Major players and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State under the aegis of the Imo APC Restoration Coalition, have called on President MuhammaduBuhari and the national leadership of the party to wade into the retrogressive, appalling and all the absurdities that have been taking place in the party particularly in recent times with a view to nipping it in the bud.
The party stakeholders also warned that with the way Governor RochasOkorocha is handling his succession plan, the APC would be headed for a shameful, abysmal and colossal failure in the state in the 2019 elections if the governor was not called to order.
In a communique` issued Wednesday on the state of the party at the end of its meeting at the country home of Dr. TOE Ekechi, former presidential campaign Director on Planning and Strategy in Imerienwe and read by Dr. Ekechi on behalf of the Imo APC Restoration Coalition, the stakeholders said “having been seeing and witnessing contemptible, despicable and condemnable happenings in our great party in the state in recent times, we are convinced that unless urgent steps are quickly taken in calling certain people to order, the APC is headed for a shameful, abysmal and colossal failure in the state in the 2019 elections – this will tragically cut across and regrettably affect the Presidential, Governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly chances”.
The coalition members who condemned what they described as the clandestine endorsements, indiscriminate adoptions and wanton “anointments” of certain elements in the party without due processes and without any regard to laid down procedures and respect for party leadership and discipline, expressed concern that “these endorsements obtained by blackmail, coercion and intimidation are taking place in the hallowed orbit of the Imo State Government House under the watch of the governor.
“We are embarrassed because this theatre of the absurdity, as we have confirmed, has the full backing and financial muscles of Imo State Government as the persons being endorsed, one Chief UcheNwosu, his Son In-Law is also his serving Chief of Staff. As a matter of fact, this is an anomaly and points to a dangerous and destructive party politics of APC in Imo State”.
According to the communique`, the governor used all the his new appointees to drive the endorsements with a threat of sacking anyone whose local government and wards party executives did not sign the forms issued to them.
The communique` warned that if Governor Okorocha went ahead to impose his son inlaw as the party’s governorship candidate, all responsible and conscientious members of the party would resist him, insisting that it would be politically suicidal for the Imo State Governor to emerge from Orlu zone after Governor Okorocha’s eight years rule making a total of 16 years of Orlu governorship.
“We wish to insist that natural justice, equity, fair play and democratic norms must take their natural course as we step closer to the Imo State APC primaries and subsequently, the elections thereof.
“We, therefore, call our members to caution as endorsements do not frankly reflect the true picture of Imo APC. We call on Governor OwelleOkorocha to act as a true unifier, a leader to ensure a level playing field for all APC aspirants in all positions. To that effect, we reject in its entirety the endorsements of UcheNwosu as being currently carried out in our party. This is so because these leprous endorsements have the capacity and capability of truncating and dismantling the very cord that binds us together as family.
“We respectfully urge Governor Okorocha to be very sensitive to the name, integrity and sanctity of Imo as an entity and the thrust, honour and dignity that go with the governorship enterprise.
“We sincerely, call on Governor RochasOkorocha as the leader of the party in Imo State, to instill law, order, discipline as well promote peace and tranquility as the party gets set for the all important primaries in the state”.
The coalition used the opportunity to condemn the recent attack on the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. AJV Obinna at the St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Ngwoma in Owerri North LGA, Imo State during the Requiem Mass of the Late Lolo EzinneEziada Juliana Mbata, last Saturday.
The APC statkeholders however took exception to the insinuations emanating from the media crediting the actions of the supporters of Chief UcheNwosu to APC.
“That is not our character as a party. Nothing, really nothing can justify the rain of abuses reportedly credited to a group of people purportedly representing our great party who took laws into their hands right before the high altar of God in the presence of the First Lady of Imo State and the Governor’s chief of staff”.
Meanwhile reacting to the position of the restoration group, Imo State government in a press release issued by Sam Onwuemeodo, Chief press secretary to Gov. Okorocha dismissed the position of the group on the ground that its members have no electoral value.
For the avoidance of doubt, the avalanche of endorsements of Uche Nwosu, Chief of Staff Government House for the 2019 governorship, by Local Governments, groups and individuals cannot be adjudged undemocratic and never contravened any known law or ordinance.
Endorsement is a Public Statement or action showing support of something or somebody. It has been part of our democracy. And it is surprising that some people have been loosing sleep over the several endorsements the young Uche Nwosu has been getting. The difference is that his own endorsement is like a revolution, and almost all the other aspirants are feeling threatened.
We have come up with this explanation following the meeting held at Imerienwe in Ngor-Okpala LGA by Coordinators of one of the governorship aspirants in the State and at the instance of one of them, Chief TOE Ekechi.
In their communiqué, they claimed to be operating under the aegis of Restoration Coalition, APC, and they did that to deceive the weary and indeed the general public. They should have gone ahead to also endorse their own Candidate. What is their headache. Is Governor Okorocha the only governor who has indicated interest in one of the members of his Political family to succeed him.
They should follow events in other States. And also do their political research. Endorsement has been there. And they should ask their Candidate to withdraw if he is not popular to the extent of attracting people to endorse him. Uche Nwosu is the man. This is his time and nobody should envy him.
Those who signed the Communiqué at Imerienwe are habitual Coordinators of guber aspirants. They cannot Contest election. Some of them were brought into Politics by Governor Okorocha. And today, they have become Coordinators, and none of them had won his booth in the past elections. They have no electoral value to add to any party or aspirant. They are Political Consumers and not Political Producers. People should ignore them.
