Peace Of The Graveyard In Imo APC? (INVESTIGATION)

GRACE IGWEANYI Explains the Political Undercurrents in Imo APC that makes the party  peace of the Graveyard.

The All Progressive Congress, APC may be the ruling party in Imo State but what exists in the party is peace of the graveyard.

Peace of the graveyard is a scenario where all looks well when it is not. This online newspaper gathered that there are hidden animosities and deep grievances nurtured by political gladiators in the party in the State.

 Some political analysts say it is a matter of time before peace of the graveyard in the party will metamorphose to a time – bomb which invariably may explode in the pary if not detonated.

A special investigation shows that the party in the State has a size-able number of top politicians as members but there exits a thin line of differences driven by fiery political ambitions that is dividing these gladiators. 

 Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha is undoubtedly the leader of the party by virtue of his position as governor of the State. He appears to be in total control of the party structure. He calls the shots and regulates the political temperature of the party.

His overbearing brand of politicking seems to have sent other bigwigs in the party in the cooler. Only bigwigs such as Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and Chief Jerry Chukwueke are very close to the rescue group structure of Okorocha embedded in the APC.

Araraume is interested in succeeding Okorocha as governor in 2019. He has never hidden his passion to be Imo State governor having vied for the coveted seat three times on the platform of various political parties.

He decamped to the APC from the PDP barely a week to the nail biting supplementary election in April 2015. He closed ranks with Okorocha to defeat Emeka Ihedioha, the tough tackling PDP governorship candidate.

Ararume and Okorocha seem to be enjoying sizzling political romance in the APC for now. This alliance has paid off for Araraume as his son was recently appointed a Commissioner by the governor.

 Political pundits say that is not the senator’s prize from Okorocha for his (Araraume) support during the polls. His price is to succeed Rochas in 2019 as governor of Imo State.  How feasible that will be is left for the gods of Imo politics to decipher.

Okorocha is speculated in the media to have focused his searchlight on three of his key loyalists for the Imo governorship seat in 2019. This is not certain but inside sources in the Governor’s camp fingered his Deputy and long time political ally, Prince Eze Madumere, his son – in-law and Chief of Staff, Uche Nwosu and possibly his Secretary to the State Government, Jude Ejiogu as his likely successors.   

The senator is known for his doggedness and political elasticity. How he will cope with Okorocha’s bulldozer brand of politicking is a food for thought.

Also on the sidelines in the party include Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba, a former House of Representatives member. A businessman and former governorship aspirant, Barr. Humphrey Anumudu.  

While Nwajiuba is a long time member of the APC having being a close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari in the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Anumudu is a new entrant who defected from the PDP after he was edged out in the governorship primaries of the party.

Both are said to be itching for power in 2019.   Close sources said the duos are not politically on the same page with Rochas.

" They are party members but not on the same page" said Jude Amaeachi, a political analyst. And the reason they are not on the same page is not far fetched.

The boiling point was the ministerial slot for Imo State. Nwajiuba and Festus Odumegwu were said to be interested, so also was Okorocha who felt that as the only APC Governor in the South East, he has the prerogative to  nominate Buhari's Minister from the State.

Sources told INNONEWS.COM that Nwajiuba was in serious consideration for ministerial appointment by President Buhari but was dropped based on pressure from Okorocha who preferred his in- law, Anthony Anwukah.     

It was uncertain if any love has been lost between Nwajiuba and Rochas on the issue. He is said to have been nursing a quiet ambition to run for Imo governorship in 2019.  Having aspired for the position three times, there are feelers that he may take a shot at it again.

 He has not showed signs of uneasiness  over what transpired when  the issue of ministerial slot for Imo State was tense. He never admitted it to anyone as he told told online and newspaper editors in Imo State at his Ehime Mbano country home on January 2nd 2016 that “ Rochas is working and should be supported”

Another strongman in Imo APC is Festus Odumegwu, whose open tussle with Rochas over the State ministerial slot was public knowledge.

At a point, Odumegwu’s name was rumoured as the ministerial nominee from Imo State. But like a flash in the pan, his name was replaced with Anwukah- Okorocha’s  in- law

Political analysts say these unseen squabbles may snowball into huge billows of smoke in the APC in Imo when the political dispensation draws near.  

However, when our reporter put this question to some party chieftains in the State, one of them who pleaded anonymity said “you are raising dust when there is none.

“Why do you journalists stoke the embers of discord all the time? Who told you not all the political heavyweights are on the same page in the Imo APC.

“ Nobody is fighting anybody. There is no animosity” he said.

" This is not time for politics. This is time for governance, so your assumptions are what they are, mere assumptions and figment of your imaginations" .  he concluded