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Imo Governorship Candidates Are On Their Own – Presidency Sources

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By Amanze Ajoku

Credible sources from the Presidency have confirmed to this correspondent that the presidency has no intention of “interfering” in the Imo State governorship election coming up on March 9, even as it has lately come under pressure by “three of the gubernatorial candidates in the election”.

According to one source, three of the major gubernatorial candidates for the election had “differently sent feelers to the Villa by themselves and through a Federal Minister, requesting some security and other institutional interventions on their behalf. But we told them pointblank that the President is not interested in doing anything that will seem like interring with the normal run of the electoral process”.

This source flatly refused requests by this correspondent to name the candidates.

When this correspondent sought confirmation of the story, another highly placed Aso Rock insider said this: “Yes, it’s true but please don’t quote me, and don’t use my name. Here’s what happened: these candidates and their enablers have been coming here for some days but the President did not see any of them because he left stern instructions that he should be kept out of the Imo gubernatorial elections”.

When asked why the President does not wish to be involved, given that his party is fielding a candidate, the source said that “It’s because of the scandalous nature of the contest as it regards the candidates of Action Alliance and that of the APC. And then you have a Governor in the State who is openly working against his party’s choice and in favor of his relative. Then, again, you have this particular candidate from another major party who is promising to decamp after the election. How can anybody expect the President to get involved in such a mess, coming in the midst of the issues he’s still having with his own election”?

According to the first source, what is being requested of the Presidency is ”Practically akin to getting the Presidency involved in some scheme to write the results of the Imo governorship election. We’re sorry but that won’t happen”.

Continuing, he said that “Part of the problem is that the APC has effectively split into two in Imo, thus splitting their likely votes in half. Then you have this other third candidate who reportedly got financial help from an APC stalwart in picking his party’s ticket. I think that’s what makes this candidate to now feel that he is also APC, even not in name. I think they all know the complexity of their situations but it’s not something the Presidency can do anything about in terms that may challenge the credibility of the poll. They have to sort themselves out with the voters”.

It will be recalled that the APC in Imo transformed into two factions when Senator Hope Uzodinma surprisingly clinched the governorship ticket of the party against the wishes of Governor Okorocha who wants his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu to succeed him. Uzodinma had decamped from PDP after losing the structure to Emeka Ihedioha.

Still, it’s not clear to this correspondent whether it was Uche Nwosu or Hope Uzodinma, on the one hand, that these sources are referring to; or whether it is Emeka Ihedioha or Ifeanyi Ararume, on the other hand. However, it is in the public domain that both Nwosu and Uzodinma are still battling for the soul of APC; and Ararume has links to APC through Rotimi Amaechi, and Ihedioha through Aminu Tambuwal.

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