BY IKENNA ANYANWU
A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Imo State, Hon Celestine Okechukwu, has called on Governor Hope Uzodimma, to initiate reconciliation with aggrieved persons in the APC, particularly with his predecessor, Senator Rochas Okorocha.
Okechukwu, a former Councillor in Njaba LGA, said the APC’s loss of the governorship election in Osun State, is a wake-up call to the party in the state and the nation in general ahead of the 2023 general election.
Speaking to INNONEWS in Owerri, the former Councilor, said the political circumstances which led to the crumbling of the APC in Osun State are almost prevalent in Imo State.
Giving an insight on some of the reasons why the APC lost Osun State to Senator Ademola Adeleke to the PDP, Okechukwu blamed it on the inability of Governor Gboyega Oyetola to reconcile with former Governor of the State, Rauf Aregbesola.
He said “Oyetola failed to re-connect and reconcile with Aregbesola, whom he had served as Chief of Staff when Aregbe was Governor of Osun State.
“They have not been in good terms since 2018.The sour relationship got so bad and badly damaged until Oyetola was defeated in Saturday’s governorship election.
“This alienated Oyetola from core stakeholders of the APC in Osun State irrespective of the fact he is Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s nephew.
“And because he lost grip of his political base, he was unable to be re elected by the people of Osun State despite the fact he performed very well in the last four years- paying pensioners and workers salary and built some good roads
“We have a similar scenario in Imo State. Uzodimma and Okorocha have been at daggers drawn since 2018, and the relationship has further gotten damage since then.
“Governor Hope Uzodimma, should urgently reconcile all aggrieved persons in the APC in Imo State, especially with his predecessor, Senator Rochas Okorocha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume. They are assets to our party.
“The PDP, like in Osun State is also formidable in Imo State. And If our party does not put it’s house in order, what happened in Osun State may replicate here in Imo” he concluded.
“