…As Ganduje gives flag to candidates, welcomes PDP defectors at grand finale rally
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will carry the day in the Saturday, September 21, 2024 Local Government election in Imo State, assuring that the contest will be free, fair and transparent as promised by the State Independent Electoral Commission.
Governor Uzodimma spoke Thursday at the Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu Square, Owerri during the grand finale rally of the APC ahead of the Saturday Council election in Imo State.
During the rally that had more than 250,000 Party faithful from Imo State in attendance, the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje presented the Party’s flag to the 27 Chairmanship and 305 Ward Councillorship candidates, and reminded them that, they are the foundation buiders of the society.
“Although it is called local government, you are not local, you are foundation builders.”
Ganduje was supported during the presentation of the flag by Governor Uzodimma, Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Abiodun Oyebanji, the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Enukwu, the APC South East Zonal Chairman, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, the Imo State APC Chairman, Dr. Macdonald Ebere, the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, among other key Party and government officials.
Governor Uzodimma who expressed confidence that the APC will emerge victorious at the poll noted that the candidates are not products of transparent primaries, but have shown to be popular in their communities.
He emphasised the significance of the grand finale rally as a way to show solidarity and support to the candidates, and as a way of boosting the campaigns which the Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates have been carrying out in their different localities.
Governor Uzodimma commended President Bola Tinubu for his support for local government autonomy, insisting that Imo State had embraced the Council autonomy as a way of strengthening local governments.
He therefore harped on the need for the implementation of the various policies and programmes of his administration as they concern “reduction of hunger, suffering and the cost of living.”
The Governor however regretted that the local government election had been delayed since 2021 due to insecurity and banditry.
He assured that the Council election would be free, fair and transparent, and extended invitation to those opposed to the current Local Government Council to vote for their preferred Parties on Saturday.
Regardless, he expressed confidence in the people of Imo State voting for APC.
Governor Uzodimma further urged the candidates to see their choice for the election as everybody’s choice and work hard to carry everyone along.
He reiterated his earlier promise that the aspirants who could not make it as candidates in the election would be refunded the amount they used to buy forms, saying “in the history of democracy, this is the first time someone would be refunded the money he used for gambling.”
The Governor also said that efforts would be made to accommodate some of the aspirants in other available positions as a way of encouragement.
Earlier, Dr. Ebere thanked Governor Uzodimma for providing a level playing ground for the emergence of the candidates in a peaceful and transparent primary and assured that those the APC has fielded are men and women who will make the Party and the State proud in office.
Ebere also congratulated the candidates and urged them to be magnanimous in victory in their relationship with their colleagues who were not so lucky to emerge as candidates for the election.
Chief Enukwu and Dr. Arodiogbu who also congratulated the candidates during their individual remarks admonished them to be true Party men and women, by being ambassadors of, not just their Wards and Local Governments, but of the State, Nation and the APC.
The highpoint of the rally was the defection of former key figures of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from Aboh Mbaise to the APC.
They include Hon Dr. Alex Emeziem, a businessman and former Deputy Majority Leader in Imo State House of Assembly as well as former General Manager of ENTRACO and Special Adviser to former Governor Emeka Ihedioha.
Others are: Hon. Chief Cletus Ugwo, former Aboh Mbaise Council Chairman; Barr. E. Aham, former Assistant State Legal Adviser of PDP; Mrs. Chinyere Chukwuocha, PDP Women Leader, Aboh Mbaise; key chieftains like retired Air Vice Marshal Odunze, Prince Coleman Nwaturuocha and several PDP Ward Chairmen and their executives from Aboh Mbaise.
While Dr. Ganduje described Emeziem’s entry into the APC as that of a “big fish”, the former PDP chieftain said his associates and himself ucchose to abandon the PDP with it’s torn umbrella because they “saw hope in the APC.”