Okorocha Tears APC Apart in Imo, Pioneer ACN Members Set To Dump APC En-Mass for PDP

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Ignatius Okpara, Latest Headlines, News Sunday, December 29th, 2013

IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu

Pioneer members of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Imo State, led by former Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa, are now making serous moves to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state (L) and former governor Chief Achike Udenwa

The development followed their alleged marginalization by Governor Rochas Okorocha of the state who joined the party from the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

Governor Okorocha is the chairman of the Progressive Governors, which comprises the APC governors and their 5 PDP decampees governors

The aggrieved members also include those of the merging political parties such as ANPP and CPC.

African Examiner gathered that the meeting of the old fellows of the ACN held on Saturday at the home of a member of the state assembly representing Njaba constituency, Hon. Chino Kevin Obioha was aimed at fine tuning their defection to PDP.

One of the aggrieved members who do not want his name published told our correspondent that “plans are on top gear for members of former ACN led by the former governor of the state, Chief Achike Udenwa, to leave the party for a new party where we would be made to feel at home.”

But in his remarks at the meeting, coordinating chairman of the defunct ACN in the state, Ichie Ray Marshal Ezihe told the members of the old party not to rush out of the APC pending the determination of the suit against Governor Okorocha, regarding his status in the party.

He told them that they would move in a group to any other party when the time comes in order to protect their interests, adding that their movement must be determined by leaders such as Chief Udenwa, Hon. Obioha, Capt. Lambert Iheanacho (rtd) and others.

Chief Ezihe lamented that the pioneer members of the APC were made irrelevant in the party, resulting to Governor Okorocha’s men taking over every available position in both state and local government levels.

African Examiner findings also reveal that another major reason for the planned mass exodus was the recent alleged marginalization meted to the former governor and his camp in the reconstitution of the state expanded executive council of the party.

It was gathered that prior to that reconstitution, Chief Udenwa with Chief Mike Ahamba and Okorocha had negotiated on the way forward for the new party, APC.

The negotiation, it was learnt, was to give all sides a sense of belonging by ceding certain positions to them.

But, the governor was said to have shunned the agreement and appointed his loyalists in his cabinet without any known loyalists of the former governor.

However, as it stands now, the ACN members have become the beautiful bride of other parties in the state.

A chieftain of one of the political parties in the state, who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that discussion between president Goodluck Jonathan, and Udenwa has reached advance stage, over the possible return of the former governor and his supporters to the ruling PDP.