● As Ganduje inaugurates Otu-led Campaign Council
● We are ready for election, Uzodimma declares
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday took a holistic evaluation of what Governor Hope Uzodimma has achieved in Imo State in the past three years and eight months and came to the conclusion that the State’s future development is bankable if the people reelect Uzodimma come November 11, 2023.
Leading a galaxy of the Party’s top guns who came to Owerri for the inauguration ceremony of the Imo State National Gubernatorial Campaign Council, Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje told the army of Party faithful and supporters at the Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu Square in Owerri that President Ahmed Bola Ahmed was seriously looking forward to the Governor’s reelection to consummate the future development trajectory of Imo which s Uzodimma has laid the foundation.
While inaugurating members of the Campaign Council, Dr. Ganduje, the immediate past Governor of Kano State, noted that President Tinubu’s choice of the Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Bassey Otu and other key members of the Campaign Council spoke volume about the seriousness the President attaches to the election.
But the man in the eye of the storm, Governor Uzodimma, is not only optimistic that he will win the election, he is also certain that the APC in Imo State is battle ready for the contest.
Dr. Ganduje who reminded Imo people of the benefits they stand to gain by re-electing Governor Uzodimma, insisted that the Governor has worked so hard to position his State in the good books of the federal government, and is generally believed to be intelligent, loving, peaceful, hardworking.
The National Chairman of APC expressed happiness that members the APC in Imo State love their Governor from the bottom of their hearts and thanked Governor Uzodimma for the massive mobilisation at all levels of the Party.
He brought greetings from President Tinubu whom he informed, “has promised to do everything in his powers to move the State to the next level.”
The National Chairman described Governor Uzodimma as “loving, very intelligent, dexterous and cooperative” to the President and APC in general.”
On his part, he promised to assist the National Campaign Council and the State Campaign Council to ensure success in the Imo State Governorship election in November.
About changes made at the National Executive Council level, Dr. Ganduje said his administration has introduced new reforms to include; E-registration of members, “a process that will help them keep comprehensive list of their members and help them have realistic membership register.”
Secondly, he said they have decided that all Party officers and offices from polling units to National Headquarters must be accorded due recognition.
Thirdly, he said they have decided that Party executives at all levels must hold meetings every month. “This will help the State and National Working Committees to be aware of what the Government in power is doing.”
Finally, Dr. Ganduje said that his administration has decided “to establish a National Institute of Progressive Studies that will reengineer the democratic process and bring positive changes to all sectors of the country.”
He said he brought greetings from Igbo Community in Kano and assured that as “Agu-na-eche-mba of Ndigbo (the lion that protects the people), he will always protect the Igbos all over the world.
He advised Imo people to take advantage of Governor Uzodimma’s good will that cuts across ethnic divide and his wisdom, to secure the future development of Imo State.
Dr. Ganduje said he was “highly elated” with the turn out of Party faithful from the State for the inauguration, insisting that he didn’t need to be told that Governor Uzodimma has done well for the APC and for Imo people in general.
He said that what he saw at the inauguration ceremony was a sign of what to come in the November 11governorship election.
While he advised them to vote massively for Governor Uzodimma’s reelection in November 11, Dr. Ganduje reminded APC members that the new leadership will ensure that the Party’s presence is felt at all the nooks and crannies of the country and advised the executives to take seriously the issue of identifying their leaders and according them recognitions in their offices.
On arrival Friday night, Dr. Ganduje had commissioned the Imo State APC Governorship Campaign Office on Wethdral Road Owerri where he described the edifice as “more than an office, but a Secretariat because of what I saw inside.”
He had congratulated the Governor and Imo State APC leadership and said with the Office, ” Governor Uzodimma continuity is assured.”
In Governor Uzodimma’s remarks before he called on Dr. Ganduje to inaugurate the Campaign Council members, Saturday, he maintained that APC has become a movement in Imo State and by extension in the South East.
Welcoming the APC Leadership and others, Governor Uzodimma reminded all that in the past, Campaign Councils were inaugurated at the National Headquarters “but now it is taken to the States where the elections will hold.”
He expressed delight that under his administration, the APC has brought observable changes that have showcased Imo as a State of massive development, stating that “Imo of yesterday is no longer what it is today.”
He affirmed that there are a lot of enthusiasm and political awareness among the people “and they are now ready to come out and participate in politics and elections because of what they see on ground.”
The Governor noted that the Campaign structure in Imo State is “bottom to top to drive the message to the last man at the grassroots.”
He expressed his gratitude to Mr. President for giving his approval and the National Leadership of APC, for all their support particularly for all the appointments they gave to Imo State.
He reiterated that the APC in Imo State is “a movement and not a mere Political Party.”
“It is a Party to beat in any election,” he said, noting that the Imo State Working Committee and himself as the Leader of APC in Imo State are working hard to ensure that the National APC recognises the Imo APC and places it top most in their organogram.
Governor Uzodimma said: “From all indications, the APC is the only Party in Imo State that is properly positioned and ready for the November election. No doubt my people are very confident and waiting for the D-Day. So what is already known will be made formal.
“We have embarked on reconciliation. All the leaders and members of our great Party who had suffered one grievance or the other; we have opened the doors.
“Of late, not only have many of them come back to join the party, we have also witnessed massive defections from other Political Parties. As I speak to you, for majority of the opposition Political Parties in Imo State, their Party structures and majority of their leadership have joined the APC.
“Our people have bought into the Party. I want to inform you that I have decided to take the campaign up to polling units. This is in our effort to drive our campaign directly to the grassroots. Our campaign structure is bottom up.
“We are not doing our formal flag off rally today. The national leadership of our great Party, working with members of the Progressive Governors Forum, are simply here to inaugurate our National Campaign Council. The Council that will drive the campaign and the management of the election.
“The APC in Imo State is like a movement. The members and supporters are battle ready. Even if the election is tomorrow, we are ready for the election.”
Governor Uzodimma who thanked President Tinubu for his love for Imo State and the people also expressed gratitude to Dr. Ganduje, his brother Governors and other key figures from the National body of the APC who came to solidarize with him.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the National Gubernatorial Campaign Council for Imo State who is also the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu said they have “only come to reemphasize the reelection of Governor Hope Uzodimma by saying Yes! Yes!!. Yes!!!”
He thanked Imo people for their performance in the last general elections where they massively voted for APC in the two Houses of National Assembly and Mr. President.
He said that their job is “simple because the message to Imo people is to vote Governor Uzodimma for more infrastructure that will make Imo greater and bigger than what it is now.”
Governor Otu captured some milestone achievements of Governor Uzodimma such as the dredging of Oguta Lake and the Naval Base at Oguta, massive road infrastructure, youth empowerment and achievements in the areas of health, education, civil service etc. He spoke about sustainable development.
His words: “For Imo when everything tends to have collapsed, Hope remains the only passion.”
He asked Imo people for “excellent and massive support that will enable and sustain Renewed Hope and Retained Hope.”
In his welcome speech, the National Secretary of APC, Senator Surajudeen Basiru said the November 11 election will be different. “Not only will the APC win convincingly in the 4,758 units across the 305 wards in the 27 Local Government Areas of Imo State, but all votes for the APC in every polling unit across the State must count.”
He emphasized that “Governor Hope Uzodimma has demonstrated unwavering devotion to our Political Party core beliefs and ideals, which have been essential in cementing our Party’s position in Imo State and across the South East.”
Basiru said that Governor Uzodimma recognizes the significance of connecting his administration to the Party’s programme by simply emphasizing the essence of good governance from the beginning of his tenure.
“His dedication to Party objectives, shared economic prosperity, infrastructure development, security and human capital development has set a precedent that resonates far beyond the shores of Imo State.
“Therefore, re-electing Uzodimma is about solidifying Imo State’s position on the Party towards greater heights of prosperity and progress.”
In their remarks to thank the visitors, the Chairman of APC in Imo State, Macdonald Ebere and the APC deputy governorship candidate, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru assured that they will not leave any stone unturned to ensure that the Governor gets reelected in November 11, 2023.
Present at the inauguration were the Governors of Ebonyi ( Rt. Hon Francis Nwifuru) Yobe ( Mai Mala- Buni), and Kastina(Dikko Umar Radda) States, Ministers, APC National Working Committee Members, the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prof. Placid Njoku, the Speaker Imo State House of Assembly and Members of the National Assembly of Imo State extraction and other APC faithful.