By Ishaya Ibrahim
The 2019 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, has denied entering into any alliances with the state’s former governor, Rochas Okorocha, to secure a ministerial slot for himself.
Associates of former Imo State deputy governor, Prince Eze Madumere, have accused Uzondima of teaming up with his erstwhile political enemy, Okorocha, to play the spoiler against Madumere whom they believe is most favoured to make President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial list.
Coordinator of Rebuild All Progressives Congress Vanguard, Obidieze Chiedozie, a lawyer, had alleged: “We have it on good authority that Uzodinma has gone back to his vomit by shamelessly going into alliance with Okorocha.
“When we said that the duo was the mastermind of the abysmal performance of our party and we can’t continue to condone such persons in our party.
” We once again appeal to Mr President to disregard any blackmail against Madumere. If we are to make our choice, Madumere remains our future in APC,” he said.
But Uzodinma told TheNiche in a telephone interview that he was not teaming up with anybody.
“Remember that Okorocha is still a suspended APC member,” he said.
He said Madumere was only seeking attention and trying to look important by making the claims of a gang up to stop him from becoming a minister.
Uzodinma said he does not have anything against Madumere even though he alleged that the former deputy governor was believed to be running around the current governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha knowing full well that the APC is in tribunal with Ihedioha over the governorship election.
Uzodinma said he wanted to make Madumere his running mate again but that it was the Catholic Church in Imo that resisted that move, and regretted that the former deputy governor neither won the elections in his booth either for the governorship or the presidency.
“Why would I team up against him? Over what? I think he is seeking attention, but I do not know whether he is getting it through this means of subtle blackmail. Now that you (TheNiche) called me over this insinuation I need to talk to Malcom Nlemibgo to speak to him,” Uzodinma told this newspaper on Wednesday.