2019: Ex Federal Lawmaker, Senator In Battle For Soul Of Imo PDP

A cold war is raising its ugly head in the Imo State chapter of the PDP.

With Congress to elect party officers from the ward to the state levels fast approaching, two key political actors in the party namely a former federal lawmaker who held a commanding position in the lower chamber of the National Assembly  in the last administration and a serving senator, are now  rolling up their sleeves to take charge of the party ahead of the 2019 governorship polls.

 INNONEWS. COM was told that the two powerful  players are eying the party’s governorship ticket barely a year the PDP was defeated at the 2015 governorship election by the All Progressive Congress, APC

The former federal lawmaker is said to be keen on the governorship contest having erected a solid political structure across the State during his failed bid for the governorship seat of the State. 

Though he is said to be “angry” that the PDP was sabotaged by its party members during the governorship election, there are strong indications that while he sulks about the role of his party men  during the last polls, he remains confident that Imo State requires change of leadership on the basis that the present government of Rochas Okorocha has only improved the misery of the people of Imo State.   

He is said to anchoring his "second missionary journey" on the basis that Owerri Zone (Imo East Senatorial District) is yet to occupy Government House, Owerri in the last 20 years, while other zones such as Orlu (Imo North Senatorial district) would have produced the Imo State Governor for 16 years by the time the incumbent governor, Rochas Okorocha completes his second tenure. Okorocha hails from Orlu Zone.

As part of the game plan, the ex federal lawmaker has been reaching out to key political players in the PDP ostensibly to grab the grassroot structure of the PDP in Imo State during the forthcoming congress scheduled to hold in February, 2015.

He is also said to have provided the needed support to PDP members in Imo State especially those who have been kicked out of their positions by the law courts and also in touch with aggrieved party members in some LGAs ,providing succor to those who were maltreated by the party leadership during the last elections.

The other contender, a serving senator from Orlu Zone (Imo North) has gone already kick started his political game- plan having constituted a powerful group led by a sound legal practitioner in the State who has organized several meetings to woo aggrieved PDP members to critically oppose the policies of the Rochas Okorocha administration.

While such meetings were said to have taken place few times before the yuletide, there are indications that activities of the group will pick up by the time the party congress come close.

The PDP in Imo State has been on a rebuilding process having lost the 2011 and 2015 governorship election in Imo State to the opposition. Party leaders have vowed to change the face of the party to make more it people oriented before the 2019 polls. 

The party has been bogged by allegations of sabotage by its members during the governorship polls, including embezzlement of party funds by some party leaders prior to the polls.