By Onyekachi Eze
It was a convergence of political titans from Oru East Local Government Area, Imo State on Sunday, 2nd March , 2013 at the country home of the former member that represented Orlu East, Orlu and Orsu Federal House of Representatives, Abuja, Hon Chief Cajethan Dike, popularly known as Ikemba Amiri, to witness the defection of Hon Dike, and other political heavy weights like Dr BC Nwaneri, Hon Harry Ihebinike, Chief Akubude among others with their supporters numbering over 5,000 to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Addressing the crowd in his home in Amaokpara Amiri, Hon Dike noted that his defection from APC to PDP was not a regret, stressing that since the inception of Imo Rescue Government led by Governor Okorocha, the people and inhabitants of Amiri have not benefited infrastructurally or on appointments, noting that it was a calculated attempt by the Governor to scheme Amiri people out in the allocation of dividends of democracy which he pledged to bring to Amiri clan during his campaign in 2011.
He maintained that, “upon the official visit made to Okorocha by the monarchs and people of Amiri recently at the Government House upon the fact that we donated thousands of exercise books in support of the free education, he never reciprocated in anyway” he noted. He further explained that other local governments and communities in the state in one way or the other gained appointments and rural rehabilitations of either roads, schools, hospitals or electricity but regretted that none of the above was accorded to Amiri people.
Also speaking, he pointed out that as an Apex leader in the constituency, he will never allow such egocentric antics of Okorocha to over shadow the interest of his people which necessitated his decamping to PDP so as to salvage the people and bring effective representation of their interest under the elaborate umbrella of PDP.
In a similar note, he showered encomium on the senator representing Orlu zone in the Senate, Senator Hope Uzodimma among other responsible political heavy weights from the zone which he said was encouraging. He stressed that Oru East is now ready to reclaim their mandate which was infringed upon.
Ikemba also admonished his constituents to come together under one umbrella so as to bring their aims to a perfect fulfillment and urged them to desist from sycophancy, hatred and criticism against each other.
“I have come back to stay with my people of the same mindset. I decamped to PDP with my people that were in APC. There is no going back as we are not ready to lose in 2015 election. Let me say it unequivocally that Oru East LGA as at today is 90% PDP”. Hon Dike concluded.
In their separate speeches, Hon Barr Benneth Amukamara, Hon Augustine Chidimma Okoro (Eburuo Ebumo) Chief Raymond Ibekwe, Hon Iyke Chioma, Hon Harry, Hon Tony Enoch, Dr BC Nwaneri among others unanimously declared and stated that APC has no root in Oru East, as the entire area is PDP. They also added that come 2015, PDP will occupy the vital positions with the affirmation from Oru East.
