Imo: Okorocha’s many home troubles

Recently, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state had his bag full of troubles emanating largely from his burning desire to oust his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere.
This is viewed in some quarters as extension of his fight against the people of Owerri Senatorial zone, and at the same time, actualise his infamous third- term bid.
CHIDIEBERE IWUOHA articulates his challenges
Thickening plots to oust Madumere Plots by Governor Rochas Okorocha to oust his Deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, did not start today.
It started because the duo who at a time, were best of friends, having stayed together for more than thirty years, started having different political interests.
That time, it was generally believed that Madumere was Okorocha’s closest pal and likely beneficiary of Okorocha’s Rescue Mission programme, after Okorocha must have finished two terms of eight years as governor of Imo state by 2019.
But things started taking a different shape when a certain Uche Nwosu, started occupying an important position in the governor’s political plans.
His marriage to the governor’s first daughter quickly changed the political arithmetic to his favour and gradually, a hero’s status was accorded him, while Madumere was gradually relegated to the background.
From there, functions held outside the state were assigned to Madumere while the ones in the state were given to Nwosu who rose from the position of Governor’s Personal Assistant, Deputy Chief Of Staff, Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning to currently, Chief of Staff to the Governor, just to keep Madumere’s eyes out of domestic matters.
Madumere’s calm nature While all these were happening, Madumere kept his calm.
But it dawned on him when he discovered that different local government areas, government agencies and some personalities were endorsing Nwosu who apart from being governor’s son-in law also hailed from Orlu, the same zone with Okorocha which would be doing 16 years by 2019 from 1999.
It was then that Madumere’s political fight, gingered by the people of Owerri zone started.
He was involved in several political meetings where he assured and reassured his people that he would be running for the 2019 Governorship.
Later, news of his political ambition started filtering into Okorocha’s ears.
Successor, Okorocha’s third term plot He made it clear that nobody should nurse governorship ambition without his approval.
Okorocha himself, made the situation more confusing when he insisted that one of his own (In Igbo parlance, agburu) must be his successor, meaning that Madumere having been with him for years could be considered.
This confusion led some people to set up organizations urging the governor to publicly name his successor and allow them to complete the job of actualizing the dream for him.
When the pressure was too much, Okorocha listed some characteristics of his would be successor and later named Uche Nwosu as the man.
However, this did not go down well with the generality of Imo people as they felt the move was his third term agenda.
Madumere, Imo APC faction, residents fight back As news of Okorocha’s succession plan filtered the air, a faction of the All Progressives Congress(APC) popularly known as Imo APC Coalition or better still, Allied Forces lured Madumere to their fold.
In that group exists political heavy weights as Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Senator Osita Izunaso, Senator Ben Uwajumogu, Imo APC Chairman, Chief Hilary Ekeh and some politicians who have parted ways with Governor Okorocha.
They all have the belief that the governor cannot succeed himself with his son-in-law.
Thus, when the APC congresses came up, they made sure that the governor was not in control of the materials, this way they schemed him and his camp out.
Members of his camp believe Madumere, being Okorocha’s former strategist in his camp may have contributed to Okorocha’s defeat.
The outcome of the ward, local government and State Congresses was accepted and hailed by the opposition parties and other residents in the state who also shared the same position with members of the Coalition that the governor’s son-in-law must not succeed him.
With that in mind, those in Okorocha’s camp vowed to turn the table as the National Convention of the party approached in Abuja.
The second phase of the Imo APC crisis was then taken to Abuja where it continued.
It was alleged that Madumere and his camp did not make way for Okorocha’s entourage after doing their own accreditation which resulted in the destruction of voting materials.
This destruction made it difficult for the five South East states and one other state to vote at the convention.
Hon Emma Ibediro who contested the Organizing Secretary position from Okorocha’s camp was then announced as winner over incumbent, Senator Osita Izunaso, who later went for appeal, claiming that the exercise was marred with irregularities.
But a few days after the convention, impeachment plot of Okorocha’s deputy which died a natural death some months ago when Speaker Acho Ihim denied it, became intensified.
Unsavory and unwarranted impeachment move About four lawmakers believed to be loyal to Madumere, Senators Hope Uzodinma, and Araraume namely Honourables Ifeanyi Nnataronye of Mbaitoli, Ikenna Nzeruo of Oru East, Colins Chiji of Isiala Mbano and Oguwuike who had earlier been relieved of his position as Majority leader were suspended from the Imo House of Assembly.
Later, the number was increased to five as Hon Donatus Onuigwe of Oru West got suspended for an attempt to resist a petition against the alleged misconduct of the deputy governor.
The Assembly has since looked into it and a committee set up by the state Chief Judge to also investigate the matter which allegation ranged from absence from office and State Executive Council meetings for months.
However, it was gathered that an injunction to that effect was gotten by the deputy governor.
In addition to that, statements have been issued from Imo personalities like former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume , Olu Owerri Unity Association, etc on what they called “the Unsavory and Unwarranted Impeachment Move on the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere and suspension of five honourable members of the Imo House of Assembly”.
They all condemned the governor’s intention to use three deputies in eight years.
It is also being rumoured that President Buhari has intervened in the matter without a truce reached.