Those calling for removal of Uzodinma are enemies of APC – Arodiogbu

By Jude Opara, Abuja

The national vice chairman (South East) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu has described as failed politicians and enemies of the party, those calling for the removal of Governor Hope Uzodinma as chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF).

Arodiogbu who was reacting to calls by some South East party chieftains that Governor Uzodinma, the PGF chairman should be removed following the outcome of the Edo state APC governorship primary election said the Imo state governor has nothing to do with the confusion that trailed the exercise.

It could be recalled that the primary election which began on February 17 by Governor Uzodinma was to be completed on February 22 by Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River state who was deputy to Uzodinma.

Addressing a section of the media in Abuja, the APC national vice chairman insisted that Governor Uzodinma has been a shining light for the party in the South East zone, making it the dominant political party in the area.

Arodiogbu further argued that Uzodinma has done so well in the provision of infrastructure and enhanced Human Development Index (HDI) in Imo state including building of several quality road networks, lighting up the Imo International Cargo Airport as well as enhancing the security of lives and property.

“The APC remains the dominant party in the South East. Sue to the republican nature of the people of the region, four political parties in represented there. The PDP is controlling Enugu state, the Labour Party is in control of Abia state, APGA is ruling in Anambra state while the APC is in control of Imo and Ebonyi states. We have the highest number of lawmakers also.

“It is only in the presidential election that we were not able to register such high performance and the reasons are obvious. The region had a candidate and they gave him all the support they could muster and that is why the Labour Party did well in the presidential election. But I’d you analyze it properly, you will agree that the voting pattern of the region have the APC the victory because if they had voted for their traditional party, the PDP, may be it would have been a different story.

*So it is evil to want Hope Uzodinma to step down as we have seen two people from the South East demanding. Let start with Chief Osita Okechukwu who is always on the negative side of the history. I’d there were issues with the Edo primaries, was that enough for you to call for the removal of the chairman of the PGF?

“I am a member of the National Working Committee (NWC), I have been involved in party primaries, it has always been the Committee chairman that announced results. I don’t know why the Edo primary became a different thing with introduction of Returning Officer.

“Hope Uzodinma was in London for his medical vacation when they called him and he has to cut short his stay for the assignment. And when Governor Otu who deputized him concluded the election, he was the one that announced the result! Did Hope go to the polls or wards to influence the numbers? No! He only announced what was given to him. If there were interests in the matter, that does not warrant someone from the South East to the removal of the PGF chairman”.

The national vice chairman further said that most of the stakeholders picking Governor Uzodinma are blacklegs who may be working with the opposition to cut down the rising profile of the party in the region.

“These people who are failed politicians, what have they been able to do anything to improve the lot of the party in the region? These people did not even win their polling units.

“The call for the removal of Uzodinma is against the interest of South East. There are structures in the party, have these people written to me as the national vice chairman of the zone before writing the President”?

Arodiogbu further warned that anybody working against the zone will be sanctioned because they are enemies of the party who may be working for the opposition to destabilize the party.