Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) within the South East are already counting their wins and losses underneath the management of Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma. For some, the long run is simply as unsure, regardless of the torchbearer's finest efforts, experiences LAWRENCE NJOKU.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has registered a footprint within the South East since taking workplace in 2020. Aside from clearing the political storms towards his second time period in workplace, the primary within the South East area by any governor on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he has additionally taken over the affect and management of the celebration within the area.
The previous senator who represented Imo West Senatorial zone has additionally turn into chairman of the South East Governors Discussion board, a place he earned as probably the most senior among the many present serving governors within the area. This discussion board presently consists of 5 governors: two from APC, and one every from Labor Get together (LP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Peoples Democratic Get together (PDP).
Uzodimma can also be the chairman of the Progressives Governors Discussion board (PGF) of Nigeria, an umbrella physique that binds APC governors within the twenty states. Since coming to energy in Imo State in 2020, following the Supreme Courtroom ruling that declared him the winner of the 2019 basic elections, Uzodimma has continued to exert robust affect on the affairs of the southeastern area because the chief of the celebration.
Whereas a few of his political claims have borne fruit, many have prompted friction and discontent amongst stakeholders. For instance, a few of his affect, which was on full show through the battle over who will turn into President Normal of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 2021, created the parallel management presently raging within the apex socio-cultural physique.
It is because regardless of the non-political imprimatur the group carries and the opposition welcoming his interventions within the union, Uzodimma defied the percentages to impose on the late Ambassador George Obiozor who was beforehand not a member of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. president basic of the group. The event sparked the present dissatisfaction within the group over the rightful administrator between Chidi Ibeh group and Ambassador Obiozor/Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu group. Ibeh and a few others, unable to tolerate his affect, opted for a parallel management in Ohanaeze. Obiozor died and Iwuanyanwu took over.
Fed up with Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the governor reportedly moved to the South-Jap department of the celebration in October 2021, the place he asserted his affect on the congresses to make sure the emergence of these occupying places of work.
Initially, in June 2021, there was the celebration's controversial governorship primaries that pitted former Senator Andy Uba towards 13 different candidates, inflicting many to depart the APC for different platforms, in the end resulting in abysmal efficiency of the celebration within the elections for the governorship. Uba, who polled 230,201 votes within the celebration's primaries, out of 348,490 votes forged within the supplementary elections, secured solely 43,285 votes.
In Enugu, when the October 2021 Uzodimma-backed state congress produced Ugochukwu Agballah, an unregistered member of the celebration, as state chairman towards the selection of the celebration's founders, the misplaced love was carried into the 2023 basic elections , the place the celebration carried out dismally.
Agballah was a member of the PDP till his emergence. Regardless of the backlash that adopted the event, this didn’t immediate the celebration to handle the unhealthy emotions.
Whereas some members left the celebration as a result of imposition of Agballah as chairman, a few of those that remained labored towards the celebration through the 2023 elections. This resulted within the poor efficiency that the APC lagged in these elections.
Apparently to make up for the disgrace of the defeat late final yr, Agballah convened a stakeholders assembly the place he introduced the suspension and expulsion of some members of the celebration's basis, together with the previous International Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, the previous Director Normal of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, former State Chairman of the celebration, Ben Nwoye, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, former Governor of Enugu, Sullivan Chime, former Speaker of Enugu Home of Meeting, Eugene amongst others Odoh.
He accused them of inter-party actions and dealing towards the celebration's pursuits. The Abia State chapter shared the same expertise because the tussle over the rightful governorship candidate between Ikechi Emenike and Uche Ogar, which emerged from parallel primaries, marred the celebration's probabilities within the 2023 basic elections within the state .
On the zonal stage, Uzodimma's husband, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, turned the Nationwide Vice Chairman of the South-East Zone of APC. Arodiogbu oversaw the controversial congress that produced Agballah, amongst others, in Enugu State. Clearly, no such try was made in Ebonyi State because the then Governor, Dave Umahi, was in command of the celebration.
Uzodimma's affect on the celebration was mentioned to have come up once more final yr when it was time for the appointment of ministers in President Bola Tinubu's cupboard. He successfully used his attain to make sure the emergence of the present ministers of Imo, Enugu, Anambra and Abia. Many who waited consistent with anticipation have been upset when the governor reportedly went after these loyal to him. It’s mentioned {that a} comparable destiny is enjoying out in different appointments which have come to the zone.
Some stakeholders pressured that cooperating with no matter is occurring inside the celebration within the Southeast area is a part of the governor's efforts to deepen and rebuild the celebration to win elections within the zone. Nonetheless, that is the anger fueling discontent inside the celebration within the area as a number of members who really feel sidetracked search a possibility to repay the governor with their very own coin.
Their anger stems from insinuations that the general public who have been there through the celebration's formation and early levels are now not being taken under consideration as a result of there are preferences for brand new members in elective and appointive positions. When Uzodimma allegedly botched the Edo APC governorship primaries final month, it was a possibility for some members to inform him the bitter fact about his alleged parochial management within the South-Jap area.
One of many founders of the celebration, Osita Okechukwu, had used the chance to name for the resignation of Uzodimma as chairman of the PGF, saying his habits may destroy the celebration. The primaries, which have been later annulled by the celebration, produced three candidates.
Okechukwu questioned why Uzodimma, who bungled the same task in Edo State in 2020, must be given a second task, asking what number of extra crimes he would decide to be relieved of the task. He acknowledged that the duty for which Uzodimma was later changed by the Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, had introduced ridicule to the celebration.
He additionally used the chance to checklist the governor's serial setbacks within the South East, together with the 2021 APC governorship primaries in Anambra State; the celebration's congressional elections within the southeast, which he reportedly pocketed for the 2023 basic elections within the area.
Okechukwu mentioned: “Then, as if that ugly prelude to the 2023 basic elections was not sufficient, Governor Uzodimma generated hatred, resentment and malcontents and alienated the APC membership lengthy earlier than Peter Obi's issue.
“The abstract of Uzodimma's woeful management is the outcomes of the 2023 presidential elections within the South East, which produced dismal outcomes: Abia, 8,914 towards 85,058 in 2019; Anambra, 5,111 towards 33,298 in 2019; Ebonyi 42,402 in comparison with 90,726 in 2019; Enugu 4,722 towards 54,423 in 2019, and Imo 66,406 towards 140,463 in 2019.”
Okechukwu was not alone within the criticism. The United Progressive Basis (UPF), a political motion committee of the APC, insisted that the decision for his elimination was not misplaced.
The group, in a press release by its Secretary, Dr. Steve Igweze, mentioned Uzodimma's choice to usurp the posts of the Returning Officer within the failed Edo State APC Governorship primaries was the peak of political villainy and impunity of the manager energy.
UPF mentioned the choice of the celebration's nationwide management to cancel the primaries was not solely a rejection of the method but additionally a vote of no confidence in Uzodimma's affect, stressing that the governor's motion was shameful.
Nonetheless, the celebration's leaders within the South East and Enugu State had defended him and dismissed requires his elimination as coming from 'consideration seekers'.
Arodiogbu, the zone chairman of the celebration, frowned on the tendency to overtly disparage sure components in regards to the celebration management, stressing that “it’s worrying that folks like Okechukwu, who’re neither in his polling sales space nor in his ward gained, , will flip round and utter careless phrases towards the management of Uzodimma.”
He insisted that Uzodimma has not dedicated any crime within the discharge of his duties as Chairman of the Edo State APC Main Committee, stressing that the celebration is presently led by actual politicians within the South East “and never by those that are APC right this moment and one thing completely different within the southeast.” night time.”
Equally, the Enugu chapter of the celebration, in a press release on Tuesday, March 5, signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mike Ezeanyanwu, mentioned Okechukwu's name smacks of insincerity, accusing him of being irrelevant and out of contact together with his political base within the Udi council. of the state.
He alleged that Okechukwu has been employed by disgruntled politicians inside and outdoors the South East to wage smear marketing campaign towards Uzodimma who has been the mainstay of APC within the South East.
“We urge the general public and the various members of our celebration to disregard these disgruntled components. They’re on a failed mission to denigrate and belittle our chief by persevering with to make baseless insinuations and utilizing the identify of Uzodimma, a pacesetter within the zone, who has made many sacrifices to reposition APC within the area.
“For instance, in Enugu State, Uzodimma has been our pillar of energy, guaranteeing that we now have useful and applicable state and zonal places of work along with quite a few monetary assist to help our consolidation,” he mentioned.
The celebration pressured that APC is presently on the trail of development within the area, putting in the stable political buildings underneath the management of Uzodimma, opposite to earlier political postures of the likes of Okechukwu, “who use the celebration as a automobile for appointments to herald. Abuja with out figuring out with the celebration on the ward, native authorities or state stage, however moderately by APC in Abuja and PDP in Enugu.”
