Uzodimma never endorsed any aspirant secretly, says Imo APC

• As Mbata declares interest for Imo East senatorial zone seat

Imo State chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. MacDonald Ebere, has discountenanced accusations that Hope Uzodimma has secretly endorsed some aspirants for various elective positions for the 2023 general elections.

Ebere also assured that he would preside over “credible, free, fair and transparent” party primaries in the state next month.
He disclosed this at the weekend when he and other state executive members of the party played host to a business mogul and frontline Imo East Senatorial zone seat aspirant, Alex Mbata, (fondly called PAM), who had officially visited the executives of the party to inform them of his aspiration.

Imo East (Owerri) Senatorial zone comprises nine Local Councils.
Ebere told Mbata and other party members that it was fallacious for anyone to spread falsehood against the governor, adding that Mbata, and two other aspirants who had earlier notified the party were eligible to express their aspirations within the confines of the electoral laws, warning against violence and other forms of malpractices.

Recognising the enormous contributions of Mbata in the empowerment of youths, women and complementary efforts in infrastructural development of the state, Ebere noted: “Governor Hope Uzodimma, has not endorsed any aspirant and he will never endorse any aspirant. Let no body say the governor has endorsed him or her. He will not say that. Let the better candidates emerge. We need credible, free, fair and transparent party primaries. At the end of the primaries, let the will of God be done, because all powers belong to God.”

During the occasion attended by eminent persons in the party, including a former speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Godfrey Dikeocha; the immediate past Imo State Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Physical Planning, and, later, Power, Chief Enyinnaya Onuegbu, among other top state government officials, Ebere urged more complementary support of the aspirants in the infrastructural efforts of Uzodimma, while assuring the aspirants for various offices of a level playing ground.

Speaking earlier, Mbata, who donated 30 k.v.a power generator to the party in the state, promised effective representation, including sponsoring people oriented bills, if given the opportunity, stressing that his material and financial empowerment programmes for youths and women in the state, particularly, Owerri zone, would be intensified.