Internal rancour in Imo APC dominates rally as Buhari tells citizens to vote candidates of their choice

The internal wrangling within the Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) came to the fore on Tuesday as President Muhammadu Buhari led the national executives of the party to a presidential rally in Owerri.

Control for the soul of the party had swung between Governor Rochas Okorocha and Hope Uzodinma until it fell into the hands of the latter after the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) firmly placed the party structure in the hands of Uzodinma.

Governor Okorocha set the tone at the rally when he berated the Uzodinma group for hijacking a party he supposedly built from scratch. He boasted that he was still in control of the party, being its Senatorial candidate, and that any other claimant was a pretender.

“To think that any other person is in control of the party is Iberiberism, “ Okorocha said. He then held that the principal reason he and his group had kept their cool at the rally was because of the presence of President Muhammadu Buhari.

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Oshiomhole and Uzodinma who spoke later apologized for Okorocha’s tantrums, insisting that the State party executives recognized by the NWC were those led by Uzodinma. On his part, Uzodimna took time to dissociate Imo indigenes from the purported endorsement. of Atiku Abubakar who is the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

President Buhari who kept a straight face all through the rancour later took to the podium to formally present Senator Hope Uzodinma as the party’s gubernatorial candidate. Pandering to the contending forces, and not wanting to take sides, Buhari enjoined the electorate to vote candidates of their choice, irrespective of political or religious inclination.

He was, however, nudged by Oshiomhole and other party chieftains to proclaim Uzodinma as the number one choice.

“You can vote for whosoever you want, do not allow intra or inter party affairs stop you from voting for the candidate of your choice,” Buhari said.

But Oshiomhole boasted that the APC does not need the support of Okorocha-backed Action Alliance (AA) to deliver President Buhari in the state.

He said: “Let me make it clear that the APC is not in alliance with any party, we have the power to deliver the President.

“You should vote for Uzodinma as our governorship candidate, don’t be deceived by anybody”.

Buhari, in a brief remark, he restated APC’s commitment to fighting corruption, improving the economy and ensuring security of lives and property.

Governor Rochas Okorocha is supporting his former Chief of Staff, and son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, to succeed him in office.

In attendance at the rally were the ministers of Labour/Productivity and Transport, Chris Ngige and Rotimi Amaechi respectively.

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