Govs Otti, Mba, Eno, Oborevwori Set To Defect To APC
From Omaka OKOH (ABAKALIKI), Osazua IMAFIDON (BENIN) and Emmanuel ESSIEN (UYO)
THE race for 2027 elections seems to gathering momentum as five Governors are set to dump their parties for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Governors who are set for defection, baring any last minute change of minds, are Alex Otti of Abia, Peter Mbah, Enugu, Umoh Eno, Akwa Ibom, and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state.
While Otti is of the Labour Party (LP) the other three Governors are of leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Both LP and PDP have been battling post-election crisis, leading to factionalisation of the leadership.
Investigations by THE BEAGLE NEWS revealed that most of the Governors have been under pressure by some top notch stakeholders holding powerful positions to defect to APC for easy actualisation of their second term tickets.
SOUTH EAST
It was gathered that the South East Governors are being wooed by top echelon of APC to ensure that PDP is decapitated in the zone ahead of 20227.
The South East is one of the fortress zones of PDP and has remained so since 1999. The zone had always delivered massively for PDP in any Presidential election.
So, political spin doctors are all out to "capture" the zone by moving into various political parties with full force while discreetly wooing political gladiators across board that could turn things around for President Tinubu in 2027.
The spin doctors lead by the former Governor of Ebonyi state and Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi, and Governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodimma, are backed by the Presidency and the some members of the kitchen cabinet, who welds tremendous influence on the party leadership.
These spin doctors are said to be deploying all arsenals at their disposal to dislodge PDP from South East, arguing that Presidency and APC have done tremendously well for Ndifereke Igbo.
They further argue that for over decades, Ndifereke Igbo has never had it so good in terms of appointments and infrastructural development within the zone.
According to them, "Tinubu has shown Ndi Igbo an unprecedented respect, love and brotherhood" that he can be trusted in the present circumstances. Therefore, the urgent need to start wooing the Governors with mouth-watering offer and automatic ticket in APC for second term ahead of 2027."
Governor Otti’s council chairmen and some loyalists are already in Zenith Labour Party where they holds sway even as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, had been mounting pressure on Otti to join the APC.
An insider in APC and from the zone, who spoke off record to our correspondent, admitted that machinery is on to woo Oti and Mba to APC just as Anambra Governor has entered into an alliance to work for Tinubu while Presidency supports him for a second term.
Political pundits argue that Ndi Igbo seem very comfortable with Tinubu's accommodating style of politics and have already bought over the hearts of Igbo political leaders.
Already, Ohanaze leadership has endorsed Tinubu for second term and the visit my not have been unconnected with the plots to woo Igbo Governors and critical stakeholders of the zone.
However, the recent visit of President Almed Bola Tinubu to the state, was a golden opportunity to cement long-standing friendship between Mba and Tinubu, which started in Lagos long before the former became a Governor
The governors are said to have denied such moves, describing it as "just mere rumour usually making the rounds ahead of every general election."
The spokesman of Enugu State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uchenna Obute Udi, described the alleged defection as falsehood.
SOUTH SOUTH
In Akwa Ibom state, the relationship between Governor Umoh Eno and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has caused mutual suspicion among political stakeholders.
The recent statement credited to Eno during his valedictory dinner for his former commissioners and Special Advisers depicts that Eno wants to be his own man.
It is also perhaps an indication that the Governor maybe preparing to jump ship and secure his second term under a favourable umbrella and play national politics.
