Imo Senate Crisis: APC Tackles Ondo First Lady, Akeredolu-Anyanwu, Says She Wants To Undermine Party, Insult Governor

By Charles Igbo

The Imo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused  a Senatorial Aspirant for Owerri West, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, of pushing to undermine the process of the Primary, and rubbish the image of the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma.

The Ondo State First Lady, who is aspiring to represent her Senatorial District, Imo East, in the Senate, had rejected the Consensus arrangement, suddenly, introduced by the State Chapter, and insisted on voting by delegates.

She blamed the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma for hijacking the process, dismissing as unfair; a situation where Aspirants, after tedious, energy sapping campaigns, are asked to step down for a candidate who very recently, she said, picked the Senatorial forms. She refused to stand.

Speaking to Reporters, she asked the National Leadership of the Party  not to accept any results from the State, as there was no election. She dismissed it as a huge  fraud and a sham.

But in a statement on Saturday signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Cajetan Duke, the Party said Mrs  Anyanwu-Akeredolu’s allegations were unwarranted and unprovoked. The Party said it would not be distracted.

The statement said: “The Party  with every sense of responsibility, urges the general public and our esteemed Party men and women, to disregard such unprovoked and unwarranted allegations deliberately orchestrated to undermine the credibility of the Primary election and impinge on the integrity of our dear Governor.”

Following is the full statement from the Imo APC:

IMO APC TO AKEREDOLU: ENGAGE THE DELEGATES AND LEAVE UZODIMMA ALONE

“… IMO APC  SENATORIAL PRIMARY ELECTION IN PROGRESS, UNHINDERED AND UNINTERRUPTED.

“The attention of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Imo State chapter ably led by Hon Macdonald Ebere, PhD, has been drawn to a false allegation making the rounds on social media against His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, credited to our dear sister, Her Excellency, Chief Mrs Betty Akeredolu (Ada Owere), and with the intent to undermine the entire process and discredit the eventual outcome of the primary election.

“It is however regrettable that such an outlandish and ridiculous allegation could come from Her Excellency, Chief Mrs Akeredolu, wife of Ondo State Governor and an aspirant for the Imo East (Owerri Zone) Senatorial position, having received all the necessary support and solidarity from the governor and the leadership of the party in the course of her aspiration.

“While we understand and appreciate the huge pressure associated with political contest, particularly in a star-studded area like Owerri Zone, we wish to call on Mrs Akeredolu to refrain forthwith from reckless use of inciting words that are capable of setting the foundation of the party on fire. It will be more profitable for her to engage with and concentrate on the delegates instead of dragging the name of the governor into the Owerri Senatorial contest.

“We wish to however reiterate the governor’s commitment to providing a level playing field for a peaceful, transparent, free and credible primaries in the state.

“The party under the Chairmanship of Hon. Macdonald Ebere will not be distracted in its resolve to provide for all aspirants and stakeholders the enabling platform to actualize their aspirations.

“Therefore, the party with every sense of responsibility urges the general public and our esteemed party men and women to disregard such unprovoked and unwarranted allegations deliberately orchestrated to undermine the credibility of the primary election and impinge on the integrity of our dear governor.”