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| IHEDIOHA |
Some political stakeholders in Orlu Zone told this blog recently that Orlu Zone is not comfortable with an Mbaise candidature for some reasons. This appears to be the consensus among key leaders in Orlu, a position they will unveil before the PDP Guber primaries.
However, a leader in Orlu zone and a former local Government Chairman who pleaded anonymity confirmed that there is a silent opposition by key Orlu stakeholders against an Mbaise person emerging the PDP candidate for the 2015 Imo guber.
He pointed out that if an Mbaise eventually pick the ticket, two options will be explored by the zone. According to him, one of such options is to either support Governor Rochas Okorocha of the APC for a second term or back another candidate of Owerri zone extraction in APGA or any other political party that is “politically attractive” to the people of Imo State.
He added that the clannish brand of politicking of Mbaise people is sufficient reason why they will not give an Mbaise candidate the necessary backing. According to him, there are several other reasons why Orlu zone will support Mbaise candidature which will not be disclosed until the political tempo in the State hots up.
He said “We are totally in support of the agitation for Owerri Zone to produce the next Governor of the State. Infact, it is overdue but if an Mbaise candidate gets the PDP governorship ticket, we will back off. We cannot trust any of them. We have had political relationship in the past and they defaulted. So, if Owerri Zone is serious, let them go home, sit together and give us a candidate certainly not from Mbaiseland”
He refused to say which of the political agreements Mbaise political leaders defaulted with Orlu Zone.
In sharp response to this, a leader in Ahiazu Mbaise and Chairman, Mbaise Political Initiative, one of the numerous pro Mbaise groups backing the Mbaise governorship project,Anselem Uwadinobi, said such political posturing is not the collective decision of Orlu political leaders but rather the vituperation of someone in the zone who has a governorship ambition and afraid of the aspiration of one of their sons.
He said “We are not afraid of this faceless Governorship aspirant. Mbaise people and Orlu Zone have worked together in the past. Mbaiseland remain a PDP stronghold. Since 1999, we have aligned with the PDP. The PDP has gotten most of its votes from Mbaise, so it is not possible that the party will deny us the Governorship ticket in the event we win the ticket”
“Besides, Orlu despite their numerical strength cannot single-handedly decide who wins the governorship race. Imo State belongs to us all and no zone has political monopoly over the other” he stated
It will be recalled that in the aborted third republic, similar sentiments against Mbaise governorship candidates robbed the much fancied Dr. Alex Obi of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, the Imo Governorship seat.
He was defeated by Evan Enwerem (of blessed memory) of the National Republican Convention, NRC who won the 1991 governorship polls. Enwerem secured most of his votes in Orlu Zone on the strength of a non favourable support to Mbaise born Dr. Obi.
In the present disposition, Mbaise has two leading governorship candidates. Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives and Distinguished Senator Christy Anyanwu.
Orlu Zone has 12 local Governments and a high voting population, followed by Owerri Zone with 9 local Governments and Okigwe zone 6 local Governments.
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