Abuja APC Stakeholders Meeting and Purported Vote of Confidence on Governor Uzodinma
Our attention has been called a report by some media outfits, a former deputy governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Prince Eze Madumere was reported to have, among other things; recognized his kinsman, Barrister Marcelinus Nlemigbo, as his Chairman, passing a vote of confidence on Governor Hope Uzodinma, Minister Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and Princess Gloria Akobundu.
Unfortunately, Prince Eze Madumere who was the spokesman of this group of APC underperformers and fifth columnists did almost the same kind of hatchet job for the short-lived PDP administration of His Excellency Chief Emeka Ihedioha, as he would always be the first to run to the media with congratulatory messages, whenever Ihedioha got victory in court, even though, the APC, which he claims to be its member, was in court challenging the legitimacy of Ihedioha’s declaration as governor. As all men of shifty loyalty are bound to, Madumere was quick to run back to Governor Hope Uzodinma after the latter was declared governor by the Supreme Court. What kind of stake is he really holding? Maybe, the stake of the stomach?
As a Party, we recognize the need for unity of purpose among Party members and encourage any genuine effort made in that regard by any group of Party faithful or individuals, however, we wish to state the following as it affects the recent outing by this group:
1. The claim by members of this group to being ‘stakeholders’ of the Party at any level is questionable, as none of them was able to deliver their booths to the Party in all the elections in 2019. We challenge, especially, the spokesman of this group, Prince Eze Madumere, to publish his booth results for all the elections conducted in 2019, for a more informed scrutiny of his claim to being a stakeholder of the Party.
2. As responsible Party members, we understand that our relevance as a political Party is dependent on our acceptability by the majority of the people, especially, the electorate, and as the ruling Party in Imo State, the onus falls on the governor of the State to earn the confidence of the people through good governance, honesty and integrity of leadership. We therefore frown at a situation where some individuals would gather themselves in a location, that is more than 800 kilometers away from our State to pass an unnecessary vote of confidence on the governor. The very idea of passing a vote of confidence on the governor in Abuja implies that they may be afraid of being stoned by Imolites, if they had converged in Owerri for that purpose. This ill-advised vote of confidence sends the wrong signals about our Party, as any sensible observer would have believed that our governor is unpopular, hence, desperately seeking for validation. Our Party apologizes to Imo people for this embarrassing outing, and disown the action of these individuals, as they did not act on behalf of the Party.
3. Passing a vote of confidence on appointees of the President is sycophancy taken too low. This particular episode in the embarrassing outing further portrays the entire gathering as some hungry group of rent-seeking crumbs-picking emergency political support groups.
4. Prince Eze Madumere and those who approved the speech he read, betrayed a pathetic understanding of the simplest communication by referring to the judgement on Suit No: FCT/HC/BW/CV/103/2018 and Motion No: FCT/HC/M/3025/2019 as a basis for their insignificant recognition of Barrister Marcelinus Nlemigbo as their Chairman. Thankfully, Madumere confirmed that the purported dissolution of the APC leadership in Imo State happened in 2018. The former Deputy-Governor would have sounded more logical if he had further told us which congress produced his so-called Chairman or made any reference to any court judgement that authorized the dissolution or purported appointment of Barrister Marcelinus Nlemigbo and his co-impostors.
5. The only authentic Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Imo State is Daniel Madueke Nwafor and every officer of the Party produced during the July 21, 22 and 23rd rescheduled Congress of the Party in Imo State shall remain in office until 2022, in line with our Party’s Constitution.
6. As a Party, we recognize the leadership of the founding father of the All Progressives Congress in the Southeast and one of the founding pillars of the Party in Nigeria, His Excellency Distinguished Senator Owelle Rochas Okorocha and any attempt to ridicule him by some fifth columnists shall be resisted.
7. We wish to reiterate that some of those who parade themselves as members of the All Progressives Congress in Imo State are in reality, members of the PDP, as our records show that they have not obtained their registration card from the authorized officials of the Party. Those who have returned to the Party through the right routes have been fully reabsorbed and accorded all their rights within the Party, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on full reconciliation of all Party members.
8. We urge Barrister Marcelinus Nlemigbo and his co-impostors to obey the NEC’s directive on withdrawal of all matters in court, by withdrawing their suits against the Party in various Courts and queue behind the Party in its determination to heal from the scars inflicted on her by external politicians of questionable attributes.
9. All relevant authorities, media houses and the general public are advised to stop lending their platforms, time or audience to a group of charlatans parading as leaders of our Party from Imo State, except as may be authorized by Daniel Madueke Nwafor.
10. We urge the governor, His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodinma to stop promoting interest of the PDP in the State by sponsoring disaffection in the Party, and rather focus his energy towards meeting the aspirations of the people, by implementing our Party’s people-oriented manifestoes.
Being a press statement signed by Onwuasoanya Jones,
State Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress on Sunday, 2nd August, 2020.
