2015: Imo West PDP Stakeholders Slam Uzodinma Over Attempt To Hijack Party
The stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo West senatorial zone have condemned the Senator representing the area, Chief Hope Uzodinma over alleged attempt to hijack the party structure for his governorship ambition.
In a statement signed by the member representing Nkwere/Nwangele/ Isu/Njaba federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Jones Onyereri; former Special Adviser to Gov. Rochas Okorocha, Hon. Okey Dike; member representing Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta /Oru West federal constituency, Hon. Gerald Irona; former Information Commissioner during Ohakim administration, Chief Elvis Agukwe; Secretary to Imo State Government under ex -Gov. Achike Udenwa, Nze Ignatius Umunna , among others, the stakeholders reminded Uzodinma that the party in the zone does not belong to anybody no matter how highly placed.
“We hereby bring to public notice that we dissociate ourselves and Orlu zonal PDP leadership and members from the very unpolished, illegal and undemocratic attempt by Senator Hope Uzodinma to hijack and disrupt a well attended meeting of the zone's PDP leadership to hoist his selfish agenda on the party.
“We use this opportunity to let senator Uzodinma know that the zonal branch of the PDP is not a private estate of anybody and leaders must be accorded respect in meetings. We condemn in strong terms attempts by Senator Uzodinma to illegally hijack proceedings at the zonal meeting to assume zonal chairmanship of the party in the presence of the zonal chairman as well as the state chairman of the party. It was indeed an act unbecoming of a senator.”
The stakeholders alleged that Uzodinma at a June 7 th , 2014 meeting of the party in the zone boasted that he will solely determine who succeeds him as the senator representing Imo West zone as he vies for the governorship election in 2015.
He was also alleged to have made attempts to shove aside the zonal party chairman, Engr. Greg Madu and preside over the meeting. Attempts by members of the House of Representatives from the zone such as Hon. Gerald Irona, Hon. Jones Onyereri and Hon. Jerry Alagbaoso on the need to follow due process in conducting party businesses were said to have infuriated Uzodinma who accused them of working for Hon. Emeka Ihedioha to emerge governor in 2015.
The stakeholders accused Uzodinma of having failed in his duty to protect the interest of the zone when the senator alleged that an unnamed governorship aspirant from Owerri zone who is a member of the House of Representatives hijacked over 90% of NDDC projects to Owerri zone at the detriment of Orlu and Okigwe zones.
“If indeed over 90% of NDDC projects for the state was hijacked and taken to Owerri zone as revealed Senator Uzodinma himself, is this not an indictment of failure of representation on the part of the senator? If it is also true that Orlu zone got only 4 out of36 federal appointment slots for Imo state, do we need to tell Senator Uzodinma that this is another mark of failed representation on his part.”