By Stanley Onyekwere
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Orlu/Orsu/Oru-East Federal Constituency in Imo State, Hon. Chieme Kennedy Okechukwu, has dismissed allegations that he is working to support Governor Hope Uzodinma’s political ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Okechukwu described the allegations as unfounded and misleading, reaffirming his loyalty to the PDP and insisting that his grassroots mobilisation efforts are aimed at strengthening the party’s structures and securing victory in the forthcoming House of Representatives election.
Uzodinma, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is seeking to represent Imo West Senatorial District in the Senate.
In a statement issued by his campaign office on Monday, Okechukwu said he had never met or communicated with the governor, either formally or informally.
“I have never met Chief Hope Uzodinma, nor have I ever communicated with him, either formally or informally.
“Any claim suggesting that I am working for him is unfounded and misleading,” he said.
Okechukwu Defends Broad-Based Campaign Strategy
Addressing concerns over his campaign approach, the PDP candidate said efforts to build a broad-based political coalition should not be interpreted as disloyalty to the party.
He explained that the strategy was designed to expand the PDP’s support base, attract voters across political divides and improve the party’s chances of defeating the incumbent in the 2027 National Assembly election.
According to him, electoral success requires more than routine meetings, social gatherings and hospitality, stressing the need for clear objectives, strategic planning, effective coordination and direct engagement with voters at the grassroots.
Okechukwu also highlighted what he described as progress made by his campaign team in establishing political structures across Orlu, Orsu and Oru-East local government areas.
He said more than 20,000 polling unit coordinators had been mobilised across the three local government areas as part of efforts to strengthen grassroots participation and improve the campaign’s reach.
The PDP candidate further disclosed that six campaign structures had been established across the constituency, comprising three in Orlu, two in Oru-East and one in Orsu.
He added that plans were underway to expand the structures as the campaign gathered momentum ahead of the 2027 elections.
PDP Candidate Calls for Focus on 2027 Victory
Okechukwu maintained that although his campaign structures were open to individuals from different political backgrounds, their primary objective remained the promotion of the PDP and the advancement of its electoral interests.
He also said the campaign would work to strengthen support for the party’s candidates, including its senatorial candidate.
The House of Representatives hopeful urged PDP stakeholders and leaders across the constituency to focus on practical strategies and measurable results rather than political distractions.
He called for a shift from sentiments to concrete action and from repeated meetings to coordinated efforts capable of delivering electoral victory in 2027.
Okechukwu expressed confidence in his campaign’s grassroots mobilisation strategy, maintaining that building strong political structures and engaging directly with voters would be critical to the PDP’s prospects in Orlu/Orsu/Oru-East Federal Constituency.
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