By Onyekachi Eze
Those wishing to hear a contrary news about the endorsement of Ugwumba Uche Nwosu by the alleged 20 lawmakers of Imo State may be discomfited, as they have finally bowed into an open endorsement of the Governor’s son in-law.
For weeks now, the media has been awash with the news of over 20 lawmakers of the State House of Assembly, against the other 7 members signing an endorsement notice of the Chief Of Staff to Imo State Government, Uche Nwosu over his 2019 gubernatorial aspiration.
Pemultimately, some of them have been making counter claims of knowing nothing about the said support of Nwosu.
According to the media interaction with Journalists in Owerri yesterday, held at Kelvic Suite/Hotel, convened by the supposed 20 lawmakers, which was headed by the Speaker, Acho Ihim, it was discovered that among the already signed 20 lawmakers, only seventeen were present, with 3 absent.
Before now, 4 of the lawmakers, honourables; Ifeanyi Nnataraonye (Mbaitoli) , Uche Oguwuike (Ikeduru), Collins Chiji (Isiala Mbano), and Donatus Onuigwe (Oru West) were not involved in the endorsement brouhaha.
Completing the 27 legislators in Imo are the 3 lawmakers from Mbaise extraction, Honourables; Mike Iheanaetu (Aboh Mbaise), Kenneth Agbim (Ahiazu Mbaise) and Bruno Ukoha (Ezinihitte Mbaise) who are on the minority, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Trumpeta Newspaper recorded that Honourables; Henry Ezediaro (Oguta), Arthur Egwim (Ideato North) and Lawman Duruji (Ehime Mbano) were also absent in the press conference, although they were excused for different purposes best known to them, which brought the attendance of the legislators to only 17 against the 20 on ground.
The present Honourable members includes; Acho Ihim (Okigwe), Ugonna Ozuruigbo (Nwangele), Ikechukwu Amuka (Ideato South), Obinna Egu (Ngor Okpala), Uche Ejiogu (Ihitte Uboma), Ngozi Obiefule (Isu), Chika Madumere (Nkwerri), Kennedy Ibeh (Obowo), Lugard Osuji (Owerri Municipal), Uche Agabige (Orsu), Chinedu Offor (Onuimo), Uju Onwudiwe (Njaba), Ikonne Onyewuchi (Owerri West), Emma Orie (Ohaji/Egbema), Nkenna Nzeruo (Oru East), Marcel Odunze (Orlu), and Chukwuemeka Lloyd (Owerri North).
Apparently, it is suspected that the open endorsement before Imo Journalists cannot be unconnected to superior pressure from governor Okorocha who is said to be determined at handing over to Uche Nwosu.
Feelers also have it that the recent development in the All Progressive Congress, APC, tenure elongation and the quest for re-election may have propelled the State lawmakers into making their stands known to the public.
The fast move as reliably gathered by this Newspaper is to ganer more empathy from the Governor who they described as their “role model” and “superior hierarchy”, hence APC is concern.
Meanwhile, in a resolution of the Assembly read by the Speaker, Acho Ihim, made available to pressmen, it said that after due consultations from various strata of APC leaders and her stakeholders in the State, they rate Uche Nwosu high, and remains the best, most plausible person to continue from where Okorocha would stop by 2019.
“The legacies of His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha are so good and too numerous to be left to rot in the hands of those who may not have any inkling of what they are, where they are or how to sustain them” they said.
They resolved as follows; That, we the honourable members of Imo State House of Assembly recognize unequivocally Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha as the supreme leader of the ruling party in Imo state, the All Progressives Congress, APC.
That, as the Executive Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has done exceedingly well in Governance hence deserves our commendation as representatives of our various constituencies.
That, as an integral part of the Owelle success story, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu is eminently qualified to paddle the canoe of the development of Imo state and will continue in the already established successes of the Owelle administration.
That, we support unequivocally the governorship aspiration of Ugwumba Uche Nwosu.
We therefore call on all Imolites everywhere to ensure that this aspiration comes to fruition.
Acho Ihim led regime disclosed that they tag the movement as “Team Ugwumba 2019 for Guber”, saying they will further take the movement to the 27 LGAs of Imo State for inauguration and actualization of the project.
Acho Ihim described Nwosu as a round peg in a round hole, categorically saying that endorsement has no constitutional restrictions, adding that persons can do similar thing out of likeness and potentials possessed by the person in question.
Contributing, the Deputy Speaker, Ugonna Ozuruigbo opined that time has gone when people hinge on zoning. OZB said, there is no time a particular zone will produce key office holders, but can always be shared equitably.
However, he reiterated that the endorsement is still subject to review if the Imo masses consider it otherwise by their tangible opinions.
