Politics
2023/24: Okorocha May Back Owerri Candidate as Araraume May return to the Senate
There are very strong indications that former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha may be pitching his political tent, with a candidate from Owerri zone, in his effort to wrestle power from the current governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
This is as the rumour of his planned defection to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP continues to gather steam.
Okorocha have been in the news in recent times over plot to dump the All Progressives Congress APC, where he has been having a long running supremacy battle with the current Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
While some believe Okorocha might be heading to the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP, which is today positioning to be the next mega party in the country come 2023, there are strong indications that Okorocha might settle back to the PDP.
Proponents of the NNPP move are of the view that Okorocha might not be able to displace the likes of Jones Onyeriri for the party’s Orlu senate ticket, after he eventually crashes out of the APC Presidential ticket race and may be able to secure that of the NNPP.
The NNPP proponents are also of the view that former senator Ifeanyi Araraume would not be following his son to the PDP, but would run for governorship under the NNPP.
However some allies of the former senator who spoke to CrudePen suggest that the Isiebu Isiala Mbano born businessman, may settle for the senate come 2023.
They believe PDP is Araraume’s destination while Okorocha would be backing an Owerri zone candidate with his son-in-law Uche Nwosu, deputising the person.
There had been rumours of an alleged plan to make Uche Nwosu the running mate of Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, but there are speculations that Ihedioha might not contest in 2023, if Aminu Tambuwal should secure the presidential ticket of the PDP and pick Ihedioha as his Vice.
At present, Okorocha has lost all holds he had on the party in the state, and with the ruling of the court against Daniel Nwafor, there may be nothing left for him to stay in the party for, after he makes his more likely unsuccessful run at the party’s presidential ticket.
The PDP might yet be expecting the return of a lost sheep while the NNPP may yet see an addition to its ranks.