IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

19 members of the Imo State House led by their Speaker, Rt Hon Acho Ihim today at the floor of the State House of Assembly officially defected to the Action Alliance (AA).

 

The members elected under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) had joined UGWUMBA UCHE NWOSU to the new party where the former had secured the ticket to contest for the 2019 Imo governorship election with unflinching support from his Father-in-law, and Chairman of APC Governor's Forum.

Also defected alongside were three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the State Assembly from Mbaise nation, namely ; Hon Bruno Ukoha (Ezinihitte Mbaise), Hon Mike Ihenaetu (Aboh Mbaise) and Hon Ken Agbim (Ahiazu Mbaise).

The nineteen members who cross carpeted to Action Alliance were also awarded the tickets of the party as State House of Assembly candidates of the Action Alliance.

Those who could not defect were  Hon Emmanuel Orie, who won the All Progressive Congress ticket for Ohaji Egbema LGA, Hon Nkenna Nzeruo; APC Candidate for Oru East LGA and ofcourse, Deputy Speaker, Hon Ugonna Ozurigbo; APC Candidate for Nkwerre /Nwangele /Njaba /Isu federal Consultancy.

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, on Friday, asked the All Progressives Congress factions in Imo state to settle their differences to ensure the victory of the party in 2019.

Ganduje said that President Muhammadu Buhari was deeply worried and concerned about the level of crisis which had affected the ruling party in the state.

The Kano State governor, who spoke in Owerri when his team met supporters of the APC governorship candidate in the state, Senator Hope Uzodinma, as part of ongoing efforts to reconcile the factions in the state, noted that “Imo State is very dear to President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Asking the factions to call a truce, Ganduje said that the party could not afford to go into the general elections in the state as a divided party.

Ganduje said, “We are here for dialogue. We are here for peace. We are worried. But we are concerned and determined. We are here to see that those who are aggrieved are brought back to the party". 

“After this meeting, we are going to meet with all the aspirants , of both sides . This is just to meet with members of the APC. The main meeting will be with the aspirants in the night". 

“There could be some aggrieved members of the House of Representatives, senators and other members of the party. But we are pleading to all the members of the APC to come together and win the election.

“We are here to see you people so that we can discuss heart to heart and put the pieces together. All hope is not lost.

“Election is coming and you have to unite and make adequate arrangements for the election because the President is worried. He directed us to come for reconciliation. He wants all of you to be united.

“I am happy that all of you are for (President Muhammadu) Buhari. You look determined. You must do a lot of planning. You must sit down locally and win the election.”

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, who was part of the delegation, added , “You have heard from the chairman and Senator Godswill Akpabio, my own is going to be an addendum. You are not going to have an isolated election.”

Senator Godswill Akpabio said the crisis in Imo State APC could be resolved if the factions would put the interest of the party first.

He said, “This is a serious business . Whether you are factionalised or not , the victory of the APC in Imo State is assured. Even though we have not seen Hope (Uzodinma), I can see hope in your faces.”

Ganduje and his team had on Thursday held a meeting with the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, and his supporters as part of the ongoing efforts to reconcile the APC members in the state.

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State on Thursday told his Kano State counterpart Abdullahi Ganduje as well as Senator Godswill Akpabio that the crisis in the All Progressives Congress in his state “has gone beyond what we can manage”.

Okorocha, who spoke in Owerri when the APC reconciliation committee headed by Ganduje visited Imo, said, “Adams Oshiomhole singlehandedly meted grave injustice to Imo APC members.”

He regretted that despite helping to make Oshiomhole the national chairman of the party, the ex-Edo State governor “stole the mandate of Imo people”.

He said despite the provocation he would remain in the party and ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari wins next year’s presidential election.

The governor said , “There shouldn’ t have been crisis in the party, because of the affinity of the members. We are like one big family. When we came in 2011 it was a miracle. The who is who in Imo politics were against us but we won that election. We moved from APGA to the APC because of the name of Buhari, which is synonymous with integrity. I am a foundation member of the APC. I suggested the name APC.”

He added, “Those Oshiomhole gave the tickets were not APC members , the worst political injustice in the history of Nigeria happened in Imo.

“Let me make bold to say that this is not about the people here but those across the breadth of the state, the name you hear is Uche Nwosu. Against all speculation that I am leaving the APC is not true, all the state and local government executives are intact.

We have done everything to resolve the issue but it appears to have gone beyond repair. The situation at hand has gone beyond what we can manage.”

The APC governorship candidate in the state, Hope Uzodinma, and Okorocha’ s son -in-law, who is laying claim to the ticket, Uche Nwosu, were absent from the meeting. Meanwhile, fresh facts emerged on Thursday that all the aggrieved APC aspirants in Imo state will join Action Alliance and Democratic People’s Party early next week.

The development, our correspondent learnt,  was to enable them to pursue their ambitions of winning elective positions in 2019. Okorocha on Tuesday hinted that all those denied tickets including Nwosu might join another party.

According to a source , who does not want to be mentioned, said all arrangements regarding the defection the APC to another party had been concluded.

He said the aggrieved members and their supporters would openly declare for the new party in a big ceremony in Owerri early next week.

-Stakeholders accuse Uzodinma of  irresponsibility.

Following the selection of a University Lecturer, Prof Placid Njoku as running mate to APC Governorship candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma, some political gladiators in the state were said to have expressed annoyance hence, resolved to frustrate the project, Ameborave Media authoritatively reports.

One of the political heavyweights and strong member of the ruling party in Imo state, identified as Chief Igwe disclosed that the emergence of Prof Njoku was done single-handedly by Senator Uzodinma without the consent of party stakeholders.

He expressed bitterness that instead of Senator Uzodinma to choose one out of the seven governorship aspirants from Owerri Zone who fought the battle with him, he allowed himself to be used by selfish individuals to finally kill APC in the state.

According to Chief Igwe, the said Prof Njoku is not a member of any political party in Nigeria, wondering why Bishop of Owerri Catholic Diocese, AJV Obinna and former INEC boss, Prof Maurice Iwu could develop sudden love for APC.

Chief Igwe therefore berated the APC Governorship candidate, Senator Uzodinma for not sticking to agreement, describing his actions not to incorporate other aspirants in the selection as the height of irresponsibility.

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Imo state, has snowballed into a fisticuff of proportional dimensions as the party now has a new formation called new PDP, and named Chief Fabian Ihekweme as chairman.

Announcing the formation of the faction at a crowded press conference on Monday at the popular Villa Garden Hotel Owerri, Imo State , Dr .Ihekweme alleged that the impunity and manipulation that greeted the gubernatorial primary election of PDP has left the party faithful disappointed and sullen hearted as to resort to seeking remedy in the court of law to determine the real winner of the said primary election.

The Imo nPDP chairman averred that its a known fact that the once very peaceful and stable enclave of PDP in IMO has been torn into two parallel and irreconcilable factions since the issue of whom between Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha actually won the gubernatorial primary election.

He said, "it is a travesty and an affront to our collective sensibility to accept the charade that took place on October 1st as validly representing an exercise in the process of internal party democracy for a great party like the PDP that should lead while others follow."

The visibly angry Chairman  pointed out that what was tagged as the gubernatorial primary election of PDP in IMO state is a ruse and an imposition that is totally unacceptable to the generality among the silent majority of party members.

Ihekweme further said  as electioneering campaigns  are starting  across the country in compliance to INEC guildlines and timetable ,there exists a compelling reason to hold our political locations and also to stem against further drifting to other political locations and also to stem against further abuses since it will be utterly irresponsible of us not to create an umbrella that would canopy our interests.

"Our teaming members and supporters after extensive consultations and deliberations have come up with the decision to consign our political interest within a subset of the PDP family in the state that can rightly be described as our political camp". 

"In order to guild against further stereotypes, prejudice and abuses being suffered by members of our coalition, it was also decided that a new platform to be known as nPDP be formed to take charge of our affairs in PDP "

Ihekweme further sound it loud and clear that Imo state is neither a conquered territory nor a Buffalo state where manifesting emperor's transverse as governors to the state under any guise .We will elect our own governor come 2019 by the grace of God,he averred.

He pointed out that it's the intention of the nPDP in the foregoing, to put the NWC of PDP on notice to immediately commence urgent actions to redress the very issues that brought about the crises in the party on or before the 29th of November 2018 or be prepared to manage  of our coalition who are  even now prepared to  join forces with other likes minds in other opposition parties to foster our political future.

Other members of the group includes Hon. Ifeanyi Oguzie ,Secretary, Chief Johnbosco Ben,Spokeman,while Chief Christopher Okoro is to be the Organizing Secretary and Barr. Uche Igbokwe becomes the Legal adviser of the new outfit.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday declared his backing for aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress who opted to sue the party for being dissatisfied with its decisions.

The President said the courts remained the last option for the amicable resolution of disputes, hence he insisted that the party must allow the aggrieved members to fully explore their democratic and legal rights.

It is yet another sign of the deepening disagreements within the fold of the ruling party.

The APC has been battling post-primary election crises, amid fears that the development may rub on its chances at the 2019 polls.

The National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, in particular, has been pitted against some state governors, who are reported to be bent on removing him before the polls.

The party has also suffered a gale of defections across the states and the National Assembly, where there is now a real threat of losing the majority position in the House of Representatives.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, expressed Buhari’s backing for the decision of aggrieved members to approach the courts. The statement quoted Buhari as saying,“We can’t deliberately deny people of their rights.

“We agreed that party primaries should be conducted either through direct, indirect or consensus methods, and if anyone feels unjustly treated in the process, such a person can go to court.

“The court should always be the last resort for the dissatisfied . For the party to outlaw the court process is not acceptable to me.”

Buhari, who also cited the threat issued by the National Working Committee of the APC last week, said he did not agree with the position of the party’s leadership.

The NWC had warned,“ The party intends to activate constitutional provisions to penalise such members as their action is capable of undermining the party and hurt the party’ s interest.

“We hereby strongly advise such members to withdraw all court cases , while approaching the appropriate party organs with a view to resolving any outstanding disputes.

“In addition to this , aggrieved members are urged to take full advantage of the reconciliation committees the party has put in place .”