Investigations carried out by this blog showed that the chief architect of the plot is Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha who collaborated with anti Igbo forces to deny the South East and the much favoured Dr. Onu for the position.
Okorocha in his desperation to pick the APC Vice Presidential ticket was alleged to have instigated his colleagues in the APC Governors forum and other party stakeholders against Dr. Onu’s Chairmanship ambition.
He set the stage shortly after celebrating his three years in office in Owerri where he invited top APC leaders to attend the event.
Some of the APC leaders present at the ceremony include Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Chief Tom Ikimi, Chief John Oyegun, Dr. Audu Ogbe, Senator Osita Izunaso, Chief Timpreye Silva, Dr.(Mrs) Sharon Ikeazor etc.
Shortly after Dr Onu left Owerri for Abuja, other party chieftains stayed back for a stakeholders meeting after the Imo Governor persuaded them to do so.
The Imo Governor went on to convene a meeting of APC stakeholders at Government House, Owerri which also had in attendance Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Amaechi was rooting for the nomination of his protege, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja for the position having being assured by some party bigwigs that he will produce the party's national chairman.
At the meeting, Governor Okorocha backed the quest of the South South leaders of the party to produce the national chairman of the party.
This blog learnt that this stunned some APC leaders and elders especially those in the North who had taken note of the strong contention of the South East to vie for the position.
The Imo Governor was said to have went on to lobby other critical stakeholders in the party on why the South East does not deserve the position.
He was alleged to have insisted that the APC ought to take the political battle to President Goodluck Jonathan’s doorstep by getting a national chairman from the president’s zone.
A reliable source in the party told this blog “A document was hurriedly prepared by the Governor and his protégé in the APC from Imo State and a member of the ongoing National Conference in Abuja containing signatures of the some APC members loyal to the Imo Governor in the South East.
“That document denounced the zoning of the party’s national Chair position to the South East. The document endorsed the South- South for the plum job.
“Not done yet, pressure was mounted on the party leaders in the North and this forced the Northern caucus of the party to make a retreat believing that the South East was divided on the issue and subtly endorsed the South for the position.
The source continued “The South West wing of the party led by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu took advantage of the division in the South East and sensing that Okorocha had a gameplan moved swiftly to back the aspiration of former Edo State Governor, John Odigie Oyegun for the position.
“This was adopted by the party. Oyegun is of the ACN stock, a party Tinubu had controlled before it merged with other parties to form the APC.The Imo Governor is desperate for the Vice Presidential Ticket ticket of the party.
“This is why he had to work against Dr. Ogbonnya Onu and portray a picture before elders of the party from the North that the South East does not need to produce the party’s Chair.
“But he forgets that the VP slot he is angling for will be taken by the South West which has six States compared to the fact that the South East has only a State.
“The APC cannot ignore a zone that has six States and embrace the South East for VP that has only a State
“Even if Tinubu does not run for the VP because the APC may be avoiding a Muslim/Muslim ticket, he may nominate a Christian from the South West to pair with a Northern APC presidential candidate. I do not see the Imo Governor succeeding in his latest political adventure.
Meanwhile, the Imo State Government in reaction to allegations that it masterminded Dr. Onu’s downfall issued a press statement absolving it of any complicity in the loss of the party’s national chairmanship seat by Dr. Onu.
A statement credited to Okorocha’s SSA on Media, Sam Onwumemedo and published by local tabloids in Owerri, the Imo Governor said he has no hand in Dr. Onu’s ordeal.
“There is no reason why anybody would begin to instigate that Governor Okorocha is against Dr.Onu becoming the first national chairman of APC. It would even go extra mile to add fiber to the APC in the South East” Onwuemedo wrote
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