The early warning and prediction by Billionaire business man and the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Tony Chukwu to Governor Rochas Okorocha over imposition of candidate on Imolites has played out after all.
In May 2018, it would be recalled the Ehime Mbano son had approached the Imo Governor at the Imo Lodge, Abuja, asking him to back down on the imposition of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu on Imolites.
He had cautioned the governor that his style and method of politics is the worst in Nigeria because according to him even President Buhari does not impose his wish on his Katsina home state.
Strikingly, he had predicted to him (Owelle) that if he has the interest of Nwosu at heart, the method he adopted had rendered the whole interest dead on arrival. And it came to pass following the election of Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha as the Governor-elect of Imo State.
We serve below an excerpt culled from the Daily Nigerian Horn publication of Monday, May 21, 2018 the warning:
‘Ehime Mbano strongman and All Progressives Congress (APC) have finally opened up on the current crises in the party and Imo state.
‘Chukwu popularly called ‘OnweghiihekaririChineke” who a few months ago promised to speak on the lingering political instability in the state after the Lenten period allegedly opened up when he met with State governor, RochasOkorocha at the Imo State Lodge, Abuja, the Federal Capital.
‘Sources at the meeting informed the Daily Nigerian Horn that the respected Chief asked the governor if he should speak to him as a friend or as governor which the governor opted for the latter.
‘Thereafter, Chukwu according to the source informed the governor that the manner and method through which he endorsed Uche Nwosu, his chief of staff preferred as APC governorship candidate come 2019 was wrong, saying not even in military regime was such practice done
‘According to the source, Chukwu informed Governor Okorocha that the current crises in the state is his responsibility stressing that the speed with which he endorsed Nwosu is enough to kill the blossoming political career of the young man.
‘He further informed the governor that his style and method of politics is the worst ever in the history of politics in Nigeria, stating that even President Muhammadu Buhari did not impose his wish in his native Katsina state but allowed due process to flow
‘Chukwu according to the source further upbraided Okorocha that if truly he has the interest of Nwosu at heart, the method he employed has rendered the whole interest dead on arrival, insisting that the governor cannot impose his wish on the stakeholders in Orlu, Okigwe, and Owerri Zone even in his native Ideato, saying the governor can only talk about himself if he has any ambition.”
After the warning by the business mogul, a group called the Imo Progressive Alliance (IPA) called on the governor to listen to Tony Chukwu. They did so in a Communiqué signed by its President and Secretary respectively.
According to them, they described Chukwu ‘as a major stakeholder who has paid his dues in the state and beyond , adding that there is need for the governor to listen to the advice Tony Chukwu gave him for the collective interest of the state. This information is contained in the Daily Nigerian Horn of Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Following shortly as reported in the Daily Nigerian Horn of Friday, May 25, 2018is the counsel by various traditional rulers and clerics in the state advising Imo politicians to toe the same line as Tony Chukwu by engaging the governor on the issues rather than attacking him which he heats up the polity.
Joining to support the voice of reason are Imolites in diaspora especially those in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe. They not only commended Chukwu but also advised Okorocha to listen to his advice. The Daily Nigerian Horn of Monday, May 28, 2018 captured this.
Regrettably, all of the voices as highlighted above fell on deaf ears as the governor remained insistent to realize his ambition of installing his son-in-law as the governor of Imo state. That ambition crashed eventually on March 11th 2019 when the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was elected by Imo people with Uche Nwosu trailing behind with a distant 80,000 votes separating them.
In another development, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a statement few hours ago has vowed never to issue Okorocha his certificate of return on the purported victory for the Orlu Zone senate seat. This according to political watchers further compounds the woes of the governor who may have lost political relevance in the near future.
