By Tony Icheku in Owerri
The former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Chief Osita Okechukwu, yesterday reiterated his call for the removal of Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma as the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), contending that the governor has consistently demarketed the All Progressives Congress (APC) and seems to have disregard to the philosophy of progressivism and rule of law
Okechukwu, while reacting to the explanation by the APC’s Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka on the removal of Uzodimma as the Chairman of the Edo State APC gubernatorial primary election committee, described it as damage control usually adopted to cover some malfeasance.
“Otherwise, the glaring fact is that the Edo State gubernatorial primary election my brother chaired was not free, fair, and transparent. And it was cancelled and he was excluded from the repeat, these clear facts bury every innuendo or insinuation. These are nothing but the truth and the vindication of my humble position of saying he should be eased out as chairman of PGF to avoid wreaking further havoc,” he argued.
Going down history lane, Okechukwu maintained that the misfortunes of South-east started with the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial primary election which according to him, Uzodimma mangled by imposing an unpopular candidate causing APC to lose the election
“Uzodimma metastasized APC’s congressional elections in the South-east zone in 2022, a prelude to the 2023 general elections”, he affirmed, pointing out that there are tremendous advantages to internal democracy if the fine tenets of internal democracy are obeyed.
Describing the Imo State governor as a case study of the height of impunity and narcissism, Okechukwu recalled how Hon. Ugo Agballah was imposed by Uzodimma as chairman of the Enugu State chapter of APC, a few weeks after he defected from the PDP.
“To be honest, authoritarianism displayed by Gov Uzodimma generated hatred, rancour, malcontents, and alienated APC membership before Peter Obi’s factor,” he submitted.
In a related development, the United Progressive Foundation (UPF), a political action committee of the APC has added its voice to the controversy, arguing that calls for the removal of Gov Uzodimma, as the chairman of PGF are not misplaced.
UPF noted that Uzodimma’s actions over the years have never yielded any positive dividend for the APC, stressing that the time has come to remove the governor from influential positions in the party, particularly the headship of APC Governors’ Forum.
In a statement by its national secretary, Dr. Steve Igweze, UPF remarked that Uzodimma’s decision to usurp the functions of the returning officer in the botched Edo State APC governorship primary was the height of political rascality and executive impunity.
UPF pointed out that the APC national chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, did the right thing by distancing Governor Uzodimma from the repeat primary in Edo State, no matter the damage control.
While dismissing the flimsy excuses bandied by the South-east APC National Vice Chairman as rantings of an attack dog, UPF advised Arodiogbu to come down from his high horse and admit that Uzodimma erred by deploying his rigging trademark of violence and breach of due process once more in the Edo State gubernatorial primary election.
UPF said the decision by the national leadership of APC to cancel the primary was not only a repudiation of the process but also a vote of no confidence in Uzodimma’s influence, adding that instead of attacking the South-east deputy national vice chairman ought to commend Mr. Osita Okechukwu for rising for the party’s good image.
