Uzodinma “Sacks” Imo PDP EXCO;  Members Join APC En Masse; Declares  Governor Best Since Mbakwe

By Charles Igbo

“We are joining APC because of the superlative performance of Your Excellency which no Governor has achieved since the late Chief Sam Mbakwe”

Finally, Governor Hope Uzodinma has swallowed the State Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, Imo State.

24 hours after seven of them resigned en masse from the PDP, they have joined the All Progressives Congress, APC.

In an address read during a courtesy call on the Governor, they gave many reasons why they dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC. They said they left to avoid being assassinated by, alleged, PDP thugs. They said they left because of the dictatorial tendencies of one man. They said they left because the PDP is dead in the State and would never win an election in Imo no thanks to one man. They said the APC is the way to go and with their exit, only the carcass of PDP remains in Imo.

But here’s the most dramatic  of their reasons.

In an unbelievable about-turn, they said they left to be part of the good job Governor Uzodinma is doing in the State. They declared Uzodinma the best Governor  ever to have held fort in the State since the Government of the late Sam Mbakwe.

The  PDP SWC members who dumped the Party for the APC are:

*Sir Martins Ejiogu – Deputy Chairman

*Hon. (Nze) Ray Emeaña – State Secretary

*Barr. Chibuisi Obido- State Vice Chairman, Orlu Zone

*Collins Opurozor – Publicity Secretary

*Hon. (Mrs) Maria Mbakwe –  State Woman Leader

*Comrade Greg GOC Nwadike – State Youth Leader

*Barr. Josiah Eze – Treasurer.

Following is the text of their address during the courtesy call on the Governor.

DDRESS BY FORMER MEMBERS OF IMO STATE PDP STATE WORKING COMMITTEE (SWC) AT THEIR DECLARATION TO JOIN THE APC AND COURTESY VISIT TO GOVERNOR HOPE UZODIMMA, CON, ON MONDAY, JUNE 19TH, 2023

“Your Excellency, we wish to thank you profusely for granting us audience on such short notice. That is the hallmark of leadership, being receptive and accommodating

Let us  use this auspicious moment to congratulate you for the strings of awards you have received recently, especially that of the Commander of the Order of Nigeria(CON), bestowed on you by the Federal Government. Your assumption of office as chairman of the Progressive Governors’  Forum also gladdens our hearts.

“Your Excellency, we are here to inform you that we have come to join you in your patriotic and tenacious drive at  transforming Imo State in infrastructure, economy, and social status. We have come to be admitted into the All Progressive Congress, APC, and your  Prosperity administration where accountability, inclusivity, and a burning desire to make Imo state better are the order of the day.  Besides, we are tired of being under a torn umbrella that can no longer shield us from the vagaries of the economic and political weather. We have come to receive the broom so that we could sweep away the evil that held us captive and threatened our lives in the hands of an unscrupulous dictator whose stock in trade is violence.

“Your Excellency, yesterday, we addressed a World Press conference wherein we catalogued our reasons why we dumped the opposition People’s Democratic Party ( PDP).

“The name of the party became a misnomer because of the dictatorial tendencies of one man who could not decide on being either a national secretary or candidate of the party in the state. It is noteworthy that many founders and stakeholders of PDP in Imo State have deserted the party because of the greed of one man .

“The man who claimed to be a a PDP Governorship candidate could not pay the rent  for the party’s office. He could not pay staff salaries. He could not fund the party. All he wanted and still wants is naked power to Lord it over everybody. Those who refused to submit to him were targeted for elimination.

“Your Excellency, we could have endured this modern dictator if he had not introduced violence and intimidation into the mix. Is it not a dramatic irony that a man who claims he was contesting the governorship to “keep imo safe again” is the one unleashing violence on innocent PDP members who disagree with him on principles and methodology? Now, in the words of Prof Ola Rotimi in his epic play, THE GODS ARE NOT TO BLAME…..”if a crocodile can eat its own eggs,what will it not do to the flesh of the frog?” Imagine such a man becoming a GOVERNOR!

“In a nutshell,we left PDP to escape assassination. We left PDP because of the inertia of one man. We left PDP because of lack of internal democracy. And we left PDP because the usurper can NEVER win the forthcoming governorship election.

“Yesterday, we could not answer the question of where we are headed.

“Today,we can confidently and comfortably tell the whole world that we are headed to All Progressive Congress ( APC), because of Your Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma,CON, the Executive Governor of Imo State. We are not joining APC”to come and chop”. We are joining APC because it is the party for the future of Imo State and the future of Ndigbo. We are joining APC because of the superlative performance of Your Excellency which no other governor has achieved since the late Chief Sam Mbakwe. We are joining APC because of the impeccable logic of the Imo Charter of Equity and the promise it holds for a better Imo State and for a peaceful political space for everyone.

“Your Excellency, with our exit from PDP, its soul is gone in Imo State. What is remaining is the carcass. As we declared in our press conference yesterday, there is going to be a tsunami of defections from PDP and we are happy to inform Your Excellency that all are headed to APC ,to join you in your mission to make Imo the state of our collective dreams.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for the opportunity to be with you today

Signed:

1. Sir Martins Ejiogu (Former Deputy Chairman, Imo PDP)

“2. Hon. (Nze) Ray Emeaña (Former State Secretary, Imo PDP)

“3. Barr. Chibuisi Obido (Former State Vice Chairman, Orlu Zone, Imo PDP)

“4. Collins Opurozor (Former State Publicity Secretary, Imo PDP)

“5. Hon. (Mrs.) Maria Mbakwe (Former State Woman Leader, Imo PDP)

“6. Comrade Greg GOC Nwadike ( Former State Youth Leader, Imo PDP)

“7. Barr. Josiah Eze (Former Treasurer, Imo PDP)”

Not a few people thought they were headed yo the Labour Party, LP. That they defected to the APC took many Imolites by surprise, considering the opinion they held on the Governor and his  performance, which, however, most Imolites are hailing to high heavens.