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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Stakeholders of All Progressives Congress (APC) under the auspices of Progressives League of Youth Voters (PLYV) have castigated the governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, for issuing a quit notice to his Imo State counterpart, Hope Uzodinma, ahead of the November 11 Imo State governorship election.
Governor Otti had while speaking at a campaign organised by the Labour Party (LP) in Owerri, the state capital, urged the incumbent governor, Uzodinma, to start preparing his handover note, declaring that he would be defeated in the poll.
However, responding to the directive from Governor Otti, the APC stakeholders accused him of plans to invade Imo with some members of LP during the Imo State governorship election.
National Coordinator of the stakeholders, Ambassador Audu Usman Shuaibu, made the allegations at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said: “As we are aware, the Imo State governorship election is fast approaching alongside Kogi and Bayelsa States. In most parts of the country, elections are made to be a do-or-die affair with political actors willing to do anything to secure their seats but men of good conscience always stand to advocate for peaceful elections. Such are leaders of thought who believe in Nigeria.
“In Imo State, some senior citizens are calling for war with their unguarded statements which is already building up tension ahead of the poll. It is necessary to draw the attention of Nigerians towards the activities of the Abia State Governor Mr Otti who is set to invade Imo State with some members of the LP during the Imo State gubernatorial elections.
“Governor Otti’s mission in Imo state is to sponsor violence in the gubernatorial elections so that voters will flee and allow Late. His statement during the Imo State LP gubernatorial Campaign flag-off shows that the neighbouring Governor is set for war.
“How can a newly elected Governor who is yet to acclimatise himself with the doings of the office openly declare that the workaholic Governor of Imo State should prepare his handover note?
“Here is a man whose victory is facing a serious legal battle at the governorship election petition tribunal, instead of facing his challenges, Otti decided to stir up the polity by indirectly calling non-state actors to invade Imo State.
“We are using this medium to tell Governor Alex Otti that Governor Hope will only hand over to himself and not LP. We are citizens of Nigeria first before becoming members of political parties, as members of formidable support groups whose interest is the development of Nigeria, we are aware that the future of Imo State is being toyed with by highly placed politicians who want to use the influence of their offices just like Governor Otti to force a regime change in the South East state,” he claimed.
The stakeholders maintained that; the “APC-led government of Imo State has shown clearly, the difference between good governance and maladministration, it would be wrong to fold our arms and watch a Governor from another state cause chaos in Imo State.”
“We commend Governor Hope Uzodinma for the courage he has demonstrated in defending his people and we assure him of our esteemed support. We urge him not to be distracted. He is on the right path,” he noted.
