More South-East governors, leaders will join APC, says Uzodinma

There may be mass movement of politicians in the South-East from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in a desperate attempt by the region to secure an automatic ticket of a major party for the 2023 presidential election.

Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, gave this indication, saying many South-East governors would soon follow Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, to join the APC.

He spoke in Abuja on Monday when he visited the APC’s national secretariat, stressing that more political heavyweights of Igbo extraction would also join the party.

He said, “If you recall when I addressed you here couple of months ago, I told you that the moment I resume office in Imo State, the impression and perception of our party in South East will change and the resultant effect will be that more credible individuals and governors will even join the party.”

He said it would be in the best interest of the South East to join the APC.

Uzodinma said, “Today, I am vindicated because we’re hearing it and I am sure few hours from now we get a confirmation that one of our best will be joining the part;  Governor of Ebonyi State. Of course, I will be very glad and it will be my joy to welcome a governor and more governors, not only him, we’re still talking more governors to join.

“The APC is the ruling party and for the interest of national integration and cohesion, Imo and South East indeed, needs to become part and parcel of the ruling party to make the Nigerian project a complete project.”

The governor also said he came “equally to our great party to meet with critical stakeholders and officers of our party as to the status and going on of events in our great party and I had a private audience with the National Chairman and some members of the caretaker committee and also to be able to touch base with our preparedness for the upcoming bye-election.

“Of course, you know any moment from now, there will be a Senatorial bye-election in Imo State, Imo North Senatorial District and I think our party is  prepared. In Imo too we are prepared. APC is the party to beat in Imo State. The most important thing is APC to win the election.”

He, however, said only the party could decide the candidate of the party in line with the Electoral Act.

He said, “The party has internal mechanism of confirming who the candidate is. The Supreme Court has said it; the Electoral Act has said it. Every party has the right and it is only the party that sponsors a candidate.

“Of course, we have our candidate. There are some few legal issues going on. I don’t want to go into that because the matter pending in court.”