A serving senator, a member of the House of Representatives and many other stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are said to be set to join the All Progressive Congress, APC in Imo State.
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In the last one year, there have been reports that the serving senator has been romancing the APC in the state but waiting for the right time before joining the ruling party. He was said to be contemplating joining the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA in the State after a failed battle to regain the soul of the PDP, particularly in his home State of Imo.
With unfolding events in the APC especially with the elongation of the tenure of party executives from the ward to the national level coupled with the declaration by Governor Rochas Okorocha to vie for Orlu senatorial seat, the senator who recently called on Igbos to support President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term may have eventually found his bearing after months of a bitter cold war in the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP.
Online reports seen by this newspaper had fingered Senator Hope Uzodinma, senator representing Orlu Zone, member representing Ohaji/Egbema Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Goodluck Nana Opiah as the possible decampees from the PDP to the PDP.
Before this development, this online newspaper was working on a story that read thus: Orlu Senate Seat: Senator Uzodinma’s Supporters Plot Way Out.
The story reads:
Senator representing Orlu zone in the senate, Senator Hope Uzodinma may be in dilemma over the sudden declaration for Orlu senate seat by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State.
The senator has been speculated to be toying with the option of returning to the senate for a third time or vie for Imo governorship in 2019 but the issue of which of political platform he will use to realize his ambition had lately been a source of concern.
Though of the PDP, there are fears that he may not get the party’s Orlu senatorial ticket in the opposition party on the grounds that he lost out in the battle to have his line up of executive members fully take charge of Imo PDP.
The senator is known to be at cross roads with the present state executives of the party in Imo State. He was an influential figure that stood for the Ali Modu Sherrif faction of the PDP against that of Ahmed Makarfi.
Last year, reports said he was on his way to the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA. Later on, he was said to be heading to the All Progressive Congress, APC. He announced his support President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term, stating that Igbos will have a chance to occupy the Presidency in 2023 if they support Buhari’s re- election.
His support for Buhari was seen as an indication that he is on his way to the APC, though his men and loyalists in the PDP in Imo State at that time had embarked on a tour of some local governments to drum support for the party in Orlu zone which he represents at the senate.
With Okorocha’s declaration to run for Orlu senate seat, it is unknown what would be Senator Uzodinma’s next line of action but exiting out of the PDP and fight for Orlu senatorial seat could just be his best option.
BY TONY IHEANYI.