The unending drama currently rocking the politics of Imo state was at play again at the state house of assembly as lawmakers in the Imo House of Assembly returned to the chessboard to determine who leads them in the new administration, ushered in barely two weeks ago via a supreme court judgement.
The Speaker of the Imo House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins representing Isiala Mbano Constituency defected after noticing that PDP members in the house has consistently been on the decrease following the first 4 defection of its members two weeks ago, and with the defection of another 7 along with one of the strongest mouth piece of the party Hon. Amb Uche Ogbuagu the member representing Ikeduru Constituency in Imo State House of Assembly and serial entrepreneur that runs 2 radio stations in the state.. and two other assembly members , Rt. Hon Chiji Collins came to the realization that there is no future for him and his ambition if he still remains in PDP, in the state.
APC’s Rapid Progress in the Assembly..
The cards are playing out perfectly for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, 9 defections earlier in the week had their numbers strengthened from 1 to 10, which if added the 4 assembly members of AA their sister party in the state brings their number to 14 though the seat for Njaba Constituency underwent a rerun on January 25th with the AA member occupying it Mrs Uju Jovita Onwudiwe emerged victorious with 6142 votes while
Charles Abia of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Perry Uchenna Ekwunazo of All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 5,487 and got 2,662 votes respectively ,this victory for AA when complimented with the 4 recent defections from PDP has raised the number of the APC Assembly members in state to 19 with PDP at 8.
APC and AA, the Unification Of Strange Bed Fellows..
It is not yet finally uhuru for Governor Hope Uzodinma’s APC regardless of its marriage of convenience with Action Alliance Party in the state which can go wrong at anytime depending on the interest of the stakeholders in the party.
And since the leaders of the two party were foes till few weeks ago APC are not throwing in all their hope of averting impeachment on a relationship tainted with heavy fragilities despite the fact that Ugwumba Uche Nwosu has fully returned back to his former party under Hope Uzodinma but 3 assembly members of AA has so far defected and only 1 remained put in their party ,a weak signal of the party’s intention to become the 4th power house in Imo Politics alongside PDP,APGA and APC. So with more defections from PDP Senator Hope Uzodinma is finally at a safe place with more numbers from other sides than just AA in case of a future fall out
The Impact of the Resignation of the Deputy Speaker..
The resignation of Rt Hon.Okey Onyekanma from the position of deputy speaker of the Imo assembly citing zoning plan of the assembly engineered the defection of Hon. Chyna Iwuanyanwu from PDP to APC part of his strategic moves to increase his chance of emerging as the new deputy speaker in the shortest time possible because of his ample relationship with the new Governor who comes from the same political zone with him ,which is where the position of deputy speaker has been zoned to, but cutting deals to pave way for himself has not been easy for him as all the assembly members from the 11 LGAs in Orlu zone are eligible for the office of deputy speaker.
Imo Next Speaker and the Fate of Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins..
The main issue in the house is who emerges the speaker of the house which according to the zoning of the democratic arrangement in the state still remains in the Okigwe Zone and with the state house adopting a law that only a ranking member can assume the position of speaker is also playing to the favour of Rt. Hon.Chiji Collins who returned to the Imo assembly after winning his election under APGA last year and is representing Isiala Mbano Constituency in Okigwe zone of the state which has given him double credence for the position with only Rt Hon.Kennedy Ibe of the AA but now APC as one of the major contender as a ranking member from Okigwe zone in the power play.
There are unconfirmed speculation that the new Governor is willing to give his blessing and support the re emergence of Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins as the speaker of the house and continue in the position under him, if only he will just publicly defect to APC, which the Speaker did yesterday regardless of the discomfort it must have caused him after the people’s democratic party’s unanimous agreement for none of their remaining 12 house of assembly member not to defect anymore at an inner caucus meeting that they held at the country home of Chief. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu the leading party chieftain in the state which now has been flouted by the speaker and 3 more house members
As Rt Hon Chiji Colins has finally come clean to where his loyalty lies in the new administration and hoping that fate plays in his favour and enable him to retain his seat at the apex of the Imo House of Assembly.
The 8 Honourable Members that recently defected to Apc are as follows;
Rt Hon Chiji Collins
Rt Hon Barr Kennedy Ibe
OBOWO
Hon Amb Uche Ogbuagu
IKEDURU
Hon Chigozie Nwaneri
ORU EAST
Hon Dominic Ezerioha
ORU WEST
Hon Kanayo Onyemaechi
OWERRI WEST
Hon Michael Crown
IHITE UBOMA
Hon Eddie Obinna
ABOH MBAISE