THERE was a mild drama yesterday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, the Imo State capital President Muhammadu Buhari asked party members to vote for a candidate of their choice in the governorship poll.
The counsel ran contrary to that of the party’s National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, who had earlier told the crowd that the party was not in alliance with any political platform.
He told the party supporters in clear language that they should vote for the party’s standard bearer in the governorship race, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
The Action Alliance (AA) candidate, Uche Nwosu, enjoys the backing of Governor Rochas Okorocha, who is contesting the Imo West senatorial seat on the APC ticket.
Nwosu, who was at the APC rally, had adopted Buhari as his presidential candidate.
President Buhari, who broke his silence on the crisis rocking the party since the party’s governorship primaries, urged APC members to vote for any candidate of their choice across party lines irrespective of inter or intra party squabbles.
Before coming to the Dan Anyiam Stadium, the governor had hosted the President at the Government House. Nwosu was present; Uzodinma was not. He was at the stadium, waiting for the President.
The emergence of Uzodinma “in controversial circumstances” at the governorship primary pitted the governor against the APC national chair.
Nwosu, who jostled for the APC ticket, defected the AA, a decision that polarised the local chapter of the APC in Imo State.
The state chapter of AA has not only endorsed Buhari, it promised to secure one million votes for him.
At the stadium shortly before Buhari’s address, Oshiomhole, while presenting the APC governorship candidate, had thrown jibes at the governor, who was seen keeping himself under check.
The party chair said: “The APC is not in alliance with any party; we are capable of delivering the President. We have come to present a new hope to Imo people; Senator Hope Uzodinma will win and restore good governance in Imo. APC will win in Imo State.”
The mug look on the governor’s face when Oshiomhole presented the party flag to Uzodinma, betrayed his disapproval of the senator’s candidature.
Okorocha said that the President had always demonstrated his love for the Igbo and would continue to show his love for the Igbos.
He said: “My President, you are a man of destiny. Your victory, come 2019, has been signed and sealed. You love the Igbo. And you have always demonstrated that. You took Chuba Okadigbo and Edwin Ume Ezeoke at different times to be your running mates. It will be wrong for anybody to say that you don’t love Ndi-Igbo. Whoever says that is lying from the pit of hell.
“Mr. President, you were forced to look elsewhere. So, it is not right that Buhari does not love Ndigbo. He shall continue to show us love. You have shown your capacity and capability in fighting corruption. There is nothing you can do to please the elite of Nigeria. Continue to work for the ordinary Nigerians while protecting the interest of the few elites.
“Let me remind you sir, I am Owelle Rochas Okorocha, I am the founder of APC in Imo State and I am the only governor in the whole of Southeast from APC. As it stands today, those that challenged us, those that came with the Army and Police and DSS are now sitting boldly as the owners of the party. Let me say to you that, it is Iberiberism Chapter I vs I.”….
Nation
Comments are closed.