By Matthew Don
The woos of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State got messier on Tuesday as his plan to use civil servants to protest against the All Progressive Congress (APC) leadership and the Presidency for refusing to give his son in-law, Uche Nwosu, the governorship ticket for 2019 election failed woefully.
It was outrage in Owerri the capital city of Imo State as teachers and other civil servants were, against their will, were coerced into embarking on an unwarranted protest against the National Leadership of APC and the Presidency over perceived failure of the party in considering Okorocha’s son-in-law, Nwosu, as the standard bearer of Imo APC for the election next year.
In what may be described as high level of desperation, Governor Okorocha, realizing his son-in-law has been totally excluded in the political permutation of APC in the State, had through the Chief of Staff, Ken Ejiogu, sent invitations to teachers for what he called “Education Advocacy Programme”.
To the teachers greatest surprise, at the venue, the unsuspecting civil servants were handed over placards to go on protest against Comrade Adams Oshiomole-led National Working Committee (NWC) and the Presidency.
According to one of them who simply wishes to be identified as Samuel, he described the action of those he described as government house people as unfortunate. “We were tricked into coming for a programme but were disappointed to be asked to join in protest for Ugwumba Nwosu to secure APC ticket. What is our business with that? ” he enthused.
A teacher who also spoke on the condition of anonymity regretted honouring the invite, describing it as a sham. “How can a government call people out for a programme but only to come out to be asked to be campaigning for a governorship aspirant? Well, I am happy that most of our people tactically refused to join them.”
This last minute effort at undermining the party is coming on the dawn of barrage of attacks on the Oshiomole and President Muhammadu Buhari by Governor Okorocha, who has threatened to work against the party during 2019 general elections if his son-in-law turned Chief of Staff is not handed over the APC governorship ticket.
An aide to Governor Okorocha on electoral matters had earlier boasted of how Okorocha will ensure that APC and Buhari will fail in the State and other South East States should they fail to give Nwosu the APC governorship ticket.
Governor Okorocha himself had also threatened to work against the party if his will is not done by Oshiomole-led National Working Committee of the party. He was said to have told his audience at the Government House Chapel last Sunday.
The workers, it was learnt, were confused as they were threatened with outright sack should they resist to do Governor Okorocha’s bidding of going on protest.
In contrast with Governor Okorocha’s claim that there was no primary election on October 1, 2018 in the State, one of his boys from Nassarawa State who joined Hon. Chike Okafor on a live programme on AIT confirmed that Ahmed Gulak-led Primary Election Committee actually conducted a primary election at the 305 INEC wards of the State.
At press time, Governor Okorocha is in Abuja with Nwosu where he is purported to be moving from one office to another, still believing a last minute effort to push in his son-in-law, a wish that has been described as a pipe dream with the facts on ground.
Meanwhile, some workers have lamented of threats coming from Government House, dragging them into partisan politics especially the act of arm twisting them into going against the standard rule.