Imo Guber election ,the stakes and swings.

Imo Guber election ,the stakes and swings. Okechukwu Jombo writes that Imo state Gubernatorial battle seem to be swinging out of the reach of the incumbent Governor Rochas Okorocha due to latest political developments in the state The Governorship tussle in Imo state between the incumbent Governor Rochas okorocha of the All Progressive congress APC ,The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho of the The All Progressive grand alliance APGA seem to be swinging out of the reach of the incumbent with latest developments in the state Okorocha before the developments was the candidate to beat and was heading to victory especially with the division in both opposition parties.A lot of people in PDP were still not sure of who their candidate in the gubernatorial election will be between Ihedioha and Senator Ifeanyi Ararume with their case still in court while Iheanacho battled legitimacy in his party due to the division between the leadership of the party. Some of the development included the peace resolution with Former governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim, Mike Ahamba and Bethel Amadi and the winner of Imo state PDP governorship Primary, Hon Emeka Ihedioha . They urged their supporters to ensure victory for the party for the upcoming governorship election. Another incident is what happened to a well publicized students’ rally for Governor Okorocha of Imo state recently which degenerated into a violent protest against the governor leading to a major security breach following invasion of the government house by irate youths. Throngs of students and youths from all walks of life had gathered at the Governor Rochas Okorocha Campaign office along Okigwe road. They were said to have been gathered by the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Students Affairs, Godstime Samuel, for a solidarity rally in support of the re-election of the governor under a strange platform called the National Union of Imo State Students (NUISS). The students who turned out in their thousands were drawn 80 each from each of the 27 council areas in the state. They students indeed staged a massive rally and roadshow for the governor and reconvened at the freedom square where they were addressed by the Commissioner for Lands, Chief Uche Nwosu and later the governor himself who promised them N4million as transport. At the end of the rally, the Executive Assistant, Godstime Samuel presented the sum of N1.5million to be shared among over 10,000 young men. It was however not clear the reasons given by Samuel; whether N1.5million was all that was provided by the governor or whether he put the rest of the money to other uses, but the students would not buy any of the story. And in the confusion that followed, Samuel disappeared from the scene. Angry and unable to locate their contact man for explanations and completion of the money, anger led to frustration and a massive student rampage erupted. Now chanting solidarity songs in favour of the PDP and its governorship candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, the youths marched into government breached the main gate and a near stampede ensued in government with government house workers scampering for safety. The action of the students who were virtually unchallenged saw government house workers fleeing to, as far as the Governor’s lodge for safety. Finding no one to address their grievances, the students vandalised and destroyed anything that stood in their way. The governor’s posters and billboards were torn to shreds, Street lampholders, APC flags along the government house drive-in were destroyed and traffic was grounded to a halt. The students were only restrained when a detachment of combat-ready policemen were drafted to the scene. The police had to shoot several cannisters of teargas to dislodge the defiant young men. The incident forced workers at commercial banks along the bank road area near government house to close down and flee their offices for fear of vandalised ion and teargas. Another incident was when a faction of the APGA adopted the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and PDPgovernorship candidate in Imo state, Ihedioha, and President Goodluck Jonathan as its choice for the February 14th and 28th elections. Factional national chairman of APGA, Chief Ejike Uche led some members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), and National Working Committee (NWC), to make the declaration while addressing journalists in Owerri, Monday. Uche told the media that their decision is based on the outcome of several meetings and consultations within and outside the party and urged all members of the party and the Imo electorate to demonstrate their support for the duo of Jonathan and Ihedioha by casting their votes for them. Uche said they did not accept the former Interior Minister, Capt Emma Iheanacho as their candidate, in view of his affiliation with Chief Victor Umeh, adding that the position of the group was a coalition and not merger. Also at the briefing were a former Attorney General of the state, Prof. Francis Dike, a former President of Orlu Zurume cultural group in the state, Chief Reuben Okoro, a former Mayor of Owerri Metropolis, Chief Uche Njoku, a Personal Assistant to Ihedioha and a member of his campaign organization, among others. While awaiting the court decision on the crisis befalling the APGA between him and Chief Victor Umeh, Ejike, said the party would produce a candidate by 2019, insisting that Prince Cletus C. Nwaka, remained their chairman in the state. He said: “After consultations, the best man today; the best man and the best man that will go on February 28, is Emeka Ihedioha.” Nwaka, who is a former chairman of the state’s Civil Service Commission (CSC), said he had remained the authentic party chairman in the state, who has discharged his duties well, stressing that he was in support of the party. Speaking for the party and Orlu, Okoro said he was being sincere, adding that it was the turn of Owerri zone and not the turn of re-enactment of Governor Rochas Okorocha, who comes from Orlu, after the Orlu zone had produced Chief Achike Udenwa for eight years before he handed over to Ikedi Ohakim after a stint of four years. With developments one cannot be sure of were the pendulum will swing but one thing for sure is that the PDP candidate seem to be gaining more ground everyday.