Ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Imo State, support groups of Governor Hope Uzodimma, under the aegis of the Progressive League of Youth Voters and the APC Solidarity Group, have asked the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, to stop interfering in the internal affairs of the state, saying the state’s governor, Uzodinma, has performed creditably well to be re-elected in the election.
The groups made up of different chieftains of the APC-led Ambassador Audu Usman, made their demands known in a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, noting that it had become necessary to draw the attention of Nigerians to the activities of Mr. Otti, who they alleged “is set to invade Imo State with some members of the Labour Party during the Imo State gubernatorial elections.”
They condemned Otti’s statements during the flag-off of the Labour Party LP gubernatorial campaign in Imo, warning that the Abia state governor is overheating the polity.
“Governor Otti’s mission in Imo State is to sponsor violence in the gubernatorial elections so that voters will flee and allow Labour Party thugs to highjack electoral materials to manipulate the election in favor of the Labour Party’s candidate. His statement during the Imo State LP gubernatorial campaign flag-off shows that the neighboring governor is set for war.
“How can a newly elected governor who is yet to acclimate himself to the doings of the office openly declare that the workaholic governor of Imo State should prepare his handover notes? Here is a man whose victory is facing a serious legal battle at the governorship election petition tribunal. Instead of facing his challenges, Otti decided to stir up the polity by indirectly calling non-state actors to invade Imo State.
“We are using this medium to tell Governor Alex Otti that Governor Hope will only hand over to himself and not the Labour Party.
“We are citizens of Nigeria first before becoming members of political parties. As members of formidable support groups whose interest is the development of Nigeria, we are aware that the future of Imo State has been toyed with by highly placed politicians who want to use the influence of their offices, just like Governor Otti of Abia State, to force a regime change in the South East State.
“We feel concerned because Governor Otti’s home state is the International Headquarters of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and that of the dreaded Eastern Security Network, ESN. Any statement made by the Abia State Governor on Imo must be taken seriously.
“If the election is free and fair, Governor Hope Uzodinma will cruise to victory as his works speak for him. The APC-led government of Imo State has clearly shown the difference between good governance and maladministration. It would be wrong to fold our arms and watch a governor from another state cause chaos in Imo State.
“It is only in Abia State under the current governor that already dualized roads are being built; a sea port is being built where there is no river, lake, or dam instead of executing people-oriented projects that will better the lots of Abia people; Governor Otti is a meddlesome interferer in Imo State Governorship elections.
“Mr. President must remember his statement that he won’t interfere in any democratic process anywhere in the country. Therefore, the President must caution the irate governor of Abia State against statements that are capable of causing crises and not to meddle in the affairs of other states. It is not enough for the President as an individual to simply pledge non-interference. He should take a step further to warn the governor to follow his example as a statesman.
“We maintain that the good people of Imo State should be allowed to choose their governor in the coming elections. Our people must not be intimidated or coerced into accepting a governorship candidate imposed on them by enemies of the Imolites. We will resist any form of imposition or plot to cause political instability in Imo State. We would resist, with equal vigor, any attempt to influence the gubernatorial elections to favor the Labour Party.
“For Governor Otti and his co-travelers, the plan to change the political leadership in Imo State come November 11th, 2023, will fail just like the plan to surrender the South East to unknown gunmen also failed. Governor Hope Uzodinma has stood firm with his people in ensuring that security is provided by the Federal Government; his effort is commendable, and he deserves re-election,” they said in the press conference.
