VZCZCXRO5252
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #0315 2050646
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 240646Z JUL 09
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0897
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0485
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS LAGOS 000315 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: IMO STATE GOVERNOR TO SWITCH TO PDP ON JULY 25 
 
REF:  ABUJA 845 
LAGOS 264 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  After weeks of speculation and denial, Imo State 
Governor Ikedi Ohakim of the Progressive Peoples' Alliance (PPA) has 
now finalized his plan to switch to the Peoples' Democratic Party 
(PDP).  PPA leaders have threatened to drag him to the Supreme Court 
if he leaves the party.  However, the PDP holds a strong majority in 
Imo State, and this move should secure Ohakim a re-election in 2011. 
 End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On July 21, George Egwu, Governor Ohakim's Special Adviser 
on security matters told PolSpec that the governor has indeed 
decided to switch over to the PDP.  On July 25, Governor Ikedi 
Ohakim will formally publicize his defection to the PDP at a 
ceremony in the Imo State capital of Owerri (Note:  Governor Ohakim 
won the April 14, 2007 election on the ticket of the PPA after he 
quit the PDP following disputed governorship primaries held on 
December 11, 2006.  End note).  President Umaru Yar'Adua will lead 
ranking PDP members to attend the ceremony and formally accept 
Ohakim into PDP's fold.  (Note: On July 16, Bright Nwelue, Governor 
Ohakim's Special Adviser on Public Affairs, told PolSpec he was 
unaware of any ceremony planned for July 25, describing media 
reports of the event as false.  End Note.) 
 
¶3. (SBU) Prior to Ohakim's planned defection, several groups had 
pressured him to cross over to the PDP.  In April, the PDP-dominated 
State House of Assembly passed a resolution urging Ohakim to switch 
over to the PDP.  The legislators later visited Ohakim and 
reportedly pleaded with him to join the PDP.  Many traditional 
rulers and politicians from the Governor's immediate constituency 
held political rallies to urge Ohakim to cross to the PDP.  They 
argued that he could not secure a second term without the majority 
party's support.  However, Orji Uzo Kalu, former Abia State Governor 
and Chairman of the Board of Trusties of the PPA, has threatened to 
take Ohakim to the Supreme Court if he leaves his party for the PDP. 
 Orji argued that since Ohakim was elected governor on PPA's ticket, 
he cannot join another party before the expiration of his tenure. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Imo state is a PDP-dominated state with the usual political 
power games.  Ohakim left the PDP following disputed governorship 
primaries in December 2006, when Ifeanyi Ararume, the leading PDP 
candidate during the primaries, instituted a legal action urging the 
Supreme Court to declare him the rightful winner of the primaries 
(Note:  The PDP had replaced Ararume with another candidate Charles 
Ugwu without a clear reason.  End note.)  The Supreme Court ruled in 
Ararume's favor and declared him the party's candidate for the April 
14, 2007, governorship election.  Angered by the Supreme Court 
ruling, the PDP announced it would field no candidate for that 
election.  Instead, the party struck a deal with a rival party 
candidate, Ohakim (who had by then joined the PPA), and urged its 
members and supporters to vote for him during the election.  Ohakim 
won the election with PDP's massive support.  The PDP currently 
controls all nine seats in the House of Representatives and the 
three senatorial seats in the National Assembly.  25 of the 27 State 
House of Assembly members are PDP. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment:  Ohakim's defection to the PDP is nothing but a 
mere survival strategy.  Overwhelmed by the popularity of the PDP in 
Imo State and its grassroots support in nearly all the local 
government areas, Governor Ohakim realized he cannot successfully 
confront the PDP in the 2011 election. He also knew he stands to 
benefit from membership of a party that will make every effort to 
control the federal government after the 2011 election, rather than 
the much weaker, South East based PPA. End comment. 
 
¶6. (U) This cable has been coordinated with Embassy Abuja. 
 
BLAIR