Following the power tussle that has existed between the Imo state chapter of the All progressive Congress (APC) since the administration of the former governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha that created two factions that produced two parallel leadership of the party, it seems to have become a tug of war for the factions whose apex leaders are the executive governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma and the former governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha respectively.
It would be recalled that the battle emanated when the then governor of Imo state, Okorocha decided to install his Son in-law, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu to become the next governor of the state after the completion of his tenure, as the governor of the state.
This plot did not go down well with some persons, especially Imo citizens as well as for Hope Uzodinma who was nursing the ambition of running for the governorship election under the same party.
This development brought a face-off between the parties involved as Senator Okorocha was bent on producing the next governor of the state being his son in-law.
Meanwhile Senator Hope Uzodinma, other aspirants and Imo stakeholders under the Imerienwe Declaration that unequivocally condemned the actions and antics of the Governor Okorocha, particularly towards his third term by proxy antics were also determined not to allow Okorocha’s plan see the light of the day.
This brought serious division in the party as it was reported that Senator Hope Uzodinma collapsed his political structure to form another APC under the leadership of Nnamdi Anyaehie as the party chairman, this paved way for his proposed governorship agenda, it later transcended to prince Marcellinus Nlemigbo who became the party chairman until the party conducted a state congress that produced Hon. MacDonald Ebere as the party chairman till date.
The APC leadership in the state has been enmeshed with crisis since Senator Okorocha installed Dan Nwafor as the factional APC chairman in order for his plans to come to fruition.
Consequently, there was the need for who controls the party structure from the state to the ward levels.
The emergence of two leaders of the party has since witnessed series of litigations by both parties against each order in their strive for supremacy as to which faction will be recognised at the National level of the party.
From all indications, the factions have proof of court judgments ruled in their favour, claiming to have won.
Recently, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Imo State chapter has called on Senator Rochas Okorocha, a former governor of Imo State, to consider the option of resigning as the senator representing Imo West having shown what it termed; “unpardonable incompetence”.
The party hinged its call for Okorocha’s resignation on what it described as poor and dismal performance in the senate.
The state chairman of APC, Hon Macdonald Ebere, stated this in a statement signed by Cajetan Duke, the publicity secretary of the party in the state.
“Imo people have had enough of Okorocha and his family, who they consider as unfit to occupy any public office in Nigeria anymore given their poor and dismal performance in the state.
This did not go down well with the Dan Nwafor led APC as he disclosed in a press statement signed by the Acting public secretary Micheal Anyanwu, maintained that the only authentic and recognised party is the one led by Dan Nwafor which has Okorocha as its leader
He was quoted as asking how can an imposter and people who did not know when and how a party was founded claim ownership and ask the founder to resign. “It’s insulting for one impostor called Cajetan to call for the resignation of Okorocha”.
” The only authentic and surely elected executives of Imo state APC is the one led by Hon. Dan Nwafor, the judgement delivered by several courts in our favour has ratified the fact and ruled that not even the NEC of our party can dissolve the Dan Nwafor led Executive in Imo”
It further directs the publicity secretary to retract his statement and render a public apology to Senator Okorocha, the leader of the party.
In the same vein, the Macdonald led APC has warned Nwafor from parading himself as the party chairman as they alleged that he is not a member of APC after his failure to revalidate his membership during the recent revalidation and registration exercise carried out by the party.
It further disclosed that Nwafor does not have any locus standi to claim leadership of the party after his drift to Action Alliance (AA) with his Master Uche Nwosu to contest election after his failure to secure the APC governorship ticket.
However, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Declan Emelumba has said that anybody claiming to be the chairman of a faction of APC in Imo state is an impostor risking an arrest by security agencies.
“It is a well known fact that the national leadership of APC recently dissolved state executive committees and in their place set up caretaker committees. The chairman of that caretaker committee in Imo State is Chief Marcelenius Nlemigbo” he said. The commissioner described as sheer mischief and affront on the national leadership of APC for anyone to claim otherwise.
Said he, ” If the man they quoted in the media is talking of being a factional chairman of Action Alliance or that of a yet to be formed party, it would be understandable. But for him to lay any claim to a non existent chairmanship of APC in Imo state is the height of self-delusion, irresponsibility and impersonation. This level of impersonation should attract the attention of security agencies”
Chief Emelumba noted that since Gov Hope Uzodinma came on board, he has united all genuine APC members into a formidable family.