By Martin Nwoko
The member representing Ahiazu Mbaise State Constituency at the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Sam Nkem Otuibe, has been accused of allegedly hijacking the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) ward congress in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA, converting it to his personal structure, as against the instruction and guidelines given by Governor Hope Uzodinma at the APC stakeholders meeting held at Concord hotel in preparation for the ward congress in the state.
Hon. Otuibe was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general election, but later cross- carpeted to the All Progressives Congress (APC) after the emergence of Senator Hope Uzodinma as the rightful winner of governorship election in the state by the Supreme Court.
Speaking to our correspondent, a source in the area lampooned the lawmaker over his desperation to control the party structure in the LGA, all to himself which is contrary to the Governor’s directive.
The Governor had directed all leaders and members of APC in the state to jettison every form of individual structure ahead of the ward congress, to give every member of the party, equal opportunity to participate at the congress.
Speaking further, a leader of the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity condemned the way and manner Hon. Otuibe tried to subvert the will of the people for his own personal benefit.
He further revealed that his actions maybe unconnected to his desire to grab the party’s ticket in order to return back to the Imo State House of Assembly in 2023.
The party leader also hinted that the Ahiazu Mbaise lawmaker tried to foist his surrogates who newly entered into APC from his former party,at the twelve INEC wards in the area in order to have total control of the party.
Reacting to the accusations in a telephone interview , Hon. Otuibe debunked all the allegations leveled against him, stressing that his main interest is to have one APC in the local government, and as well assist the governor to deliver his promises to the people of Ahiazu Mbaise as their representative.
The lawmaker maintained that God is the only one that gives power and that 2023 is still far for him to start pursuing any political ambition.
He also reiterated that he is not desperate for power as claimed by some people.
