Confusion as 20 Imo Assembly Members Allegedly Support Uche Nwosu for Governorship

Amby Uneze in Owerri

As the confusion over the endorsement of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Son-in-law, Uche Nwosu as his possible successor by 2019 rages unabated, some members of the Imo State House of Assembly have alleged to have given their support on the project.

About 20 out of the 27 members of the Assembly have thrown their weight behind Nwosu on the basis that the governor had earlier given his approval.

Nwosu, who hails from Eziama Obaire Nkwerre Local Government Area of the state which is in the same Imo West Senatorial district with Okorocha, is the chief of staff and husband of Okorocha’s first daughter – Uloma.

Addressing journalists in a private home in Owerri on Saturday, the member for Oguta state constituency, Henry Uzoma Ezediaro who is also the Director General of the Uche Nwosu campaign organisation said the lawmakers resolved to endorse Nwosu because of their belief in his capacity to sustain the legacies of the APC administration in the state.

Ezediaro listed the legislators who endorsed Nwosu to include: the deputy speaker of the House – Ugonna Ozuruigbo (Nwangele constituency), the former majority leader of the house – Luguard Osuji (Owerri Municipal), those of Owerri North, Oru East, Ideato North, Ngor Okpala, Isu and Njaba.

Others were the members for Ihitte/Uboma, Owerri West, Orsu, Ohaji/Egbema, Ideato South, Ehime Mbano, Orlu, Onuimo, Nkwerre and Obowo as well as himself.

“We have resolved to endorse Nwosu because we believe that he is the only person that has the capacity to sustain the legacies of the Rochas Okorocha administration and since we, as members of the State House of Assembly have the constitutional right to impeach the governor, we also have the right to back him”, he stated.

According to Ezediaro, the decision to endorse Nwosu was arrived at after one day crucial meeting presided over by the Speaker of the House, Hon. Acho Ihim.

He explained that the endorsement of Nwosu by the lawmakers was a product of wide consultation by the legislators with their constituents.

“Since we were duly and constitutionally elected by our people to represent them for four years, we have the mandate to speak and to act for them and whatever we say or do represents their position. In politics, you cannot have 100 per cent support, but when you succeed, you are expected to carry everybody along and as human beings, we are not infallible”.

On the issue of gender disparity Ezediaro contended that the state government had been gender sensitive, citing the numerous positions being occupied by women in the Rochas Okorocha administration as a case in point.

“We should pay integrity and have a good reward for integrity, people who want to hijack power are afraid because they know that Uche Nwosu has all it takes to become the governor of this state”, he said.

On the position of the remaining seven members of the House who are not part of the endorsement, Ezediaro said noted that those can speak for themselves, as he had spoken for the other 20.

Some political watchers said resolutions are normally taken in the floor of the house and not at the private house of a floor member, stating that such decision was based on individual purposes since most of them belong to the ruling APC party.

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