The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Uzodinma

  • Imo: Madumere may serve as running mate to Uzodinma

    •Flays refusal to restore security, alleges threat to life
    •Owerri calm as Okorocha’s loyalists maintain silence

    There are indications yesterday that the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere, has been pencilled to serve as the running mate to Senator Hope Uzodinma, the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 governorship election in the State.

    A top party official in the state told The Nation that “the decision to pair the two was part of the party’s diligent plan to ensure that every interest is adequately taken care of.”

    The APC official, who did not want to be named, said the party in the state is sure that the two can work together. In the primary election presided over by Ahmed Gulak, Uzodinma garnered a total of 423,895 votes to top the list, while Madumere came second with a total of 128,325 votes.

    Also, according to the source, the party leaders reasoned that “Since Uzodinma hails from Imo West Senatorial District (Orlu), the same zone with Rochas Okorocha and Madumere hails from Imo East Senatorial District (Owerri Zone), pairing the two will neutralise any negative campaign against the party as it will also soothe the concerns of the Owerri zone.”

    As at yesterday afternoon, supporters of both Uzodinma and Madumere were still waiting eagerly in Owerri for their return to Imo from Abuja. Our source said the two had been in Abuja for some time now, working together to ensure that nothing went wrong and that they are expected to come back to the state together any moment from now.

    The Nation noted yesterday that notwithstanding APC’s final submission of Uzodinma’s name as the party’s governorship candidate, Owerri, the state capital, was particularly calm. It is not yet clear why Okorocha loyalists, who have been vocal since the political horse-trading began, refrained yesterday from responding to the development.

    But a statement from the Office of the Deputy Governor, by Madumere’s Chief Press Secretary, Uche Onwuchekwa, yesterday alleged threat to the life of the Deputy Governor.  The statement regretted that 12 members of staff in the Deputy Governor’s office were suddenly posted out in October through a memo with reference number HIS/S. 29/S.1/t.3/1/807, signed on behalf of the Head of Service by Emole K. O.

    Alleging that “some members of the domestic staff of the Deputy Governor were approached to be used as agents of death to poison the Deputy Governor,” the office said in the statement, “we wish to state categorically that the sudden posting of the operational staff of the Deputy Governor is a careful plot to compromise the security of Madumere.”

  • 2019 governorship: Amosun, Okorocha lose out as APC insists on Dapo Abiodun, Uzodinma

    NATIONAL Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, declared yesterday that Senator Hope Uzodinma and Prince Dapo Abiodun remain the party’s governorship candidates for Imo and Ogun States respectively, despite protestations from the governors of the two states. Oshiomhole said he would not be a party to alleged effort by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State to create a political dynasty in the state. He said Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State would also not be allowed to keep running the affairs of the party in his state like an emperor. The party chair spoke to reporters in Abuja ahead of last night’s deadline for the parties to submit the names of their governorship and state assembly candidates for next year’s elections.

    Oshiomhole said the party was in the process of conducting fresh primaries in Rivers State after the Supreme Court invalidated the last congresses in the state that produced candidates for the elections. Taking the states one after the other, he said while the party’s constitution allows only the National Working Committee to conduct primaries, Amosun resorted to selfhelp by organising primaries where the secretary to his government was the chief returning officer. His words: “The Ogun State governor decided in his wisdom to conduct his own self help. I mean resorting to what you can call self-help by conducting what he called his own primary. “The Secretary to Ogun State Government became the Chief Returning Officer and I and other NWC members were watching the television and we saw the Secretary to Ogun State Government proclaiming himself as the returning officer, and purported to have conducted the primary.”

    Amosun, he also claimed, at a point decided to introduce consensus and went ahead to announce the names of those he said were the consensus candidates of the party. The governor’s action, he said, was rejected by other stakeholders in the state, after which the governor settled for direct primary. Oshiomhole said that when the electoral committee sent to the state to conduct the primary got there, Amosun and his preferred candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, refused to participate in the exercise. Dapo Abiodun went on to win the primary, he said. Oshiomhole said Amosun thereafter began to pile pressure on the party’s hierarchy to get the party to accept Akinlade, including mobilising some traditional rulers in the state to visit the President on the matter.

    He vowed that no amount of blackmail would make him or members of the National Working Committee change what had been done in accordance with the laws of the party and in accordance with the provisions of the electoral act unless a court of competent jurisdiction rules otherwise. He said: “As we speak, we have submitted Amosun’s name to INEC as our senatorial candidate (for Ogun Central). “If we had anything against him, we would have found a way to disqualify him. The fact that we submitted his name means we don’t have anything against him. The issue is that he did not have his way. “He announced somebody as the consensus governor. He proceeded to announce another man as deputy governor. “He went on to proclaim himself as the next senator, and he said the current senator, Tejuoso, should step aside. “He also went on to announce that the second senator, also from Ogun State, will step aside while another man will come in. “Governor Amosun went on to announce another man who will be the next speaker, and another one as the next deputy speaker.

    “He also singlehandedly picked eight House of Representatives members. Seven will not return, according to him; only one will return. All these he claimed as consensus.” On Imo State, Oshiomhole said the APC reviewed the report of the panel sent to the state, headed by Ahmed Gulak, and discovered that it substantially met with the guidelines set by the party and decided to uphold the report and adopt the senator as its candidate. Responding to a reporter’s question, the APC chair said: “The governor of Imo State said I should obey the order of the court and the law. I accept that advice wholeheartedly. “Yesterday (Thursday), I received documents from the High Court of Justice in Owerri where Governor Rochas heads the executive arm of government. The Chief Judge of the state ordered that I should not tamper with anything that has been done legally to throw up Uzodinma as the candidate of the party.

    “The sitting Deputy Governor is the one who obtained that order. So, in accordance with the advice of Governor Rochas, I will respect that order of court.” Oshiomhole vowed that he would not be a party to helping the governor to build a political dynasty for himself where he would be a senatorial candidate of the party while his son-in-law would become the governorship candidate. He said Governor Okorocha is already a beneficiary of the party’s belief in doing things in accordance with the principles of fairness and justice. He said: “He completely lost out in the congress that was conducted by my predecessors, and when we came in, he cried foul and we took another look at the process and decided to cancel it, and we conducted another congress that now put a smile on his face.”

    On Zamfara State where INEC said the party did not conduct primaries and will not be allowed to field candidadtes, Oshiomhole said the party is already in court to challenge the INEC position. His words: “We respect the sanctity of INEC and we expect them to remain impartial and not deny the people of Zamfara the opportunity to choose who should be their governor.” He said it would be undemocratic for the electoral management body to deny the party its right in the state. Oshiomhole expressed confidence that justice will prevail and the party will be allowed to present candidates in the state. The APC chair said the party will soon conduct fresh primaries in Rivers to pick its candidates for all elections after the previous list sent to INEC was invalidated by the Supreme Court. He apologised to the judicial arm of government for the invasion of the court by hired thugs in Rivers. He also expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari will emerge winner of the 2019 election, boasting that “Buhari will defeat Atiku in his home town.”

  • Fed Govt charges Uzodinma, Oduah with non-declaration of assets

    THE Federal Government has filed charges against Senators Hope Uzodinma and Stella Oduah, accusing them of failing to declare their assets.

    The charges, of two counts each, were filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) in the name of the Federal Government.

    It was learnt yesterday that the one with Oduah as defendant has been assigned to Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu. The one filed against Uzodinma is assigned to Justice Babatunde Quadri.

    The charge against Oduah reads: “That you Senator Stella Adaeze Oduah (F) on or about March 29, 2018, being a public officer with the National Assembly Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court , committed an offence to wit: refused to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon notice to declare your assets before the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Abuja contrary to and punishable under S. 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.

    “That you, Senator Stella Adaeze Oduah (F) on or about March 29, 2018, being a pubic officer with the National Assembly Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court committed an offence to wit: neglected to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon notice to declare your assets before the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Abuja, contrary to and punishable under S. 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004”

    The one against Uzodinma, reads: “That you, Senator Hope Uzodinma (M) on or about March 5, 2018, being a public officer with the National Assembly Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court ,committed an offence to wit: refused to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon notice to declare your assets before the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Abuja, contrary to and punishable under S. 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.

    “That you Senator Hope Uzodmma (M) on or about March 5,2018 being a public officer that the National Assembly Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: neglected to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon notice to declare your assets before the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Abuja, contrary to and punishable under S. 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.”

  • Nwosu in early lead as Madumere, Uzodinma boycott exercise

    There was massive turnout of card- carrying members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the 305 Wards of Imo State yesterday during the governorship primary.

    Voting commenced across the Wards as early as 10 am.

    The exercise followed cancellation of the results of the Ahmed Gulak- led Committee, which produced two candidates after the chairman absconded.

    The new Committee is led by Ibrahim Agbabiaka.

    There was tight security at the venues of the congresses all over the state.

    Results at most of the Wards visited by our correspondent, who monitored the exercise, showed UcheNwosu, who is Governor RochasOkorocha’s preferred aspirant, was in comfortable lead.

    Deputy Governor Eze Madumere and Senator Hope Uzodinma reportedly boycotted the exercise.

    Madumere, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Uche Onwuchekwa, said he will not be part of the exercise because it has been concluded.

     

  • Nwosu to Uzodinma, others; let’s test our popularity at the primary

    A frontline All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, has challenged Senator Hope Uzodinma and  other APC aspirants to come out and test their popularity at the primary election.
    Nwosu who was declared winner of the primary election before it was cancelled by the APC  National Working Committee, stated that he will defeat the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial zone, in a popularity test any day.
    Nwosu who spoke with journalists ahead of the rescheduled governorship primary election, said that he is sure of clinching the party’s ticket in a free and fair primary.
    Reacting to insinuations that some of the aspirants, including the former Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, Jude Ejiogu and George Etch have stepped down their ambition for Uzodinma, Nwosu noted that, “they stepped down for the same man that bought their nomination forms”.
    He said, “Madumere, Ejiogu and Eche have stepped down for Uzodinma, the same man that bought their forms, but I am challenging him to meet me at the primary and let us test our popularity. I am challenging their master to an open contest, let’s know who is more acceptable to the people”.
    Nwosu continued that, “I without sounding immodest, remain the most popular aspirant and the beat bet for our party. Instead of working hard to earn the people’s support, some of the aspirants are only interested in compromising the process and looking for how to manipulate the exercise. But I am confident that I will defeat them at the primary.
    “Anybody can decide to sponsor people to step down for him but it is the card carrying members of the party that will decide who will be the party’s candidate. But I am confident that I will defeat all of them and their paymaster inclusive because I have taken time to sell myself and my manifesto to members of our great party they have bought into the project and willing to do everything possible within the ambit of the constitution of party to ensure that I clich the ticket”.

  • N200m dud cheque: Uzodinma denies arrest warrant

    Senator Hope Uzodimma (Imo West) has denied reports that an Abuja Area Court issued a bench warrant against him for an alleged N200 million bounced cheque.

    He said the plot was masterminded by his detractors because of his rising gubernatorial chances in Imo State.

    A statement by his aide said some political detractors tried to use a corporate body that failed in the execution of a sub-contract it got from Nigeria global to twist facts and abuse the judicial process to dent his image.

    The statement wondered how a disagreement between two corporate citizens, which has been a subject of litigation and is still pending at the Supreme Court, became a subject of adjudication at an Area Court.

    He said: “The facts are clear – Chitek Engineering Limited was given a sub-contract to supply 1,700 sheet piles at koko on or before March 2018. A bank cheque N200 million was issued to a bank to transfer the value to Chitek upon successful execution of the said contract. Chitek failed to execute the contract and still attempted to cash the cheque, which was not issued in her name in the first place.

    “When the cheque was naturally returned, the company went to court to enforce payment to it. It lost at the High and Appeal Courts, and the matter is now at the Supreme Court.”

    The statement added that the same company that went to the apex court suddenly went to an Abuja Area Court, which has no jurisdiction over matters of limited liability companies.

    “It is clear that some political enemies are using this company to dent the image of the distinguished senator, but the attempt to use the Area Court to issue an illegal arrest order against Uzodimma was quashed by an Abuja Federal High Court on Tuesday.”

  • Igbo must produce President in 2023, says Uzodinma

    Igbo must produce President in 2023, says Uzodinma

    •’S/East determined to support Buhari’s re-election’

    Chairman Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tarrifs, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has expressed determination of the Igbo to support the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari to pave way for an Igbo President in 2023.

    Uzodima, who spoke in an interview in Abuja, said it was imperative for the Igbo to produce the president to fully put the nation back on the track of unity.

    He said: “It is supremely important because that will assure that the ugly events of the civil war have been truly put behind.

    “By 2023, the presidency returns to the South, and if by acts of omission or commission it eludes Ndigbo, then that will only be a confirmation that the Igbo have not truly been accepted into the mainstream of Nigerian politics.”

    He recalled former Vice President Alex Ekwueme was coasting home to picking the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) but he was stopped because of alleged “high level conspiracy believe and because of the stigma of the civil war.”

    So, if in 2023, “Igbo are stopped again, the simple conclusion would be that the rest of Nigeria does not welcome them as equal stakeholders in the Nigerian project.”

    The Senate Committee Chairman however said such a presidential candidate from Ndigbo must possess a pan Nigeria world view.

    “The summary of it is that such a candidate must possess a pan Nigeria world view because it is the collaboration of other zones in the country with the South East that could make it possible”

    On whether the 2023 agitation would push the Igbo to support Buhari for a second term, Uzodinma said it was the only opportunity left if it is to be a reality.

    “If we (Igbo) don’t support Buhari who has only four years left, then how can 2023 be a reality?

    “Any fresh northerner on the seat would be there till 2027.

    “President Buhari is the only northern candidate who, if elected, must relinquish power in 2023, thereby paving way for the South East.

    “So, yes, for the Igbo, like me, I will most definitely support Buhari for second term, and I think other right thinking South Easterners should do the same.”

     

  • Senate not sabotaging anti-graft war, says Uzodinma

    Senate not sabotaging anti-graft war, says Uzodinma

    •Senator fires back at ex-Milad Umar

    The Chairman of the Senate Joint Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff and Marine Transport, Hope Uzodinma, yesterday faulted an allegation by a former Military Administrator of Kaduna State, Colonel Mohammed Dangiwa Umar (retd.) that senators were attempting to sabotage Federal Government’s anti-graft war.

    The senator said the allegation was reckless and “un-statesmanly” of the former military administrator.

    He expressed surprise that a respected public figure like Umar made such sweeping remarks about the National Assembly without having the facts to back up his claims.

    Uzodinma said it was unfortunate that Umar was allegedly being used to malign the integrity of the Senate to satisfy the Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman.

    The senator accused the NPA chief, who he described as Umar’s daughter’s best friend.

    He added that Ms Usman was allegedly frustrating the current Senate investigation into the disappearance of over 282 containers from the ports without a kobo paid to the Federal Government as revenue, among others.

    Uzodinma took issues with Umar in a statement in Abuja.

    The statement said: “I have a lot of respect for Col Umar. In fact, I see him as a nationalist; but on this one, he goofed.

    “While appreciating the relationship between the NPA’s MD and Col Umar’s daughter, I still felt that the statesman in him should have moved him to look at the issues on the ground very dispassionately without bias.

    “Honestly, I still don’t understand why the Senate is being blackmailed for performing its constitutional role. A petition was written to my committee by a company, which said it imported rice and paid the relevant duties to the Nigeria Customs Service. Then, when the rice came in, the Customs seized the containers. So, we discussed the petition at the committee’s level and decided to = forward a letter to Customs.

    “In the letter, we said we received a letter from this company alleging maltreatment and we implore you to look at the merits or otherwise through your internal mechanisms.

    “We never directed the cargo to be released anywhere in the letter. I still have a copy of the letter and the reply from the Customs. Col Umar would have even spoken with Col. Hamed Ali of Customs to verify this before rushing to press with a fiction.”

    On Calabar Channel, Uzodinma said: “We are not investigating Calabar Channel dredging now.

    “The issue of my interest in Niger Global is neither here nor there because I had long been a businessman, even before venturing into politics. And the company was incorporated in 1995, long before the contract was awarded to it in 2004.

    “As at 2004, I was not a senator; I was a businessman. Immediately I aspired to the Senate in 2011, I resigned my chairmanship of the company.

    “So, we are not even investigating NPA on Calabar dredging; we are investigating infractions in the import-export cycle where vessels would come into the country and offload goods and return without a dime paid into government coffers.

    “How should this investigation not excite any patriotic Nigerian? Why the sustained blackmail from the stable of the NPA, whose MD has refused four invitations of the committee to appear before it to answer to these alleged infractions?”

  • Tribunal upholds Uzodinma’s election

    The election petition tribunal sitting in Owerri, the Imo state capital has upheld the election of Senator Hope Uzodinma (Imo West).

    The Justice Ali Garba-led tribunal held that the petitioner failed to prove that there were no elections in three local government areas of the zone – Oru East, Oguta, and Ohaji Egama.

    It also held that that the petitioner failed to prove that the first respondent, Senator Uzodinma did not score majority of the lawful votes cast in the election.

    A statement by Uzodinma yesterday in Abuja attributed his victory to “the will of God and the overwhelming confidence my constituents reposed in me”.

    He said: “Throughout the trial, I had confidence in the judicial system and the will of God, and, most importantly, the conviction that the will of the people must prevail.”

    The was earlier dismissed by the Justice A .Y Sanya-led tribunal which ruled that the petitioner, Izunaso, abandoned his petition by failing to pay the appropriate filling fees for pre-hearing.

  • Most important endorsement is that of the people – Uzodinma

    Senator Hope Uzodinma, representing  Imo West Senatorial District, is contesting for reelection into the seat in the forthcoming National Assembly elections. In this interview with some select journalists during the week, he spoke on his performance so far, why he should be reelected and the chances of his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Sam Egburonu reports

    BEFORE you became the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District, you served as the youth leader of the defunct NPN. You also contested governorship election in Imo State, first in 2003 and in 2007. Besides these, you are a member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of PDP and have been chairman of both federal and state boards in the past. Would you consider yourself today as a success in politics?

    I will rather that other people judge me. But I must say that so far, so good. As far as my political career is concerned, my greatest joy is that I have used my position as senator to impact very positively on the lives of my people. I attracted many projects to Imo West through NDDC. I attracted about 15 electricity projects and many water projects to my people. I secured gainful employment for numerous Imo West indigenes, and empowered over 1000 women and youths through skill acquisition programmes. I also empowered over 400 youths with tricycles, etc. So, I am satisfied that I have done well.

    Some view you as one of the few vociferous National Assembly members representing the South East. What is the ideology behind your representation at NASS?

    I don’t know about vociferous but if by that you mean visibility, yes, I have been quite visible. Within my first three years in the senate, I sponsored five motions and two bills. My contribution at the senate plenary speaks for itself.

    As a senator from the South-East, I believe in participating in those things that promote national unity and cohesion. You can call that my ideology and that was why I championed and still champion the creation of ANIM state as the sixth state for the South-East to bring the SouthEast at par with other geo- political zones.

     As the Senate Committee chairman on Aviation, would you say you have brought any value to the industry in Nigeria?

     The answer is obvious; take a look at our airports today; they are better, more functional and closer to standard airports. These happened under my watch. Our airspace is also safer today. Because of the Dana air crash of 2012, we took steps to ensure that our airspace is safer by applying stricter safety measures. For instance, we have taken steps to ensure that any domestic aircraft flying our air space is properly certified to be airworthy. So, all said, I am proud to say that yes, I have added tremendous value to the aviation industry in Nigeria.

     How would you describe the bolstering opposition politics in Nigeria with the APC in mind?

     I don’t see how anybody can describe the opposition in Nigeria as bolstering, particularly with the APC in mind. Nigerians are wise enough and they know that PDP is a stable, consistent political party with a humble, level headed, tested and trusted President and Presidential candidate in the person of Goodluck Jonathan. I can assure you that many Nigerians are determined to vote for President Jonathan today. Yes, majority of Nigerians will vote for Jonathan and he will win convincingly. The difference is clear. Jonathan is a tested and trusted democrat.  R

     Do you have confidence in Attahiru Jega’s ability to deliver a credible general election?

     I have confidence in INEC as an institution. I believe that INEC should be able to conduct a credible election. Professor Attahiru Jega as its chairman has to work hard enough to convince Nigerians that he is equal to the task of conducting a credible election. One way we can do this is by ensuring that all Nigerians get their PVCs in good time. It was clear to me that INEC was not fully prepared for the election that was to hold on February 14. The postponement of that election was in the best interest of Nigerians and INEC. Now that the election has been rescheduled, it is left for INEC to do all within its powers to ensure that the election is credible, free and fair.

     As a leader of PDP, would you concede that the party mismanaged its followership to the extent that most of the party chieftains and former allies of the President are the people now fighting on the side of the opposition?

     First of all, I think Nigerians should commend the PDP as a political party because since inception, it has remained one big political family. As the largest party in black and white Africa, I think PDP has done exceedingly well.

    How do you view Obasanjo’s recent endorsement of Buhari?

     I do not know why we are making much ado about anybody endorsing anybody. The most important endorsement to me is not that of any man or woman but that of the people of Nigeria, which will happen on March 28. I am confident that President Goodluck Jonathan will be overwhelmingly endorsed by majority of Nigerians on that date.

     With the outcome of the controversial governorship primaries of the PDP in Imo State, there are still discordant tunes emanating from the party structure. Don’t you think this will threaten the party’s chances of reclaiming the Government House in Owerri?

     I don’t think so. What is important is that whatever you referred to as discordant tunes are all within the party. But I can assure you that there is no discordant tune with respect to winning the governorship in April. All PDP members are united in this regard. What this means is that all hands will be on deck to ensure that PDP wins the governorship seat in Imo State. I can assure you that PDP will certainly win the governorship seat of Imo State come April this year.

     What is your assessment of Governor Rochas Okorocha?

     Imo people are totally disappointed with the administration of Okorocha .They believe he says one thing and does another. They say he is not a man of his words. They say his free education is fake. They say he has not paid contractors and that his government is a family government. So, I think Imo people have already passed their verdict. They want him out of Douglas House and I agree with them.

     It is known that you funded the party in the state but in Imo West Senatorial District, where you represent, the PDP seems to be in disarray as some key stakeholders had dumped the party recently?

    On the contrary, the PDP in Imo West is waxing stronger and stronger. Just a few weeks ago, all the supporters of late Okwesilieze, Eudura Igwe, from APGA, decamped to PDP in Imo West. They were led by her sister and they were in their thousands. In many other places, APC chieftains in many of the local governments in Orlu Zone have joined the PDP and that includes their former state chairman, Prince Marshal Okafor. So, I don’t know how anybody can describe PDP in Imo West Senatorial District as being in disarray.

    If two people resigned their membership of the party for some personal reasons, how does that put PDP in disarray? Please, I urge you to investigate very well and you will confirm that PDP is much stronger and more robust today in Imo West than ever before.

     Some believe your relationship with former Governor Achike Udenwa, your kinsman, is not too rosy?

     You know politics is all about propaganda and rumours. I can tell you that my relationship with Udenwa couldn’t be better.

     It is said that the Orlu Senate seat will be keenly contested. Is your seat indeed threatened by the the likes of Izunazo, Ezeani and Jafac?

     I can assure you that my seat is not in any way threatened. If anything, I will win with greater margin this time around. Every election is supposed to be keenly contested, so this one is not an exception, nor is it unusual. But if you cast your mind to 2011, you will remember that I defeated Izunazo, who was the incumbent senator, in the primaries. I then went ahead to defeat a former governor in the main elections. I don’t know whether anything could have been more keenly contested than the example I just gave you.

    As incumbent senator, I won the primaries convincingly and some of the people you mentioned, contested the primaries with me and lost. I will still beat them in the general elections and with a wider margin at that.

     In 2011, Owelle Rochas Okorocha emerged as the state governor against the prediction of some conservative bookmakers. Do you agree he will easily retain his seat for another four years?

     Accidents don’t happen every day you know and there is no reason to expect one this election year. I am convinced that PDP will win Imo governorship in April this year. If anyone is praying for another political accident, then such a person is in for a rude shock.

     Are you not disturbed that many communities under your watch in Imo West are yet to receive their PVCs?

     I have made it abundantly clear that INEC must ensure that all Nigerians get their PVCs before the elections.