IHEDIOHA’S VISIT TO BUHARI: A DESPERATION TO CLING ON TO POWER, ILLEGALLY? By ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES
Yesterday, my governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha paid what might as well be his first ever visit to President Muhammadu Buhari. The former deputy speaker has never hidden his revulsion for the President, either in or out of office.
While the governor has come out to give a version to what he actually went to tell the President in Aso Rock, the public, especially, the Imo public thinks otherwise. The governor’s claim that he visited the President to discuss areas of partnership with the FG on infrastructure and agriculture has particularly been dismissed by a number of analysts, with some of these analysts arguing that even if there is any iota of truth in Ihedioha’s claim, the timing is suspect.
Sometime last week, someone suggested that the governor is desperately trying to warm up to the presidency and other power brokers at the center, to see how some buttons may be pressed for him, to enable him escape the hammer of the judiciary.
As the only governor in the country at the moment whose declaration as governor-elect fell short of Constitutional requirements, Chief Ihedioha’s private visit to the Presidential Villa has attracted many interpretations from different analysts. Some of these interpretations include;
- That the governor might have gone to beg the President to use his influence to prevail on the Tribunal not to give an unfavorable judgement against him.
- That the Imo governor may have gone to negotiate for federal support during the almost imminent run-off or rerun election.
- There have been social media rumors to the effect that the governor has assured the President and some leaders of the APC of his willingness to cross carpet to the APC, should he retain his seat as governor, either through a judicial coup supported by the President or a run-off election in which he secures the support of Abuja.
- There have also been insinuations that the governor may be seeking Abuja’s assurance to allow him take over the APC structure in the State, before next year, when the runoff election is likely to take place.
- However, some people close to the governor have also suggested that the governor may be aiming to deceive the President and presidency, to secure his position, after which he will turn fiercely against the President and the presidency, especially, towards 2023.
Sometime last week, the governor was also caught trying desperately to win the attention of the Vice-President. Some members of the PDP expressed fear that considering that the governor is still facing a very credible challenge over his nomination, he might be seeking to get his way around the Supreme Court panel handling Samdaddy’s appeal against the governor’s nomination as PDP candidate.
One must concede that the governor has every right to visit the president, privately, even though they do not belong to the same Party, but considering the integrity baggage hanging on his neck, such visits by the governor to the President and other Abuja power brokers are bound to raise eyebrows from critical quarters.
IMO MUST MOVE FORWARD!