The intention of the governor of Imo state Mallam Owelle Rochas Okorocha to gamble in the next general election by trying his size in the race for presidency as well as go for governorship position if he fails to grab the plum ticket of his party or that of Vice-Presidency is suffering fresh hitches.
Reason, the latest time table released by the All Progressive Congress, APC, he intends to use its platform to seek elective post has changed plans to hold the presidential primaries last in the series of the party primaries which begins this month.
The initial time table released earlier had favoured Mallam Okorocha’s game of luck which would have seen him run for the presidential ticket and if he fails will step down to aspire for governorship where he appears to be a lone ranger in Imo state arm APC.
Mallam Okorocha has continued to keep people of the state especially his APC supporters in suspense over his next political destination. While aspirants for 2015 election have openly made categorical statements about the position they want, Mallam Okorocha has been dilly-dallying with mesmerizing verbal concoctions about seeking national office positions where as his body language and underneath political game plan shows he is deeply interested and working for a second tenure.
Mallam Okorocha at different forum has been confusing people more when he demanded for money and signatures from those wanting him to run for governorship whereas he engages in verbal war about APC presidential race challenge.
While Mallam Okorocha continued to announce intention to seek for presidency by matching words with action through a campaign team and monetary supports to all states of the federation as awareness program of his intention, none of his APC members have so far declared intention to replace him in Government House, Owerri by seeking APC guber ticket in 2015.
However, the decision of Okorocha to gamble with presidential and governorship positions at the same time come next election has received serious knocks with the Presidential race primaries coming last in the schedule.
According to the APC time table from the national head quarters made available to the media, expression of interest forms for all offices will go on sale from Oct 6, 2014. Details of the Time Table suggest that the expression of form will be the first stage to cage Mallam Okorocha and ensure he officially goes for one particular position instead of the double race he intends to run.
After sale of intention forms, all intending contenders forms for those seeking APC governorship begins collection October 20 and ends Nov 9 while screening starts Nov 10-12. Appeals is for Nov 13-14. The governorship primaries holds Nov 15, this year. Appeals emanating from the conduct will be from Nov 18 to 22.
Okorocha who is interested in second term will have no option than to express intention and formerly buy the governorship form on or before, Nov 9, to stand for election Nov 15. The action will however knock him off to be eligible to stand for the expected Presidential primaries of APC scheduled for Dec 2 which will mark the final congress of the main opposition party in Nigeria.
APC presidential primaries believed to be the climax of the party’s congress, begins with collection of form almost at the same time the governorship exercise will be taking place across the country. While Nov 6 is the end of date for collection of forms, screening of presidential aspirants takes place Nov 14&15 while there is a date for appeals, before the convention of Dec 2.
The latest development is said to be putting Mallam Okorocha in a fix about next line of action even as all indications tend to the fact that the recent campaign team he raised was aimed at securing a second tenure ticket he has no challenger to battle with in Imo APC.
Trumpeta learnt that even as the push Mallam Okorocha is making about presidency race has been translated as subtle means to seek bargaining power for Vice-Presidency slot to any would be president, the time table was carefully designed by APC chieftains at the national level to put him in tight corner. Since this new time table debuted as well as the coming Oct 6 date for collection of interest form, Mallam Okorocha has been having meetings with aides, stakeholders and APC facilitators for his next move
By Thompson Agu
