BY CONSTANCE EKE, NED UKANDU
Governor Hope Uzodinma seems to be gaining more control of the soul of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Imo State following Sunday’s vote of confidence passed on him by some key stakeholders in the party.
Aside the Governor, Minister of State, Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, and Princess Gloria Akobundu, also received thumps up from the stakeholders.
Those who passed the confidence vote on the Imo Governor belonged to various factions in Imo APC, such as the “Coalition” group, who had lamented their exclusion from the spoils of office since Uzodinma became Governor of Imo State.
The ‘Coalition’ is one of the factions in Imo APC, which had strongly opposed plans by then Governor Rochas Okorocha to hand over power to his son in law, Uche Nwosu.
Analysts say the vote of confidence on Uzodinma by proponents of various splinter groups in the APC in Imo State shows that he is now having firmer grip of the party in the face of opposition within the party.
Okorocha’s erstwhile ally and former Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, led the party chieftains to the pass the vote of confidence on Uzodinma.
Senator Ifeanyi Araraume’s son and former Commissioner, Barr. Ifeanyi Araraume Jnr, was also among those who pledged allegiance to the Governor.
Others are: Sen. Osita Izunaso, Imo APC Caretaker Chairman, Prince Marcus Nlemigbo, Princess Gloria Akobundu, Princess Mirian Onuoha, Rt. Hon. Goodluck Opiah, Rt. Hon. Donatus Ozoemena, Hon. Austin Chukwukere and former APC National Organizing Secretary, Chief Emma Ibediro.
The rest are: Chief Tony Chukwu, Chief Longers Anyanwu, Dr. Uzoma Obiyo, Eche E.U. George, Chima Anozie, Prince Henry Okafor, Hon. Frank Ibezim, Hon. Dominic Obi, Chief Eze Okoro, Dr. Charles Onuoha and Prince Ezennia Ogbuehi, Ichie Mbanaso, Chief Mark Uchendu.
Madumere said “Today, we are here to pass a vote of absolute confidence on Governor Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of lmo State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the leader of the party in the state and the only APC Governor in the South-East and the South-South. We are satisfied with the developmental agenda of the Governor represented in his 3Rs Agenda (Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Recovery).
“We urge all Imo State Citizens to support the Governor in his stride to achieve the set agenda.
“We also recognize the leadership of Prince M. 0 Nlemigbo -led APC caretaker committee which was constituted after the dissolution of the Imo State APC party executive committee, Local Government and Ward Executives Committee by the National Working Committee (NWC) on the 18th of December, 2018 which is further supported by the recent court ruling with Suit No: FCT/HC/BW/CV/103/2018 and Motion No: FCT/HC/M/3025/2019, delivered on the 16th of July 2020.” Prince Madumere stated.
*Okorocha Backed Imo APC Faction Hits Back At Madumere, Nlemigbo*
However, the absence of loyalists of former Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, at the stakeholders meeting further raises questions if indeed, all stakeholders in the party are on the same page.
In a swift reaction to the vote of confidence on Governor Uzodinma, Mr. Jones Onwusoanya, Publicity Secretary of the Okorocha backed Daniel Madueke led faction of Imo APC, in a statement took a swipe at the former Deputy Governor Prince Eze Madumere for leading those who passed vote of confidence on Governor Uzodinma.
Mr Jones wrote “The claim by members of this group to being ‘stakeholders’ of the Party at any level is questionable, as none of them was able to deliver their booths to the Party in all the elections in 2019.
“We challenge, especially, the spokesman of this group, Prince Eze Madumere, to publish his booth results for all the elections conducted in 2019, for a more informed scrutiny of his claim to being a stakeholder of the Party.
“As responsible Party members, we understand that our relevance as a political Party is dependent on our acceptability by the majority of the people, especially, the electorate, and as the ruling Party in Imo State, the onus falls on the governor of the State to earn the confidence of the people through good governance, honesty and integrity of leadership.
“We therefore frown at a situation where some individuals would gather themselves in a location, that is more than 800 kilometers away from our State to pass an unnecessary vote of confidence on the governor.
“ The very idea of passing a vote of confidence on the governor in Abuja implies that they may be afraid of being stoned by Imolites, if they had converged in Owerri for that purpose.
“This ill-advised vote of confidence sends the wrong signals about our Party, as any sensible observer would have believed that our governor is unpopular, hence, desperately seeking for validation. Our Party apologizes to Imo people for this embarrassing outing, and disown the action of these individuals, as they did not act on behalf of the Party.
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