No matter how hard, hired revisionists try to twist the very clear actions and speech of President Muhammadu Buhari during his visit to Owerri for the Imo State leg of his presidential campaign, every Nigerian, especially, Imolite who followed the President's visit to Imo State either on television, social media or who was in Owerri at the time of this visit, knows that the President has put the final nail on an originally non-starting governorship bid of Senator Hope Uzodimma. In the words of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, there is no MEKWATANCY for Hope Uzodimma.
At this point, any political analyst worth his pay would have known where the pendulum is swinging to, politically, going by the President's body language and choice of reception venues and places to pay courtesy visits. However, anyone still entertaining any little doubt about whom the President wishes to support as the next Imo governor got that doubt cleared with the President's unequivocal speech at the stadium, where, standing beside the purported governorship candidate, the President advised Imolites to vote whoever they want across Party lines. Adams Oshiomhole was clearly frustrated with the President's speech and as the President made to leave without raising Hope Uzodimma's hands, he literally forced the President to raise his client's hand. There have been several critiques on why the President made this declaration in Imo State and the following reasons could be handy;
1. The President saw with his own eyes the passionate and far reaching support enjoyed by the governorship candidate of the Action Alliance Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, across the length and breadth of the State. From the airport to every street he passed through on his way to Aba and Owerri, there were crowds of passionate Ugwumba Uche Nwosu supporters cheering the President and his team as they drove past. There was not a single Hope Uzodimma supporter anywhere along the road. The President is a fair minded leader who hates cheats. There was no how the President could have declared support for a Hope Uzodimma whose pariah status in the State was so glaring all through the President's visit.
2. Senator Hope Uzodimma is one of those whose names are on the travel ban list gazetted by the Federal Government few weeks ago.
3. Senator Uzodimma is facing criminal prosecution by the Federal Government over alleged contract breaches, corruption, wrong declaration of assets and sundry criminal infractions.
4. The President is aware that Senator Uzodimma did not win the governorship primary of the APC, rather he was foisted on members of the Party in the State by Oshiomhole after allegedly paying millions of Dollars to the former Edo governor.
5. Endorsing Hope Uzodimma would have cast a serious doubt on the President's avowed fight against corruption, considering the several cases of corruption hanging on Hope Uzodimma's neck.
6. The President may be aware of Senator Hope Uzodimma's alleged tainted reputation in several quarters across Nigeria, especially in the Southeast.
7. At the Dan Anyiam Stadium where the main rally took place, the unpopularity and total rejection of Senator Hope Uzodimma by Imo people was even more glaring as even among his own hired crowds in the stadium, his uncoordinated speech was greeted with jeers.
8. The President wanted to make it clear before the world that he is not involved in any illegal and desperate antics of the dangerous cabal doing everything to sabotage the President's efforts at ridding Nigeria of corruption and impunity.
9. Hope Uzodimma as a product of the dangerous cabal is one of those who cases dents on the irrefragabble integrity of Mr. President.
10. The President could not have endorsed failure, as that is what endorsing Hope Uzodimma would have meant.
By Johnbull Chikwe
Do you have any information or event for ABUJAPRESS to publish or cover? Kindly Call us on +2349075556668 or send us message on Whatsapp number +2349075556668 or send us an email [email protected]
.jpeg)
No comments