The Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win Abia State and the entire South East in the upcoming elections, urging party faithful to build on recent successes recorded during the State congresses and entrench consensus politics.
Speaking during the Abia APC critical stakeholders meeting in Owerri on Tuesday, Uzodinma thanked them for honouring him and for gathering to deliberate on the fate of the party not only in Abia State but in the South East region.
He charged members to remain strong and committed, commending them for what he called “the wonderful congresses” held at the ward, local government, and state levels in Abia.
Uzodinma argued that Nigeria is at a turning point, with every geopolitical zone strategising in its best interests, committing to delivering all APC candidates in the 2027 general elections in Abia State and other States of the South East region.
He said: “I want to formally and officially welcome all of you to Imo State, the Eastern heartland, and to thank you for finding time to honour me today, and to be here to discuss and discuss the affairs of our party, the fate of our party, not only in Abia State but in the South East region and to encourage you to be strong and committed members of our party, to believe in our party, to agree with our party, and to work for our party and to use the opportunity to thank and commend you for the wonderful congress you did: the ward, the Local Government, State congresses in Abia State and for the political maturity you demonstrated, in doing the mode of consensus, and to challenge you to build on that consensus to advance the course of our great party, going forward.
Looking at the men and women in this hall, from Abia State, there is no reason for you to come last.
“Nigeria is at a turning point. Every geopolitical zone has gone home to plan how to develop and agree on what will represent the best interest of their zone. South East will not be different. We have suffered enough, and everything we’ve suffered can be blamed on ignorance and wrong national political calculation.
“We will win 100%. We’ll win, and I’m sure we’ll win. So, the enabling environment for us to win is what is required and that we cannot do from here. It is you. So, you will choose whether to win or to lose. So, I charge you to go home, strengthen and key behind the leadership and the chairman. So support him.
“Deliver all APC candidates in Abia State because you don’t want to cut off your hand, one hand or one leg, if the body is not complete, it’s no longer the body. So all APC candidates should be delivered”.
The governor described the outcome of the 2023 presidential election in the South East as “a complete political accident, vowing that it will never repeat itself again.
“What happened in the South East in the 2023 presidential election was a complete political accident, which will never repeat itself again”, he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, expressed gratitude to the Governor for showing leadership.
He assured the governor of the support and cooperation of all Abia APC members to ensure that the South East region returns President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
“I want to thank you because you’ve shown leadership. This thing that is happening here today was out of his wealth of experience in party politics. Let’s give credit to Onwa Imo.
“As the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, this is his territory, and we will support him. We will make sure that this desire to rewrite the narrative of the political life of the Southeasterners will be achieved. We will no longer sit on the fence.
“We must prove a point that the Igbos have risen to join together to return the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Bola Tinubu. Not in words but in action. When you talk about men of strategy, and you leave Onwa outside the room, you’re making a mistake. We are here, sir, to encourage you as well. We also came here to witness the evidence of good governance”, Kalu said.
In their separate remarks earlier, the Abia APC chairman, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, some other party chieftains, which included Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, former minister of Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkiruka Onyejiocha, former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Atuma and the first governorship candidates of APC in Abia State, Dr Nyerere Ayim and the former PDP Presidential Aspirant, Dr Cosmos Ndukwe, lauded the unity and peace in the party in Abia, attributing it to the leadership qualities of the Deputy Speaker.
