…as Gov’s son in-law, brother in-law battle for APC guber ticket
Araraume set to reap from rift
There is a looming implosion in the household of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, as his two in-laws have declared their intention to succeed him in 2019. Interestingly, both contestants are jostling for the governorship ticket of Okorocha’s All Progressives Congress.
The two in-laws are: the Chief of Staff, Uche Nwosu, married to Okorocha’s first daughter, Uloma; and a former aspirant to the House of Representatives, Chuks Ololo, who is married to the governor’s younger sister, the current Commissioner for Happiness and Couples Fulfillment, Mrs. Ogechi Ololo.
Mrs. Ololo, the governor’s younger sister, had been Deputy Chief of Staff under Nwosu; but it was learnt that hostilities ensued, following indications that Mrs. Ololo’s husband, Chucks, just like Nwosu, also wanted to become governor.
Sources said the governor, wrenched by his inability to end the cold war, had to move out his younger sister and appoint her as Commissioner for Happiness and Couples Fulfillment.
Although the governor appears to have soft spot for his son in-law, following the pressure being reportedly mounted on him by his wife, his younger sister who the governor equally loves so much, is said to be fighting desperately to win the governor to support her husband
OKOROCHA AT CROSSROADS
Chuks Ololo is an indigene of Egbelu Obube in Owerri North Local Government Area of the state, who served as a two-time transition committee chairman of the area before winning the All Progressives Congress ticket for a Federal House election in 2015. He is now being seriously backed by his wife to contest for governor, sources disclosed.
The Point also learnt that the governor’s other concern was how to please his wife, Mrs. Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha, who wanted the governor to anoint Nwosu, her son in-law. But Ogechi Ololo, the governor’s younger sister, is equally said to be “on the neck” of her elder brother, the governor, to anoint her husband.
Observers in the state are said to be awaiting the governor’s final decision in the midst of the ensuing confusion.
It was gathered at the weekend that the ambition of the two in-laws had put the governor in a serious dilemma to the extent “that he is these days found sitting at the Government House courtyard with local elders, who are not in government, apparently in a bid to seek wisdom on how to break the logjam.”
Signposting Okorocha’s dilemma, a family source had told our correspondent, “Although the governor appears to have soft spot for his son in-law, following the pressure being reportedly mounted on him by his wife, his younger sister, who the governor equally loves so much, is said to be fighting desperately to win the governor to support her husband.”
Shortly before Ogechi Ololo’s husband’s governorship ambition became public, reports said that the governor’s wife was already urging for the removal of the state’s deputy governor, Prince Eze Madumere, for daring to declare his governorship ambition. But with Chuks Ololo now in the race, the governor’s wife, sources informed, would have two battles to fight.
But the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okorocha, Sam Onwuemeodo, denied last week that the governor and his wife were plotting to impose Nwosu as the APC governorship candidate.
WHY OGECHI OLOLO WANTS HUBBY AS GOV
Ogechi Ololo’s argument, according to a source close to the family, is that, since the most popular agitation is for the Owerri zone to produce the next governor, her husband who is from that zone, should get the governor’s endorsement.
The source explained further that the Ololo family was insisting that Owerri zone was the only zone that had not produced the governor of the state as the Orlu zone, where Governor Okorocha hails from, had produced governor for 12 years; while Okgiwe, where Nwosu hails from, had also produced governor for four years, in former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, Okorocha’s immediate predecessor.
POSSIBILITIES
Sources told our correspondent that the governor might use Ololo as Option B to produce a successor, following various attacks that trailed a recent speculation that he was set to anoint Nwosu.
The source said that the decision to support his Chief of Staff might be a decoy as the pendulum might finally swing in favour of Ololo.
It was reported, however, that Nwosu said he would make public his intention soon.
“At the right time and very soon, I will make it known to everybody; it is not something to fear or worry about. Where we are going to, God has already destined it and I don’t think that any man can change it. What God has made; nobody can unmake it, so 2019 will be 2019, the right time. I will make my decision known to my people; but for now, it is between the governor and me,” he stated.
Sources said that the Ololos were in control of the Owerri North APC structure, thus bringing pressure on the governor to drop
Nwosu.
It was gathered that Ololo had been pulling some leaders from Owerri North LGA to
Okorocha’s home at Ogboko to pay him visits.
It was further learnt that to show the governor of his preparedness for the task ahead, Ololo had taken over the structure of Owerri North Local Government
Area.
There had been resentment over Ololo’s plot to hijack the party structure as it was feared many APC leaders in the LGA might abandon the party due to Chuks Ololo’s alleged high-handedness and penchant to control the entire Owerri North APC structure without due process.
However, a source close to the Ololos said, “Okorocha will be more at home with his sister and brother-in-law controlling Owerri North APC.”
It appears the die is cast, however, as Mrs. Okorocha’s sister-in-law and her husband are bent on challenging the governor’s wife to achieve their ambition.
CHUKS OLOLO CONFIRMS AMBITION
Ololo told our correspondent that he was very determined to contest for the governorship position come 2019, despite all odds.
“I am very prepared for the race. Thanks for asking,” he maintained.
But the Ololos may meet a brickwall in Mrs. Okorocha, who sources said wanted her daughter to succeed her as the First Lady of the state at all costs.
“That is why she is trying to pull down anybody who signifies interest to run for the governorship race; the scenario is playing out, where opposition mounts against Mrs. Okorocha’s choice as in the case of the deputy governor,” a source said.
Last week, it was reported that Mrs. Okorocha opposed the Deputy Governor, Madumere, when a solidarity rally was organised by some members of the APC in the state, following the governor’s indication of support for his son-in-law’s interest to succeed him in 2019.
Mrs. Okorocha, who was angered by the solidarity rally carried out by APC members sympathetic to Madumere, it was learnt, plotted to remove the state deputy governor to make way for her son-in-law.
It was also gathered that Okorocha’s wife had a strong influence in the choice of who picked the APC ticket in the state. “That is why she wants to checkmate the rising popularity of the deputy governor as it was disclosed that the governor’s plot to achieve this was by pushing for the impeachment of Madumere,” a source said.
Though the state government had denied the move, it was, however, gathered that the impeachment plan was still on and might be used as trump card against Madumere, who was strongly unperturbed about the rumoured move.
It was gathered that there might be mass defection to the Peoples Democratic Party, if the impeachment threat was carried out against the deputy governor.
ARARAUME AS FOURTH FORCE?
Meanwhile, Madumere, Nwosu and Ololo are believed to be creating nightmare for Okorocha, and according to sources, he must go for one of them or risk the emergence of a political foe within the APC.
Already, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, who is believed not to be in good terms with Okorocha, is said to be warming up to reap from the rift in the Governor’s caucus.
Araraume, a serial governorship contestant, has reportedly courted the only APC senator from the South East, from Imo, Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu, to enlist his support for his governorship ambition. Uwajumogu, too, is reportedly warning up to return to the Senate and is said to be eyeing the Senate Presidency as he would have become a second timer from the zone said to have been marginalised; even though a source said that the senator might meet a dead-end as the governor planned to contest for the Orlu senatorial seat in 2019.
