Dickson Okafor
Mark Uchendu is the Secretary to Imo State Government and Chairman of the state Salary and Pension Committee. He speaks on the March 9 governorship contest.
The Action Alliance (AA) governorship candidate is Governor Rochas Okorocha’s preferred candidate for the governorship. Do you think it can fly?
As far as we are concerned, Uche Nwosu is the best and the candidate to beat in the governorship election in Imo State. Just as we gave President Muhammadu Buhari votes in the state, so also have the people of Imo resolved to vote for Uche Nwosu. We are committed to it and all hands are on deck to deliver Nwosu as the next governor of Imo State, come March 9.
Are you saying Okorocha’s victory last Saturday as Senator for Imo West will enhance the chances of Uche Nwosu?
It is a task that we must accomplish. Governor Okorocha has the right to support Uche Nwosu as his successor and we have resolved to deliver Nwosu just as we delivered President Buhari for second term. And our principal, the governor who was also on the ballot won as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Isn’t the governor’s action anti-party?
What makes it anti-party? There is nothing like anti- party because Uche Nwosu is still a member of the ruling party and we won’t throw him away because he got the ticket in AA. What else do you want him to do? He wants to actualise his ambition to govern Imo State having been robbed of APC ticket in a primary which he won clearly. That is his ambition and we will support him.
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole said Okorocha’s action amounted to anti-party, are you saying that Oshiomhole is wrong?
You listened to Oshiomhole saying he cancelled the result of the governorship primary in the state because it produced two results. We agreed and he set up a panel. Fresh primaries were conducted by his kinsman, Gen. Agbabiaka (rted) and at the end; NWC chose to accept some of the results and refused to recognise the winner of the governorship primary, Uche Nwosu. To us, that is injustice. And like I said earlier, the governor has the right to support Uche Nwosu.
What is the awareness level like to sensitise eligible voters on the choice of Nwosu as the preferred candidate of the governor?
Our people already know what to do and who to vote for in all the elections. They are not concern about political platforms, but individuals. The people are aware that Uche Nwosu is the candidate of AA and the best choice for the governorship position.
Many blame Okorocha for being behind the removal of John Oyegun as National Chairman of APC. He supported the emergence of Oshiomhole, so why are they not on the same page?
You don’t have to blame Okorocha for doing the needful because Oyegun’s tenure had elapsed. Oyegun wanted to elongate his tenure by seeking for extension which is not allowed by the party’s constitution. So, as a democrat, the governor ensured that Oyegun obeyed the constitution of APC to either seek re-election or resign. Don’t forget that before 1999, Okorocha has been in politics and he has been contesting elections since 1999. There is no way he can be Chairman of APC Governors Forum and allow such illegality to stand. The fear was that some aggrieved members may go to court and nullify what have been done if Oyegun was allowed to stay longer than permitted by the constitution of the party. Even the presidential primary would have been nullified. So, that was what the governor was running away from. He didn’t ask Oyegun not to re-contest for the position, but at the point of contest Oyegun said he wasn’t going to contest. For this purpose, everybody rally around Oshiomhole and ensured he won.
What would you say led to the fallout between Oshiomhole and Okorocha?
I will say Oshiomhole was influenced by extraneous forces that were looking for something else especially for the sake of 2023. The attack on Okorocha by these forces got to its peak when the governor opened his mouth and said he was going to contest for the presidency in 2023. Others who were also interested in 2023 including Oshiomhole ganged up against Okorocha. Even Oshiomhole is interested in 2023, which is why they decided to cut off Okorocha from the race early enough. But you can see that their plan didn’t work. So, I foresee them reconciling very soon to move the party forward.
Are you confident that the Igbo presidency is realisable now that the president has been re-elected without Igbo votes?
It is wrong to say President Buhari was re-elected without Igbo votes. Ndigbo voted for Buhari especially people of Imo. There is no doubt that the ruling APC has providedNdigbo opportunity to produce the president of Igbo extraction in 2023 now that the president has been re-elected. It is crystal clear that if PDP had won, the region would have had to wait for eight years. But with Buhari, it’s obvious that he will consider somebody from the region to succeed him in 2023. Mind you, in this dispensation since 1999, Igbo has never come close to clinching the presidency not even the vice president. I believe the rest of Nigerians will understand when we start asking for the position in 2023. But if PDP had won, the dream of Igbo presidency would have died.
Do you foresee the governorship election in the state being inclusive?
I believe we will win at the first ballot.
When you say we, are you referring to the APC candidate or Uche Nwosu?
I’m referring to the governorship candidate of AA, Uche Nwosu. He will win at the first ballot. I can tell you that other candidates are hoping to rig. We have the structure in the state and the people are with Uche Nwosu. For instance, we have the 30 commissioners, the 27 LGA chairmen, 645 councilors from each of the autonomous communities with us. So, I don’t see how any of the candidates will defeat Nwosu because all we need is 80 percent performance from the councilors.