Signed:
Lancelot Obiaku
Director-General
Imo PDP New Media Directorate
-Imo Govt Still Suffering from the burden of illegitimacy, cannot win a free and fair election
We have read a logically incoherent and drab essay from the single-membered “Imo Political Awareness Group (IPAG)” which has willingly submitted itself to be used as an attack dog by the government of the day. In the said release of 24 paragraphs, one cannot pick out exactly what the group wanted to achieve.
The document is replete with baseless accusations and criticisms of the PDP and its Governorship candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu. This tactic has been overused by the Hope Uzodimma-led APC government in an attempt to deflect attention from their inability to address the rampant violence, arson, armed robbery, and kidnapping that have become commonplace in the State, much to the dismay of the populace.
In contrast to the biased perspective propagated by IPAG, it is evident that Governor Uzodimma and his APC supporters are actively seeking to undermine the upcoming Governorship election on November 11th. The reasons for their actions are well-known to the public.
It is worth noting that Governor Uzodimma has a track record of never having won an election. His ascension to the position of Governor was facilitated by a powerful conspiracy that resulted in the Supreme Court declaring him the winner of an election in which he placed a distant fourth. This verdict has significantly eroded the integrity of the apex court in the eyes of both Nigerians and the international community.
To buttress the depth of the miscarriage of justice, Justice Centus Nwaeze, a member of the panel that presided over the case but who issued a dissenting judgment, stated that "the decision of the Supreme Court in this matter will have a lasting impact on our electoral jurisprudence."
It is evident that Uzodimma and his associates are facing vibrant and disturbing opposition from the Senator Samuel Anyanwu Governorship Campaign team and the populace, who have pledged to resist the rigging tactics of the bloodthirsty APC cabal that is determined to maintain the State in a state of perpetual suffering at any cost. The determination of the people of Imo, in collaboration with the PDP, to reclaim the State from their oppressors is unwavering and cannot be altered.
Ndi Imo are aware that Uzodimma and Imo APC have never won an election devoid of a high degree of malpractice. This fact was manifested in the last Presidential, National Assembly, and State Assembly elections in which APC used thugs, and security agents to harass and maim opposition elements and voters. They seized polling units, snatched ballot boxes, and fabricated results to favour APC candidates.
Was it not Uzodimma's APC that took advantage of the insecurity-laden areas of the State where elections did not hold to inflate figures for APC candidates and used their surrogates in INEC led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Sylvia Agu, to declare them winners from losing positions? This strategy was effectively used in Orlu, Oguta, Okigwe, and Orsu LGAs.
What else can represent a call for anarchy when a party exploits the insecurity it created to win elections and uses draconian measures to stop the will of the people?
Furthermore, ex-militant Asari-Dokubo confessed in a recent Podcast anchored by Channels Television’s Seun Okinbaloye to operating a militia group in Imo backed by the government. “I have a private military company that is engaged by the government and we are fighting side by side with the Nigerian military in many places. Like Niger, Plateau, Abia, Imo, and parts of Rivers State. We were in Anambra too.” he said.
The Nigerian Army in a counter statement denied having any dealings with the team, leading many to linking Asari-Dokubo's outfit to the government-backed Ebueagu militia, hence the process of recruitment of the Ebueagu members is still a secret till today. It has been alleged that the team has been used variously by Uzodimma to rig elections and launch lethal attacks against opposition figures, most notably the invasion of Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere's abode in Akokwa where three people were killed and vehicles worth hundreds of millions burnt.
Funnily enough, the convener of IPAG, Collins Opuruozor, agrees with us that Hope Uzodimma is unfit to remain in Douglas House and plans to use security agents to intimidate the opposition in the State. Opuruozor in a report on Leadership Newspaper not long ago was quoted, “It is now clear that PDP members and candidates are generally endangered in Imo State, and the current security leadership in the State cannot provide a neural and fair atmosphere for a democratic electoral contest to take place. Already, our party has intercepted intelligence about a plot to whisk away most prominent leaders, members and candidates of the party ahead of the elections.
“In view of that, we demand the immediate redeployment of all heads of security agencies in Imo State. Further, the Federal Government should establish an independent panel of inquiry to unravel the Imo killings and unearth the real identities of those behind the so-called unknown gunmen in the State.”
Prior to the 2023 general elections, the government led by Uzodimma engaged in the reprehensible practice of blackmailing opposition leaders and even perceived adversaries within the APC, including former Governor Rochas Okorocha and his son-in-law Uche Nwosu. On various occasions, they apprehended Okorocha, Uche Nwosu, and former Deputy Governor Gerald Irona of the PDP on frivolous charges of sponsoring insecurity, which were baseless and never substantiated. These undemocratic and fascist tactics were devised by Uzodimma to eliminate the opposition and enable him to manipulate the elections with impunity.
Also, as recent as April 2023, after the conclusion of the House of Assembly Election, Opuruozor, who doubles as the convener and publicity secretary of the non-existing IPAG, as reported on ThisDay newspapers, revealed to the press that “by the time voting ended on Saturday and over 80 percent of the results declared at the polling units, it had become clear that PDP won landslide in majority of the 27 constituencies of the State.
“Then, the APC regime of Senator Hope Uzodinma returned with the only option which they know how to do, namely the use of state violence to abduct INEC officials, cart away election materials, falsify results and impose their lackeys on Imo people as winners. This administration of Senator Uzodinma which foundation is rooted in usurpation of popular mandate and debasing of democratic institutions and values has finally set Imo State on fire!”
He further said: “At about 9pm in Isu LGA on Saturday, when collation was done by over 90% and PDP had convincingly won the election, well-known APC leaders came in a convoy of over 50 vehicles, two armoured personnel carriers conveying armed military men, police, Ebubeagu militiamen and thugs. They began to shoot heavily, directly attacking PDP leaders and agents, and in the process Chief Magnus Uzoma, who is the Chairman of Isu LGA Campaign Council of our Party was shot and left badly injured in a pool of blood.”
We therefore marvel at the recent opinions of Collins Opuruozor and view IPAG's recent outburst as a form of reverse psychology employed by the ruling APC, which has already proven to be ineffective. The people of Imo State are well aware that it is Uzodimma and the APC who have engaged in actions that could incite anarchy with the aim of imposing a state of emergency in the region and using it to rig the upcoming elections.
However, they are troubled that the Imo masses are resolved to stop them this time. The people are eager to end APC's ruinous administration in the State for good.
Ahead of the November 11 election, Imo people have sworn to soundly defeat Uzodimma with the PDP and its stellar candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu. Uzodimma knows this hence the deployment of his many media aides against SamDaddy but the Amaimo-born star is an idea whose time has come.
Imo must be safe again!
