They may be strange political bedfellows, but in politics where nothing
is certain, the proposed merger of leading opposition parties in the country
may compel Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume
and former Governor Achike Udenwa to belong to one political family.
This blog was informed at the weekend that a faction of the All
Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) controlled by Governor Rochas Okorocha have
been mandated to join the merger talks spearheaded by the All Nigeria
Peoples party (ANPP), Congress For
Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
The merger talks by leaders of opposition party leaders continue in Abuja
on January 10. 2012. A source disclosed to this newspaper that a faction of
APGA loyal to the Imo State Governor and a break away group from the Labour
Party will be part of the fresh talks.
The merger talks which have been on since last year will soon be
finalized in order to meet up with INEC stipulated deadline for the
consummation of such merger/alliance as enshrined in the Electoral Act.
The APGA faction loyal to Okorocha may have been mandated to join the
talks by the Imo State Governor as a basis to weaken the Peter Obi/Bianca
Ojukwu led faction of the party that has
been involved in a cold war with the Imo State Governor in recent times.
Okorocha was alleged to have ordered that his faction join the talks after
a meeting with a Merger Contact Committee of one of the opposition parties
spearheading the merger held before the yuletide season.
If the merger sails through, This blog learnt, it implies aside
Governor Okorocha, chieftains of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the State
such as former Governor Achike Udenwa, the party’s governorship candidate in
the 2011 elections, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and Hon Uche Onyeagocha may end up
finding themselves in the same political boat.
Such party will also include remnants of the All Nigeria Peoples Party
(ANPP) in the State presently led by Orikezie Vitalis Ajumbe.
According to political pundits, such a mega party will give the PDP a
fight for their lives in the next governorship election in the State.
When contacted for comments on the issue, Okorocha’s Special Adviser
(Media), Ebere Uzoukwa, refused to respond to several text messages sent to him
by this blog. But a leader in APGA in the State denied
knowledge of an instruction by Governor Okorocha to some APGA members to join
the merger talks. He told this blog that he is not aware of such instruction,
stating that it is premature for anyone to allude that Governor Okorocha wants
to drag APGA to the merger plans.
He said whatever political platform Okorocha finds himself, he will be
assessed for re election as Governor of the State if he so desires based on his
numerous achievements in office.
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