Trouble in the ruling house
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After a long drawn battle which seems like a Nollywood soap-opera, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) finally submitted the names of Dapo Abiodun and Hope Uzodinma as its gubernatorial candidates for 2019 general election in Imo and Ogun States, respectively, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This submission however, ended the dreams of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Rochas Okorocha, of Imo State, to impose their anointed candidates for next year’s election in both states.
Okorocha had vehemently insisted, despite strong opposition within and outside the state, on his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu.
In Ogun State, Amosun had hand-picked, Adekunle Akinlade as the gubernatorial candidate of the party in a ‘shambolic’ primary which was allegedly conducted by his Chief of Staff.
In the last few days, slanging match had been on in the broom party between the aggrieved governors and the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole. The matter had degenerated to the point that the governors called for Oshiomholes sack, alleging that his emergence as the APC boss may have become a huge deficit for the party.
But speaking to journalists, after the submission of Uzodinma and Abiodun’s names to INEC, Friday, Oshiomhole, berated the two governors for the wide allegations and accusations against him and the wrong signals their utterances had sent to people.
Oshiomhole said that Amosun was acting like an “Emperor” in his state, while also accusing Okorocha of trying to build a “political dynasty”.
The former governor of Edo State also said that the National Working Committee (NWC) decided to adopt the result of the Ahmed Gulak Committee, which declared Uzodinma as the winner of the governorship primaries conducted on October 1.
“Amosun is an Emperor. He is asking for an unlawful thing. In the case of Imo State, NWC has met and we have upheld the result of the Gulak committee and we have prepared the name of Uzodinma to be submitted to the INEC.
“If Governor Rochas chose to relocate to the Villa and use the ground of Villa to try to intimidate me to create a dynasty I will even on one leg uphold truth in the best interest of APC members and indeed of APC people in Imo State.”
According to him, “Yesterday, I watched Rochas saying I should obey court orders. In this country, memories fail people.”
There have been increased speculations, that both Governors have finalised plans to dump the APC to realise their political ambition, this have also been denied by the camp both Governors.
However, as the impasse between the two governors and the national leaders of the APC continues to attract attention, political observers have wondered if the party did not know the negative implications of going into a general election as a house divided against itself.
