It was a mild drama Tuesday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, the Imo State capital as President Muhammadu Buhari countered the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole on who to vote in the governorship election.
Buhati, who broke his silence on the crisis rocking the APC after the 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 state governor, had hosted the President at the Government House, with the Action Alliance governorship candidate, Uche Nwosu in attendance, while the APC candidate, Hope Uzodinma was absent.
It will be recalled that Okorocha was supporting his former Chief of Staff, Uche Nwosu for governor, while Oshiomhole, was backing Senator Uzodinma, who emerged the APC candidate under controversial circumstances.
Nwosu however picked the governorship ticket of the Action Alliance (AA) and ever since the state chapter of the APCnhas been polarised on who to vote.
The Imo state chapter of AA has endorsed
Buhari after the emergence of Nwosu and promised to secure one million votes for him.
Meanwhile at the Stadium shortly before Buhari mounted the podium, Oshiomhole, while presenting the APC governorship candidate, had thrown jibes at the governor.
In his words, “the APC is not in alliance with any party, we are capable of delivering votes for 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 Usodinma, betrayed his disapproval of the Senator’s candidacy.
Meanwhile, Okorocha in his speech said that the President has 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 Igbos. And you have always demonstrated that. You took Chuba Okadigbo and Edum Umezuoke at different times to be your running mates. No good result came from all that. 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”.
He Continued “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”.
The governor added “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
