The civic reception organized for Governor Hope Uzodimma, by some political stakeholders in Owerri zone, mainly of APC extraction, on Thursday, December 10, 2020, is said to be aimed at reassuring the Governor of the support of the zone, in the face of a foggy political climate for the APC and the Uzodinma administration in the zone.
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who had admitted the zone’s support for Uzodinma at the event, stated that Owerri zone will back the Governor for re -election in 2023.
Iwuanyanwu’s comments reflected the political undertone which prompted holding the civic reception for the Governor by his key and strategic loyalists in teh zone.
Some top leaders of the zone, who spoke to INNONEWS after the event, on condition of anonymity, said the reception “is to re assure him (Uzodinma) of the support of the zone , and to erase the wrong notion that he (Uzodinma) offended the people of Owerri zone.
“We had to re-assure him (Uzodinma) that Owerri zone is for him, despite the fact an Owerri zone son was removed as governor of the State for him to take over.
“He was not the one who removed the past government from office. And it’s important we get these facts correctly. And he should not be blamed for that.
“The Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the land took that decision, and there is nothing anyone could have done about it.
“Owerri zone cannot continue to cry over split milk and this is the time to move our zone forward.
“We must support Uzodinma, so that Owerri zone could be supported, when we begin our quest to take over the reins of governance of the state after the end of his tenure.
“We have to exorcise the ghost of the past and had to assure the Governor and boost his confidence, that Owerri zone is 100 percent in support of his administration.
“There are insinuations that he does deserve our support in Owerri zone. All that is the propaganda bandied about by the opposition. Some say we are saboteurs. And we ask, how? Must we keep on crying over split milk? We must flow with the tide, the trend. We must not dwell in the past all the time.
“Owerri zone is fully in support of Hope Uzodimma, and we will continue to support him.
“We have proved to him that he is part of us and we will support his administration’s efforts to make Imo State better.
“He has done well thus far, look at the massive reconstruction of roads and bridges in the State capital. Most of his key projects are domiciled in Owerri zone. We have every reason to encourage him to continue to do more.
“Owerri is taking a new look, and we must give him time and support to succeed.
He continued “Aside this, this reception has many political undercurrents, and we have succeeded to communicate to the Governor that we are with him, and Owerri zone, being a strategic ally to his administration, is better suited to take over the reins of governance after his two terms in office. We must begin now to play politics of the future”
Elder Statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, had at the reception for the Governor, described those opposed to his involvement in the Reception for Uzodinma, as “riff raffs”
Iwuanyanwu had come under fierce criticisms for taking part in the reception.
Former Secretary to the State government, Hon.Uche Onyeagocha had tagged Iwuanyanwu as a saboteur to the people of Owerri zone, and the organizers described as “enemies of their people”