As the 2019 general election beckons, politicians across political parties and tribal divides have started clandestine moves to seek new allies that may result in what political analysts call a new political order.
The shocking and deft move, The Daily Times authoritatively gathered is coming from the South-East geo-political zone known for playing along the right wing of the nation’s political turf, in which few gladiators are negotiating a shift in political camp to the progressives fold.
Fingered in the move is Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, elected in 2015 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governor, who is believed not to be working in isolation, has the support of few of his PDP governors in the zone in negotiating with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with the option of switching gear before the 2019 elections.
The horse trading, it was further gathered, could not be unconnected with the permutation of likely power play in the next dispensation. His colleagues – Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State are believed to be at the background while pushing Ikpeazu forward as the arrowhead of the negotiation with the APC, at the regional level.
Their calculation might not be divorced from their interest to secure second term ticket which they believe could be possible by being in the mainstream of power.
The performance of the APC candidate in the last Anambra State governorship election, Dr. Tony Nwoye, who came second in the race despite having not been long in the APC, is another factor that many consider might also be a motivation for those looking in the direction of the party.
The Daily Times findings also revealed that notable political figures of Igbo extraction that jumped ship from the PDP to the APC are strongly instrumental in the negotiation process.
This, however, is irrespective of disquiet by some Igbos especially those sympathetic to the secessionist drive being championed by the Nnamdi Kanu-led banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu and Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha are fingered as go-between in luring South-East PDP governors to the APC.
A source told The Daily Times that “It is about time that the Igbos have to move to the mainstream of political power in the country.
We have suffered enough neglect, every time we talk of being marginalised in public positions and infrastructural development. But if we strive to be in the ruling party, I think things will be better and our region will be developed. It is enough of playing opposition.”
Also speaking on the development, another source close to the Abia State Government House, however said that though he could not confirm whether or not the governor was having any talks with the APC, but that he can confirm that the government was eager to properly position himself for future political moves.
According to the source, “2019 is around the corner, the governor like every other politician will want to secure his future and with the way the PDP is going, no one can be sure what the future of the party is, so I will not be surprised if the governor is looking in the direction of the ruling party at the centre.”
President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-day official visit to Ebonyi and Anambra states in the South East region was more than meet the eyes as it goes beyond campaigning for the APC candidate in the Anambra governorship election.
The visit was not only historical, being his first to the South-East since the inception of the APC-led Federal Government in 2015 and his address to Ebonyi State Leaders of Thought and Traditional Rulers at a meeting in Government House, Abakaliki was symbolic.
The President was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Enyioma 1 of Ebonyi (Trustworthy friend of Ebonyi) by Eze Charles Mkpuna while the South East traditional rulers led by Eberechi Dick conferred on him the chieftaincy title of Ochioha Ndigbo (Leader of Igbo people).
It is instructive to note that the President assured the people of South East that his administration would ensure timely execution of roads, power and other projects in the region.
Buhari also inaugurated the 14.5km Abakiliki-Afikpo federal road constructed by the Ebonyi State government and launched the 700-metre dual flyover over the Trans-Sahara route, running from Enugu to Cameroon, and the Sen. Offia Nwali flyover, all in the state capital.
Setting the tone for reconciliation, it was believed that President Buhari during his visit tried to mediate in the crisis rocking the APC in Ebonyi State.
The party chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has been accused by some members of fueling the crisis by taking side with one of the factions.
This was evident in his relationship with the immediate past governor of Ebonyi State, Martin Elechi, who alongside the former caretaker committee chairman of Ebonyi Local Government Area, Anselem Enigwe and over 100 others received him on his visit last Friday.
Odigie-Oyegun was accused of appointing the state deputy chairman, Mr. Nwachukwu as acting chairman of the party in the state in spite of the court injunction restraining the national chairman from tampering with the state congress which elected Mr. Nwobasi as the state chairman of the party.
The source informed that there is likely going to be a realignment meeting of the APC and the PDP governors in the zone with other leaders of thought under the pretense of regional development summit.
But reacting to the development, another source in Abia Government House, who would not want to be named because he has no authority to speak for the governor, denied that the governor was contemplating moving to the APC.
He wondered why anyone would even imagine that Governor Ikpeazu would contemplate such move at a time the PDP was returning to its winning ways.
The source said, “Ikpeazu is very involved in planning for the success of the PDP convention in December and anyone speculating that he is planning to join the APC is only day dreaming.”
