Stop abusing Imo workers, PDP tells Uzodimma

Worried by the alleged mistreatment of workers in Imo State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has called on Governor Hope Uzodimma to stop “abusing and insulting” about 40,000 workers in the state.

In a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Ogubundu Nwadike, yesterday, the party expressed discontent with the way the governor uses harsh words on workers and paying them selectively, calling for a change of attitude.

On his part, the governor has clarified that he was not owing any genuine worker under the state’s employ. He said they were paid up till December 2020, and urged those with payroll automated issued to present their papers for correction.

PDP’s statement read: “Our great party finds it extremely unacceptable for the governor to describe the workers in very uncouth diction. We recognise that among the workers are high profile intellectuals, technocrats and professionals, whose efforts have continually kept this state standing among the comity of states in the federation. Addressing them like common dimwits is least expected from Governor Uzodimma. A public apology from the governor to the workers will not be too much.”

The party urged the governor to arrange a roundtable with the workers and iron things out with them amicably.

“As has been proved by the PDP’s RebuildImo administration led by Emeka Ihedioha, relating well with Imo workers is not rocket science, but a possibility,” it added.

MEANWHILE, Chairman, Anambra State chapter of PDP, Mr. Ndubuisi Nwobu, has dismissed as daydreaming the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s boast that it would capture the state in the November 6, gubernatorial poll.

Governor Uzodimma, who is also the leader of APC in South East, had declared that his party would win the governorship election as a starting point for its quest to clinch the APC presidential ticket in 2023.

But Nwobu told The Guardian that his party decided not to join issues with the Imo governor after the South East APC zonal stakeholders’ meeting because the party’s zonal leader’s utterances did not reflect the political realities in Anambra.

He recalled Uzodimma’s boost that he would employ seen and unseen forces to capture Anambra.

“I think he must have been alluding to the fact that the Supreme Court awarded him the governorship of Imo. Anybody in his position can boast to high heavens. He was being guided by his emergence through Supreme Court’s pronouncement, but he should know that Anambra is not Imo.

“Anambra governorship would be settled on the field. There would not be need for a second ballot. After the voters would have made their choice, people like Uzodimma would find out that there is no room for the court to entertain any drama,” Nwobu declared.

The PDP chieftain wondered how Uzodimma believed that APC, with its “bad leadership credentials, destruction of the economy and spiralling insecurity,” could come to Anambra and win election.

On the issue of pending litigations over the leadership of PDP in the state, Nwobu disclosed that having emerged from properly organised congress, there was no issue as to who is the chairman of the party in Anambra.

He disclosed that one of the two cases at the appellate court was instituted by protégés of Chris Ubah, and among the frivolous litigations that the zonal working committee urged the litigants to withdraw.

Nwobu explained that it was out of the erroneous belief by some misguided politicians that the judiciary is corrupt that all manners of documents could be taken to court in attempt to hoodwink the judges.

PDP is not under any illusion that some renegades in the party want to distract the party from its focus on reclaiming the state, stressing that since “nobody is God, at the end of the day, the truth will prevail,” he added.

Speaking on the large number of billionaire governorship aspirants in the party, Nwobu assured that, unlike in recent past, Anambra PDP would not have parallel governorship primary.

“There are 13 governorship aspirants and counting. There won’t be a parallel governorship primary in PDP. We are focused and determined to see that we bounce back in the state,” he emphasised.