LEADERS ADOPT APC AS IDEATO CONSENSUS PARTY FOR 2027, COMMEND GOVERNOR UZODIMMA
AS IDEATO NATION DECLARES REPS MEMBER, IKENGA UGOCHINYERE PERSONA NON GRATA
By Ikechukwu Duruaku
The people of Ideato Nation in Imo State have formally declared their total and unconditional support for the All Progressives Congress (APC), vowing to deliver every polling unit in the two local government areas to the party in the 2027 general elections. The declaration came during a high-powered Izu Ụmụnna Session and stakeholders’ reception hosted by APC chieftain, Mazi Franklin Ngoforo, for the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA) at Uruala, Ideato North Local Government Area, on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
The session brought together party faithful, political appointees, and community leaders from across Ideato Nation to receive the Imo State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Rt. Hon. Goodluck Opiah, and his delegation. The gathering was described by the host as a “family meeting of core believers” aligned with the Renewed Hope agenda of Governor Hope Uzodimma and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Delivering the welcome address, Ngoforo catalogued the unprecedented dividends that Ideato has received under the Uzodimma administration, citing the construction of the Orlu-Umuchima-Akokwa Road as a landmark infrastructural achievement that has economically reconnected communities across the area. He described the road as “more than just asphalt” but a lifeline that had restored the economic pride of the Ideato people.
Ngoforo further highlighted the volume of political appointments from Ideato under the current administration, noting that the community’s sons and daughters occupy positions including the APC National Vice Chairman for the South East, National Ex-Officio, Commissioner for Special Duties, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Head of the Consumer Protection Council, State Publicity Secretary of the APC, and the Executive Chairman of the Imo State Universal Basic Education Board (IMSUBEB). He also noted that the First Lady of Imo State is a daughter of Ideato, leading him to conclude that “this government is an Ideato government.”
The host charged party members to reciprocate Governor Uzodimma’s stewardship by ensuring that the APC wins every single polling unit in Ideato in 2027, declaring that Ideato people had resolved to adopt the APC as its sole consensus political party. “We are not aiming for a majority; we are aiming for a total sweep,” he said, adding that Ideato had officially become “a formidable APC stronghold.”
Ngoforo also used the occasion to issue a stern political rebuke against the current Federal House of Representatives member from the constituency, who belongs to a different political party, declaring him “persona non grata” and saying that his style in the area is sustained only by “imported thugs and midnight press briefings.” He stated that the lawmaker’s legislative aides are sourced from areas outside Ideato, including Delta, Edo, Mbaitoli, Isu, and Nasarawa, rather than from qualified indigenes of the community, which he maintained signals a total lack of home support.
In his address, Opiah stressed that the Renewed Hope Ambassadors is strictly an advocacy initiative established to sensitize Nigerians on the achievements and policies of President Tinubu and APC governments at state and local government levels, and is not a platform for aspirants to pursue personal political ambitions. He stated that the group had already inaugurated ward coordinators in the area and was continuing grassroots engagement across local government areas in the state to deepen public understanding of government reforms and counter opposition misinformation.
Opiah urged constituents to hold their elected representative accountable, asking pointed questions about legislative deliverables in the areas of jobs, empowerment, scholarships, and infrastructure. He noted that legislative office should be a platform for service and not for political attacks, and reminded constituents of their constitutional right to initiate a recall process where representatives fail to perform.
Defending the economic reform policies of the Tinubu administration, Opiah acknowledged the temporary hardships caused by the measures but maintained that they were necessary for long-term national economic recovery. He invoked the metaphor of an eagle’s rebirth, a painful but necessary process, to describe Nigeria’s current transition, adding that savings from the fuel subsidy removal are now available to states and local governments to fund development. He also highlighted expanded education funding and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as key reform benefits for students.
Also speaking at the event, APC National Ex-Officio, Hon. Iyke Umeh condemned what he described as unruly conduct by elements claiming to represent the constituency in the National Assembly, while drawing attention to ongoing road projects in the area. APC State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, spoke on the restoration of security in Ideato under Governor Uzodimma and promised that citizens would in due course be informed of the role played by the Federal Representative in undermining security in the area.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Electronic and Creative Media, Collins Opurozor, said the impact of the Uzodimma administration in Ideato is now evident, and nobody can debate that. He further took a swipe at the embattled lawmaker, describing his continued presence in the House of Representatives as “a national security issue.” Opurozor noted that the legislator is “a double agent” who pretends to legislate for Nigeria but deploys public funds earned from the National Assembly to support groups destabilising the country. He described the lawmaker’s removal at the polls in 2027 as “a serious matter that borders on upholding the integrity of the Nigerian state.”
Other party leaders who spoke at the session and expressed support for the Uzodimma administration included the Chairman of IMSUBEB, Chief Chidiebere Egboh; Ideato North Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Arch. Nonso Okparaeke; Executive Chairman of Ideato North LGA, Hon. Chigozie Unogu; APC Chairman in Ideato North, Sir Victor Nwanaforo; and Pastor Bede Ikeaka, among several others. The session ended with resolutions affirming Ideato’s total commitment to the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
*Snapshots From The Event
Photo 1: Ngoforo Speaking At The Event
Photo 2: The Mammoth Crowd At The Even
