Six members of Imo State House of Assembly, including the former deputy speaker, have denied detecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement yesterday in Owerri, the lawmakers faulted the Assembly speaker’s claim that they had decided to defect from their party to APC.
The six lawmakers include the former deputy speaker, Okey Onyekamma (Mbaitoli), Frank Ugboma (Oguta), Anyadike Nwosu (Ezinihitte), Tochi Okereke (Ngor Okpala), Philip Ejiogu (Owerri North) and Solomon Anukam (Owerri Municipal).
Faulting the speaker’s position, they stated, “The news of our purported defection to the APC from the PDP remains as shocking to us as it is to our various constituencies who demonstrated their respective resolves for our continuous representation of their interest on the platform of the PDP.
“It is on record that we were voted across party lines, hence we stand on their mandate for effective representation in the Imo House of Assembly.
“The false and malicious statement credited to the speaker remains false, as there has never been a time we met or discussed such an embarrassing idea with the speaker.”
They described the speaker’s statement as a figment of his imagination and a desperate attempt to lure and/or blackmail them into joining the APC.
“All peddlers of falsehood must be reminded that the mandate we carry is one beyond personal interest and that such hasty decisions as were recently seen at the floor of the House has no accommodation,” they added, calling on those spreading the rumour to respect their stand and that of their constituencies.
“We have individually requested that the peddlers of this rumour should make public letters of our purported defection, which informed this recent and ridiculous statement.
“They must stop this self-delusion, as supporting the governor for the even transformation of Imo is a collective responsibility which requires no party line,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, has commended Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo for setting aside his security votes for the payment of salaries and pensions.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Simon Ebegbulem, yesterday, Oshiomhole described the gesture as unprecedented.
The statement read in part: “This is a rare decision taken by a unique man, because apart from Chief Sam Mbakwe, no governor had made such a sacrifice since the creation of the state.
“Workers of Imo State have, over the years, received half of their salaries despite their sacrifices and, unfortunately, previous governors of the state had focused on personal aggrandisement, rather than the feelings and aspirations of the workers.” (The Guardian)
