The news hit them like a thunderbolt. Many
residents of Imo State were shocked when
the news spread like a harmattan fire May
15, 2014, that sounds of loud explosions
were heard inside the Owerri residence of
the immediate past governor of the state,
Chief Ikedi Ohakim. The frightened
residents were later told that unidentified
persons threw bombs inside the Aladinma
residence of the former governor, leading to
the massive destruction of the house,
including household property worth
millions of naira.
When Chief Ohakim arrived at the affected
building, he wept profusely like a baby. He
told sympathisers that his ‘enemies’ had
destroyed the only house he built in Owerri,
the state capital.
According to the former governor who ruled
the state from 2007 to 2011 on the platform
of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), he
built the house in 1992 “with my hard
earned money” after serving as a
commissioner in the administration of late
Senator Evan Enwerem.
He said he had become homeless, at least in
Owerri capital city, following the bombing
of his Aladinma residence. He disclosed that
he went on a medical trip abroad
alongside
his family, and returned to the country few
days before the incident to participate in the
burial ceremonies of his late uncle.
According to him, he had on his return from
abroad decided to reside in the house, but
had to move to his country home Isiala
Mbano, alongside members of his family
when he had a hunch of danger ahead. The
implication is that the bomb explosion at
his Aladinma residence would have either
killed or maimed the former governor and
his family members.
But without waiting for security agents to
investigate the incident and come up with a
report, the ex-governor traced his ordeal at
the doorsteps of his perceived political
opponents.
The PDP leadership in Imo State described
the bomb explosion as shocking. State
secretary of the party, George Eguh told
journalists in Owerri, at a press briefing that
the bomb explosion in Ohakim’s house was
intended to kill the ex-governor.
Eguh said that there was no incident of
bomb blast or assassination attempt for the
12 years the PDP controlled the affairs of the
state.
But while condemning the bomb blast
during a press briefing, the state
commissioner for information and strategy,
Dr Theodore Ekechi, urged the PDP to look
inward for the perpetrators of the dastardly,
rather than point accusing fingers to
outsiders.
He said, “In as much as I sympathise with
the former governor, the PDP should look
inward rather than pointing accusing fingers
to outsiders, especially now that the PDP is
experience some problems in the state and
elsewhere”.
First, Ohakim was rumoured as having a
senatorial ambition – to unseat the
incumbent senator representing Okigwe
senatorial zone, Mathew Nwagwu. Other
politicians allegedly contending for this
plum job include the current speaker, Imo
State House of Assembly, Benjamin
Uwajumogu, and Cosmas Iwu, former
secretary to the Imo State government and
younger brother to former chairman,
Independent National Electoral
Commission, (INEC), Prof Maurice Iwu.
A source close to the former governor said
he later dropped the senatorial ambition,
after he felt he needed to go back to
Douglas House, (Government House,
Owerri), perhaps to pick some items he left
there following his ouster by the incumbent
Governor Rochas Anayo Okorocha.
Okorocha was elected governor in 2011 on
the platform of the All Progressives Grand
Alliance (APGA), but later defected to the
All Progressives Congress (APC).Ohakim
had since then, vowed to use the ‘federal
might’ to flush out the APC from the state.
In fact, Ohakim had scheduled to hold a
rally in Owerri on May 17, probably to
unveil his gubernatorial ambition, but the
bombing of his house on May 15, clearly
put a clog on the wheel of this proposal.
Some of his supporters say he is
discouraged, so the botched political outing
may be for another day.
LEADERSHIP sources in Owerri, say that if
Ohakim has ‘political enemies’, those
enemies exist within the PDP and not
outside of it.
And by ‘political enemies’, the source say
Ohakim may be referring to a prominent
woman politician in the PDP and a high
ranking House of Representatives member
from the state. Ohakim is also contending
with the governorship ambition of the
speaker of the House of Representatives,
Emeka Ihedioha.
Ihedioha is believed to be putting structures
in the 27 local government areas of the state
that would leverage his ambition to contest
the PDP governorship ticket in the state for
the 2015 general elections and is believed
to have the support of the national women
leader of PDP, Kema Chikwe.
Last week a group in Owerri allegedly close
to Ohakim, took up a full page newspaper
advertisement warning Chikwe to desist
from openly supporting Ihedioha’s alleged
gubernatorial ambition.
The group also urged the national
headquarters of the PDP to warn Chikwe to
desist from using her exalted position to
canvass support for Ihedioha at the
detriment of other politicians from the state
who may be as well interested in the
job. Though Ohakim said last week that he
would still make public his political
ambition, there is a groundswell of opinion
here that he should forget his rumoured
senatorial and/or governorship ambition.
“Will Okigwe zone fare better if he becomes
a senator, or will he do better than Okorocha
if he becomes governor again” queried one
cab driver in Owerri.[Leadership]
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