the campaigns. The situation was that Uche, the AA candidate, has enormous financial backing to embark on grassroots campaigns but the long drawn campaign against Okorocha’s plan to impose his son-in-law on Imo people may be the major challenge for the youthful politician. The fear is that most of the people, who would have voted for him ordinarily, may deny him of their votes as protest against the outgoing governor’s brand of politics,” he said.
Whatever is the case, our investigation shows that the fortunes of Uche and his party, AA, in the governorship election is of special interest to all informed observers of Imo State politics today. Most of the respondents who spoke to The Nation during the week also alleged that the fear that the governorship election may witness unnecessary violence can be traced to the explosive relationship between APC supporters and AA members.
Another source of concern, we gathered, is the fact that with the implosion in APC, it is yet to be determined which political party is in the majority in Imo State today. It would be noted that unlike Nwosu’s AA, which is a child of recent and intricate circumstances, the other major parties, like PDP and APGA have strong roots in Imo. In 2015, the state had to hold a supplementary election before the serving governor can claim victory.
Then, the result of the election was declared inconclusive. It was only after the supplementary election that Okorocha was returned re-elected, with Ihedioha of PDP coming second and Emmanuel Ihenacho of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) coming third .
Today, PDP is still strong but its opponents said it can no longer be described as being very strong in Imo as it was in 2015 because of Okorocha’s dominance in the politics of Imo during this period. Insiders said the only thing the PDP’s governorship candidate, former Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, will need to do to remain on top is to reach out to estranged members of the party in the state so as to have a more united house than APC.
Already, it is certain that Ihedioha, the PDP candidate, is enjoying support even from unexpected quarters because of the intricacies of this year’s elections in the state, including, but not limited to the quest to realise the Owerri zone’s demand on the governorship seat.
APGA is another political party with deep roots in Imo. The party’s governorship candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, is also another popular political leader in the state. But with the exit of many popular politicians who contested for APGA ticket, following the circumstances that threw up Araraume, observers are wondering if APGA can still be regarded as a strong contender in the elections?
Perhaps because of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim’s personal influence, and the agitation of the Okigwe Senatorial District to be allowed to complete its second term, his Accord Party has also become a frontline player.
With these complex sensibilities, deepened by the in-house fighting in the ruling APC, it can be seen that the forthcoming governorship race in Imo