EXPOSED: The Secret Moves of Imo PDP Guber Aspirants To Win Primaries

Despite the fact that primaries to nominate a PDP candidate for the Imo Governorship election is months away, This blog has uncovered the secret maneuverings of some desperate  PDP governorship aspirants in Imo State to secure the party’s guber ticket at all cost for next year’s governorship election.

Such maneuverings is coming on the heels of the insistence of the party’s national chairman, Adamu Muazu that all aspirants seeking elective office in the PDP must undergo primaries to get the party’s nomination.

But with allegations that the presidency twisted the Ekiti State governorship primaries to favour former Governor Ayo fayose to emerge the PDP governorship candidate for next month’s governorship election in that State, Imo governorship aspirants in the PDP are now in a rat race to the  curry favour of those in the presidency and the party's leadership  to get the party’s ticket. They are relying on their real or imaginary contacts with the high and mighty and those who have the ears of President Jonathan and the leadership of the PDP.

A source told this blog “What we are seeing in Abuja from these aspirants is a blackmail game with each of the aspirants relying on real or imaginary allegiance to any of the top shots who walk along the corridors of power to get the party’s nomination. They delude themselves that either the wife of the president or an associate of Mr. President can influence the process for them”

It was learnt that one of the top contenders for the guber ticket in the State is relying on his exalted position in the country and the fact that he has “atoned” for his rebellious act when he and his principal defied the orders of the party on who gets what in the Federal legislature.

The aspirant recently took pains to deny before the powers that be in Abuja that he was fraternizing with APC legislators in the House of Representatives and still enjoys rosy political romance with his mentor, a political big fish from Adamawa State who decamped from the PDP to the APC. 

Another aspirant is also alleged to be relying on the connection with the First Lady who is an influential person in the administration. 

Those not so connected to the presidency have resorted to wooing those close to the national party chairman and have gone as far as buying expensive gifts for those who can talk to the party leadership to do their bidding.

A report also has it that one of the aspirants has been telling anyone who cares to listen that  Imo PDP governorship ticket is solely for him as there is a secret pact between himself and an influential member of the party who is very close to the first family. The pact though shrouded in secrecy is that he will be handed over the party’s flag on a platter of gold as compensation for the injustice meted to him by the party in 2006.

Another aspirant who has not declared to contest who hails from Orlu Zone is also busy trying to convince the party leadership in Abuja that he is the one with the nerve and political stamina to displace Governor Rochas Okorocha from power in 2015.

He was quoted to have told a top notch of the party in Abuja thus “ You know Rochas is a street man, only a street and rugged PDP candidate will displace him in Imo State in 2015”

However, a source party said the party in the State will not be cajoled to accept a candidate that emerges from the blues but rather one that is chosen by millions of PDP members in the State through free, fair and credible primaries.