Osita Izunaso, the
senator representing Imo West under the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) may be on his way to joining the All Progressive
Grand Alliance (APGA) where he hopes to have another shot at the Senate
in 2015.
Mr Izunaso who was
defeated by Hope Uzodinma for the Imo West seat under the PDP, is
believed to have been one of the major financiers of APGA during the
last Imo governorship election.
Although still a
PDP member, the senator allegedly had all his campaign directors
working for the APGA during the governorship election, thus confirming
speculations regarding his plan.
He was also one of
the early callers to the home of Imo governor-elect, Rochas Okorocha,
as soon as he was declared winner by INEC.
Last weekend, Mr
Izunaso travelled out with Mr Okorocha to London where they went to
express appreciation to Imo people residing there for their support
which led to the victory of APGA during the election.
The senator who
was quoted as describing APGA as the party of the future for Ndi-Igbo,
had also averred that APGA remained the only veritable platform for the
actualisation of Igbo presidency in 2015.
His supporters
have been flooding his home with lobbyists who want to be given
political appointments in Mr Okorocha’s government.
Free to decamp
Though some PDP
members have criticised Mr Izunaso’s romance with APGA, describing it
as “anti-party action,” a director in his campaign organisation,
Kingsley Ufere disagreed saying the senator was free to associate with
anybody.
“Senator Izunaso
is an adult and free to associate with anybody not to talk of our
governor-elect. So, I don’t see anything wrong in that,” he told our
reporter.
But he was quick
to point out that Mr Izunaso was still a member of the PDP until he
served out his tenure in the next few days as the senator representing
Orlu zone.
A PDP leader from
Oru West, Mr Izunaso’s home local government area, Festus Nwoha,
however said it was immoral for the senator to have supported APGA
financially and otherwise against his own party during the governorship
election.
He recalled that
the same Mr Izunaso had in 2007 during a House of Assembly bye-election
in his constituency, supported an APGA candidate. Donatus Onuigwe,
against his own party, PDP.
“If he wants to
join APGA, let him declare formally since he has openly been funding
and associating with them,” Mr Nwoha submitted.
