Okorocha’s son-in-law succeeding him is slap on Imo – APC chieftain

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) and convener, Imo
APC Restoration Coalition in Imo state, Dr. T. O. E.Ekechi, has said that it would be a slap on the faces of the people of the state if the governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha is allowed to impose his son-in-law, Chief UcheNwosu on the state as his successor.
Dr. Ekechi’s comments were contained in a statement signed by Ori Martins, his media adviser, while refuting some media reports which suggested that Dr. Ekechiiwa in a battle either for the soul of the ruling party, APC or for the emergence of candidates who are seeking to be the people’s representatives in the various elective positions for his native local government area,LGA, NgorOkpala.
According to Ekechi, there is an existing zoning arrangement in the state that allows the rotation of the governorship seat among the three senatorial zones in the state and that with Governor Okorocha completing his eight years in office as governor in 2019, it would be against natural justice, equity and good conscience and indeed unconstitutional for another governor to emerge from Orlu zone at this time, having governed the state for 16 years with other zones not having a shot.
“Besides, this (UcheNwosu’s emergence) will amount to tenure elongation by proxy which would be a slap on the faces of Imo people. Imo people, particularly of the APC stock, irrespective of zonal origin, are together in this resolve”, he said.
“Let me eloquently reiterate it here, whole and entire, that Ekechi’s present preoccupation is to ensure that the tenets of the Imerienwe declaration are upheld and prosecuted passionately with all the zeal and resources at his disposal through the Imo APC Restoration Coalition which he convened as well as with other well meaning citizens and groups in the state.
“Well aware of the imminent consequences, he, as a an independent minded and exemplary politician with integrity, has chosen the path of honour in order to save his name as well as contribute in the redemption of the state from unprecedented impunity and political charade.
The implication of that noble course includes his sacrifice of a bourgeoning, unfettered access relationship with a sitting executive governor. Nevertheless, history will vindicate the true patriot”, the statement reads.
He, however, expressed pity about some of his political kinsmen who he accused of having a shameless long history of mercantile politicking. “It is this ‘elite’ group that is laboriously but sorely using paid agents to distract Ekechi from the restoration project. Perhaps, unknown to them, the strategy of their bruised sponsor is to use them to provoke him into engaging them so as to trivialise a pan-Imo project that seeks to redeem the state from a conquering emperor who, with impunity is desperate to impose his errand-boy chief of staff son-in-law on our great party as the governorship candidate through clandestinely sponsored endorsement that has gone leprous.
“They are such a sorry site as they excitedly hustle and scramble to exploit Ekechi’s absence from the local arena to play cheap politics. This, they do by employing all sorts and manners of gutter approaches to lay mischievous claim on a local leadership they have hungered for long. It is a pity. Leadership – I mean true leadership – is neither announced nor made; it is earned and recognised by honest and dedicated following. Fortunately, NgorOkpala people have become wiser and will soon be taking unequivocal stand on some of these elements without balls between their vertical stanchions”.
Ekechi used the opportunity to advise his kinsmen who were lured into endorsing Okorocha’s son-in-law because of pecuniary benefits and the desperation to be seen to belong, to feel the pulse of their people and the state before they are completely drowned in their disdainful outing.