As Imo PDP faithful await justice… By Uzoma Nwalozie

Even the least discerning watcher of the political terrain in Imo State would have noticed that even the presidential campaign standard bearer of by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday January 17, 2015, has not wiped away the widespread doubt over the prospects of the party winning the governorship election on February 28, 2015.

Apart from that, the event was poorly managed in terms of time. Majority of those who were around the venue of the event were taken aback by the enthusiasm which supporters of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, believed to have won the December 8, 2014 governorship primaries, demonstrated.

The supporters of the senator, who is currently in court with the party over the conduct of the December 8, 2014 election, were the most visible of the different groups that graced the occasion. As a matter of fact, a first time visitor in the state would have thought that it was Senator Araraume that was being presented as the governorship candidate of the party. Matters were not helped by the late arrival of the presidential campaign team at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, venue of the event. By the time President Goodluck Jonathan arrived with his entourage at about 5pm, the stadium was half empty, as those mobilised by the official candidate, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, had left after waiting for upwards of nine hours.

Those who remained behind were either too tired or lacked the morale to show the usual enthusiasm, leaving the Araraume boys, who were wearing vests with the insignia of the senator, to provide the needed glamour and colour. Although the Araraume supporters did not chant any songs in praise of him (they lauded Jonathan and the PDP) their very visible presence contrasted sharply with the rather lack-luster attitude of those who wore vests bearing the green-capped head of the candidate.

As was rightly reported in the media, Senator Araraume was conspicuously absent at the rally but the actions of his supporters made a big statement. One, Senator Araraume’s boys were not campaigning for him, since he is not yet the governorship candidate of the party. They came to show solidarity with the party on such an important occasion. The question then was: Why would his supporters, who might not have acted without his consent, go to show such level of solidarity given that their principal is contesting the emergence of Hon Ihedioha as the governorship candidate of the party? The answer is not far-fetched. Those who have followed the political trajectory of Senator Araraume would attest to the fact that he has always been a good and loyal party member. Senator Araraume believes in the cohesiveness of the party, even its supremacy.  In other words, regardless of his protestations over the conduct of the governorship primaries, the two-time senator has demonstrated that he is interested in the success of the party.

It is also because he is a disciplined man and believes in party discipline that his supporters, even in his absence, conducted themselves with a level of decorum that humbled those who criticise him for the actions he took over the poorly handled governorship primaries of December 8, 2014. Of course, there are those who argue that the presence of the Araraume fans tended to create the impression that there are two candidates for the PDP – an obviously unhealthy situation. But they fail it because apart from that the fans, as seen, conducted themselves quite well, their presence was rather a boast for the PDP governorship campaigns, given the present circumstances.

The proof to this is the fact that the Ihedioha campaign handlers quickly went to town with the message that the presence of Araraume’s fans at the flag off event meant that the senator had backed out from his search for justice and fair play. How cheap! Of course, that propaganda move made many tongues wagging. That claim was certainly worrisome to a majority of Imolites, who are silently in support of Araraume’s moves to ensure that the perpetrators of the December 8 fraud do not go away with it. But their hope was soon restored when a few days later, the Araraume Governorship Campaign Organisation came up with a statement to debunk the earlier claim by the Ihedioha camp. The vehemence with which the Arararume handlers  made the reputation shows that it is not yet Uhuru for the PDP, as far as the governorship candidacy matter is concerned.

Apparently, the Ihedioha camp was taking advantage of the industrial action by federal judiciary workers to try to sell to the Imo electorate that the matter was over. But that’s naïve and a grand deception of the good people of Imo State. With the resumption of the courts, there can be no doubt that hostilities will resume. Yes, the campaigns ought to go on but keen watchers of the Imo political terrain know that there are still problems. The PDP is almost loosing grip of the whole of Okigwe senatorial zone where Araraume comes from and where he commands a lot of following. Another top politician in the zone, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, a few days ago declared support for Ihedioha after a long period of hesitation. But those in the know point out that Ohakim’s change of heart may not significantly change the fortunes of the PDP in the (Okigwe) zone whose people feel quite aggrieved. Of course, between Ohakim and Araraume, the latter holds the joker as far as Okigwe zone politics is concerned. The last governorship primaries was at least one big proof. Prior to it, Araraume was considered down and out as he had no single delegate to the primaries.

On the eve of the election, the general feeling was that it was a straight fight between Ohakim, the immediate past governor of the state, and Ihedioha. But the delegates went to the venue and spoke their minds by overwhelmingly voting for Araraume. That he is yet to be declared their choice candidate still baffles those delegates who posted their preferences beyond pecuniary considerations. That puzzle is what they are looking forward for an answer to from the courts.

• Nwalozie wrote in from Owerri.