.As Opiah Receives New Members
It was a bumper harvest of new members for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State as the structures of the minority party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Egbema, Ohaji-Egbema LGA collapsed for the APC to now work with their kits and kin for the reelection of Governor Hope Uzodimma in the forthcoming governorship election of November 11, 2023.
The former members of the PDP who were received in their hundreds on Wednesday at the Owerri residence of the former Minister of State for Education, Rt. Hon. Goodluck Nanah Opiah, said they appreciated the good work done by the Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma since 2020 when he became the governor of the state, and as such, they joined the APC to help actualize his second term election victory.
Addressing the new members of the APC from Egbema. Opiah assured that more PDP leaders from Ohaji-Egbema would join the party in the days to come, saying that it is work in progress. He said: “There are those who are still dilly-dallying. They will make up their minds soon. It is our desire to collapse the PDP in Ohaji-Egbema for the governor’s reelection”
He assured them that no one would discriminate against them in the APC as everyone is a member. “Nobody will discriminate against you in our dear party, the APC. There is no foundation member and no joiner. We share our things equally, and we don’t discriminate. If you notice any discrimination, report to us quickly, and the person would be sanctioned,” he said.
He urged the new APC members to consider themselves lucky to have left the PDP because it has become a dead party and reunited with their kits and kin in the APC. “You’re lucky to be with us. In the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma, there are so many goodies going around. Opposition is never a good thing. It is never what a good politician would wish himself. For us, we don’t see you as joiners of the APC. We see you as brothers coming back together. We were together in the PDP, but we are together now in the APC. The PDP is dead in Imo, and you cannot be in a dead party.”
The State Chairman of the APC, Hon. Mcdonald Ebere PhD, while welcoming the new members to the APC, urged them to work assiduously for the reelection of the governor. He said that leadership is about bringing people together.
“You can see that we are receiving you under the rains. This shows how serious we are. We can receive you at any time. Leadership is about harvesting people for the party and not about drinking champagne. I urge all of you to work very hard to deliver the governor. Please tell those still watching that there is no road in the PDP. We will not discriminate against you,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the LGA Chairman of the party, Obinna Obasi, said the party operates open-door policy and that the new members were welcome to the party. He urged them to feel free and contribute their quota to the success of the party and the reelection of the governor.
The Sole Administrator of the LGA, Hon. Marcel Amadioha, while also welcoming the new members, said that with their presence in the APC, the PDP in the LGA is a foregone conclusion.
Some of the new members who spoke on half of others said they were happy to be in the APC and assured that they would work very hard for the governor’s reelection.
According to Hon. Armstrong Ezekwe: “Today is a great day in our life. I said so because some of us are founding members of the CAMPHOPE political family. Hope Uzodimma is a brother and friend to us, and he brought some of us into politics in the first place. Today, we have come back home. If we were prodigal sons, we have come back home, and we would work very hard to realize the reelection of the governor.”
The new members were received by the Rt. Hon. Goodluck Nanah Opiah (former Minister of State for Education and leader of the party in the area), Hon. Mcdonald Ebere PhD (State Party Chairman) Hon. Marcel Amadioha (SOLAD), Obinna Obasi (LGA party chairma), Engr. Tony Okanne and Chief Justus Ogu (Owerri Zonal Chairman).
Some of the former members of the PDP who joined the APC are: Hon. Barr Magnus Obiudo, Hon. Acho Ejizu, Hon. Polycarp Iyke Ukemezie, Hon. Nwagiriga Gift. Chief Vitalis Ugbere, Engr. Christian Ojiaku, Mrs. Fidelia Usoro, Chief Christian Ezekwe, Elder Clinton Oduocha, Mrs. Ezekwe, Pastor Mrs Angela Ejizu, Chief Abel Saturday, Mr Jude Ikorobia, Mr Chidi Igwe, Mr. Sunday Ukemezie, Hon. Armstrong Ezekwe, Chief Cletus Uyeme, Barr Ken Ubanwa, Mrs Esther Okpani, Mr Ethelbert Elengo, among others.
