By Celephina Onovo
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State is still unrelenting in efforts to undermine his deputy, Eze Madumere as the governor has moved to incite his deputy’s kinsmen with him.
Okorocha did by setting up a committee from Madumere’s local government where the members are all aides to his son in-law’s chief of staff, Uche Nwosu.
It is no longer news that since Madumere declared intention to be Governor of Imo State, in 2019, his boss has been undermining his efforts, vowing to do everything within his powers to whittle down the rising profile of his deputy.
Okorocha has at various meetings lamented the decision of his deputy not to key into his project of imposing his son-in-law on Imo people as his successor, labeling Madumere as one of his arch enemies.
Madumere has superintended and successfully managed Okorocha’s political dynasty for well over two decades. Along the line, he succeeded in building for it solid base with widespread following. His loyalty and humility have also been noted in the right circles.
However, both the boss and the loyal disciple seem to be operating on different wavelength now based on the issue of ambition. Yet, Madumere has said repeatedly that he is not in any way quarreling with his boss, only that he differs with him on personal agenda and vision to govern darling Imo State ahead 2019.
The Deputy Governor is convinced that given the chance to govern, Imo would be taken to where it ought to be.
While endorsing himself for Imo West Senatorial position, Okorocha, advised his deputy to also proceed to the Senate, an offer Madumere politely turned down, insisting he has the requisite experience, exposure and vision to be the next governor of Imo State.
Regrettably, many misinterpreted Madumere’s standpoint as a rebellion, fueling suspicion that he had parted way with the outgoing governor. He had denied insinuations that he is out to engage Okorocha in a political duel.
Madumere said: “Make no mistake to believe that I am in the race for personal vendetta. God forbid. I bear no grudges. At least you all know that I have served meritoriously and that by my training I am a seasoned Administrator with exposure like no other.
“I have operated at the higher echelon in the private sector starting from corporate America to Nigerian private sector and then to the public sector. And by the special grace of God, I have excelled in every responsibility I have ever been assigned to handle together with the ones I took up myself.”
However developments in Imo have shown that all may not be well after all. There are indications that some landmines had long been sowed against the deputy governor, as Okorocha considered him a stumbling block to his intention to install his son-in-law who many believed is inexperienced.
The image of Okorocha’s son-in-law in the minds of Imolites is that of a man enmeshed in mind blowing deals, which brought him to the status of an overnight wealthy man.
Regrettably, Madumere is seen to be contending with the antics to repress and deflate him ahead of the next governorship election. He is being starved of fund based on a paltry monthly allocation for his office.
Okorocha’s son-in-law is said to have been part of the deal to bring down Madumere with unconfirmed sources quoting him as boasting about how he has been able to strip the Deputy Governor of the powers due to his office, including shutting him out of major meetings and ensuring that his aides are impoverished.
It is believed Okorocha backs the assault on his deputy which at times includes verbal attacks and name-calling.
His Chief Press secretary Sam Onwuemeodo had at one outing some time ago described Madumere as having no political value is leading the attack and at another media outing, said he would win Deputy Governor even at his ward, an attack people described as provocative.
The most recent effort to break the Deputy Governor’s guts came with the setting up of Mbaitoli New Management Committee on Roads and Projects, a creation that has no bearing with the realities on ground, according to the people of Mbaitoli.
The Committee had visited the local government last week claiming the governor was worried that nothing much had been achieved in the Deputy Governor’s local government with so much allocation of fund.
Before now, Okorocha had at different fora talked about Deputy Governor’s effort and pleas to him to come to the aid of his people over poor road network in his local government, which have been causing pains for the people with and collapse of socio-economic activities in the area.
This is because among all the major roads, only Obazu-orie Mbieri, Orodo were rehabilitated to an extent. However, the deputy governor had played a vital role to ensure that contractors utilized whatever resources approved for the said job.
What many found most annoying about the Committee according one Uche Cornelius is that all the members are drawn from the office of the Chief of Staff.
Many believed the idea of the Committee was a height of provocation against the deputy governor. Some of the members of the committee are: Mr Daniel Nwafor, Godstime Samuel, Ugochukwu Onwusereaka, Prince Odunze as the Chairman and they are all personal aides to the Governor’s son-in-law and are all from Mbaitoli local government area of Imo State.
This was coming after various attempts to impeach the Deputy Governor failed following an outcry from the people of Imo State.
Developments within the Imo All Progressives Congress (APC) at the moment have reached a feverish pitch while plans by the Governor to change all the party executives and replace them with those loyal to his son-in-law has started creating ripples within the party. At the moment stakeholders are vowing to resist the plan even with their blood.
Meanwhile, Madumere may not be alone in the whole conundrum as there plans to reshuffle, which is targeted at rooting out those who are not compliant to the project of foisting the Governor’s son-in-law on the people of Imo State.
All efforts to reach deputy governor’s media aide, Uche Onwuchekwa to react proved abortive at press time.