Split in Imo Assembly deepens over endorsement of Okorocha’s son-in-law for governorship

The divide among lawmakers in the Imo State House of Assembly seems to be growing wider as the Speaker, Acho Ihim, has said that the lawmakers at no time endorsed Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Chief of Staff cum son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, as the next governor come 2019.

His was responding to the claim by the chairman, House Committee on Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission and Niger Delta Development Commission, Henry Ezediaro, who claimed at a media briefing earlier that members of the Assembly have accepted and endorsed Nwosu to succeed his father-in-law.

Ezediaro, who represents Oguta state Constituency, had claimed that the entire 27 members of the Assembly were party to the endorsement.

However, in a statement the Speaker released through his chief press secretary, Marcel Ekwezuo, he denied the claim and argued that Ezediaro must have been quoted out of context.

“I am constrained to debunk the news making the rounds that the lmo State House of Assembly has unanimously endorsed Ugwumba Uche Nwosu as the next governor of lmo State come 2019. Uche Nwosu is one of our own and is eminently qualified to contest the governorship of our dear state.

“No doubt, he is a member of the APC and a citizen of lmo State and these therefore give him the right to vote and be voted for. However, it needs be made clear that at no time did the members of the lmo State House of Assembly which comprises elected members of the APC and the PDP meet and endorse Ugwumba Uche Nwosu as our preferred governorship candidate or any person for that matter.

“The job of elected members of the House of Assembly is to make laws and make resolutions at the plenary that will impact positively on the lives of the people of lmo State. Endorsement of candidates for whatever position is not part of it.

“Each member is at liberty to have preference for any aspirant of their choice but certainly not a House matter. Its therefore mind-boggling that a distinguished honourable member is quoted to have granted a press interview declaring that the 27 honourable members have endorsed Ugwumba Uche Nwosu,” Ihim said.

He added that, “If Ugwumba is favoured by God for this job then so be it. It is the duty of the APC as a party to produce a candidate and if that candidate is Ugwumba Uche Nwosu then the Honourable members of the APC extraction are duty bound to support the candidate.

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“In the light of the foregoing, l want to believe that Hon Henry Ezediaro who is at liberty to personally support whoever he wants to support was quoted out of context by saying the entire 27 members have endorsed Ugwumba Uche Nwosu and even donated 27 buses also went further to dare Governor Anayo Rochas Okorocha.

“The entire lmolites are, therefore, advised to discountenance the said publication as that of course is the figment of imagination of the writer and has no bearing with the lmo State House of Assembly and her revered members.”

It would be recalled that the House has also been in disagreement when the governor was to present the state’s budget to it.

A number of lawmakers had shunned the event, even as the Speaker made desperate attempts to rally them to receive the document from the governor.

Allegations of nepotism has continued to trail the government of Okorocha who recently appointed his junior sister as the state’s Commissioner for Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment.

Already the opposition in the state is accusing him of trying to escape a probe into his shady deals by trying to ensure his son-in-law succeeds him.

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