Crisis is brewing in All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Imo State following alleged plans to impose ex-Governor Ikedi Ohakim as sole governorship candidate for the 2019 election.
Ohakim, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015, defected to APGA in a ceremony believed to have been sponsored by those outside the state working to ensure he clinched the ticket.
Ohakim had lost his re-election bid to APGA in 2011.
It was gathered the plot, which is in an advanced stage, didnโt go down well with most aspirants who felt betrayed after investing in the party.
APGA parades 23 aspirants, far more than any other, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A source within the leadership said some powerful persons within the party have raised fund to bankroll the plan.
He said: โThe party leaders chose Ohakim for strategic reasons. For instance, he is the only person who has only one term and more suitable for Okigwe zone, which has been agitating for another four years to complete its eight years which was truncated in 2011. And Owerri zone will be comfortable with that too.
โWe know that the move will create ripples in the party, but it is the way to go if APGA must win the state. But I also know that the leadership of the party is already meeting with most of the aspirants to ensure that Ohakim is ratified as the partyโs governorship candidate for the 2019 electionโ.
But some aspirants dismissed the allegation as unfounded and unthinkable. They insisted on fair primaries or nothing.
โWe will resist any plot to impose anybody on the party,โ they vowed.
Party chieftain MacDonald Enwere described the allegation as laughable, saying โthe party is geared towards providing a level-playing field for all aspirants, so there wonโt be anything like sole candidate. If anybody is going about claiming to be a sole candidate, the party is not aware of thatโ.
APGAโs state Publicity Secretary George Nkworji described the allegation as the handiwork of mischief makers. According to him, APGA will conduct credible primaries to elect its candidates for all positions.
He said: โAPGA has not adopted anybody and will not adopt anybody. APGA has suffered more than any other political party in the state. We are poised to win the 2019 election and we will not compromise that for anybody.โ
