The declaration of Sen. Hope Uzodimma (Imo West) for the All Progressive Congress (APC) has set Imo State agog as many stakeholders were rallying round him in solidarity for saying at the declaration ceremony that he would push for a better accommodation of the South-East in the APC led Federal Government and for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2023.
Uzodimma, a former PDP Senator and Chairman of Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs led Ali Modu Sheriff’s former faction of the PDP to a mass declaration for APC at the party’s Secretariat in Abuja yesterday.
He said the group was joining the APC in the National interest to consolidate the good work of President Buhari in the country by expanding his support base all over the federation. But he also made it clear that he would push for a better accommodation of Ndigbo in the APC led Federal Government and for the South-East to produce the President of the country in 2023.
“Mr. President is doing well, so in the National interest we are joining APC to expand his support base all over the country. I am aware that the South-East has not been fully accommodated in the Federal Government but I am sure that our presence will change things for the better. Moreover, we shall strongly push for the South-East to produce the President of Nigeria in 2023” he said.
Uzodimma stood in for the group. All the 36 chairmen of former Sheriff Faction of PDP were at the special ceremony organized by the APC leadership to receive them. The National Chairman of the party John Oyegun, seven APC governors, Secretary to the Federal Government Boss Mustapha and other National officers were on hand to receive the new members of the party.
Meanwhile, sources close to Sen. Uzodimma said many Imo stakeholders called him yesterday to congratulate him for his courage in standing up for the interest of the South-East at the declaration. The source said a top politician from Imo whose name he refused to disclose, called the Senator at about 8pm yesterday to thank him for making Ndigbo proud at the event.
Reports from Imo State said many of Uzodimma’s supporters were excited over the Senator’s defection to APC because they believe he would give the party a new lease of life in the State just as he would fight for the interest of Ndigbo at the National level.
National Chairman of APC, Chief Oyegun while receiving them into APC observed that “the eagle has landed” and that there will be a new face of APC in the South-East. He assured the new members that the party was delighted to welcome them into the APC family.
