The Imo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Eze Madumere, has dared Governor Rochas Okorocha, saying that nobody can stop him from becoming the next governor of the state in 2019.
Okorocha, who is seriously backing his son-in-law and chief of staff, Uche Nwosu, had told his deputy to forget about his governorship ambition and run for the Senate instead.
Madumere has, however, disagreed with his boss.
Nwosu — who hails from Eziama Obaire, Nkwerre Local Government Area, which is in the same Imo West Senatorial district where Okorocha hails from — married the governor’s first daughter, Uloma.
According to a statement by Uche Onwuchekwa, the deputy governor’s media aide, Madumere told some political leaders from the state who paid him a visit that he would pursue his ambition to a logical conclusion.
The deputy governor explained that as an administrator with many years of experience in both the private and public sectors, he was more qualified to succeed Okorocha.
The statement said, “The deputy governor once more likened his betrayal from those he managed and nurtured to limelight politically to that of the betrayal of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was also betrayed by those he loved and called his friends.
“He, however, vowed that no man born of a woman could stop his ambition, saying that God remained the ultimate decider of anyone’s future.”
However, amidst the controversy surrounding Okorocha’s endorsement of his son-in-law for governor, 20 out of the 27 members of the Imo State House of Assembly had thrown their weight behind the governor.
The member for Oguta State constituency, who is also the Director-General of the Uche Nwosu Campaign Organisation, also known as Ugwumba Movement Worldwide, Mr. Henry Ezediaro, told journalists in Owerri that the lawmakers resolved to endorse Nwosu because of their belief in his capacity to sustain the legacies of the All Progressives Congress administration in the state.
Ezediaro listed the lawmakers who endorsed Nwosu to include the Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Ugonna Ozuruigbo (Nwangele State constituency); and a former Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Luguard Osuji (Owerri Municipal).
“We have resolved to endorse Ugwumba Uche Nwosu because we believe that he is the only person who has the capacity to sustain the legacies of the Rochas Okorocha administration and since we have the constitutional right to impeach the governor, we also have the right to back him,” he said.
Ezediaro said the resolution to endorse Nwosu was arrived at after the meeting of the House on Thursday, which was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Mr. Acho Ihim.
On the position of the remaining seven members of the House who were not part of the endorsement, Ezediaro said, “We cannot conclude that they are not with us, so let them speak for themselves.”
PUNCH.
