2027: Imo APC, Orlu Leaders Buy Senate Nomination Form for Hope Uzodimma, Urge Him to Run
The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has joined leaders from Orlu Senatorial Zone in urging Governor Hope Uzodimma to contest the Imo West Senatorial seat, declaring him the consensus choice of the party in the district.
The development followed a meeting at the party secretariat where leaders from Imo West Senatorial District presented the governor as their preferred candidate for the Senate under the party’s platform.
In a statement released by the State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, PhD, on Saturday, the State Chairman of the party, Chief Austin Onyedebelu, said he had purchased the Senate Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the governor in line with the directive of stakeholders from the zone, as part of efforts to persuade him to represent the district in the forthcoming 11th National Assembly.
“My dear people of Orlu zone, I welcome you to the Party Secretariat and I want to inform you that I have, as directed and sponsored by you, purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for our governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, to vie for the senatorial election on behalf of all well meaning Orlu people,” Onyedebelu said.
He added, “I urge you not to relent in pressurising our governor to step forward and represent our people, because he is the best to represent not just Orlu people, but the entire Imo and Ndigbo in general.”
Responding on behalf of the delegation, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie thanked the party leadership for acting promptly on the request of stakeholders, noting that leaders across the district and beyond were united in their appeal.
“Our appeal to the governor to return to the Senate is not a selfish one, but a selfless one. We believe in his capacity, and if there was a third term, we would have wished that he continues as our governor beyond this time,” he said.
According to him, Uzodimma’s return to the Senate would help strengthen governance at the national level, particularly in supporting the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Other leaders who spoke at the meeting commended the governor’s performance both as a former senator and as governor, expressing confidence in his ability to deliver more dividends of democracy if elected.
The Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Amarachi Chyna Iwuanyanwu, also praised the governor’s leadership, describing it as visionary and transformative, and appealed to him to heed the call in the interest of regional development and national progress.
The delegation comprised political leaders and party chieftains from the zone, including members of the House of Representatives, local government chairmen, party executives and other stakeholders.
The party also advised members from Imo West Senatorial District to drop any plans to contest against the governor in the party primaries, citing what it described as overwhelming consensus among stakeholders.
It added that while it would comply with democratic guidelines of the party’s National Working Committee, conducting primaries in the district may be unnecessary given the level of agreement already reached.
