Imo PDP leaders decamp to APC

The re-election bid of the Imo State Governor,
Rochas Okorocha, Thursday received a significant
boost with the dumping of the People's
Democratic Party (PDP) by political leaders in the
state and his endorsement by major political
groups from the three senatorial zones of the
state.

The influential political groups from Orlu, Okgwe
and Owerri zones, known as the Coalition of Imo
Mainstream Politicians for Good Governance, are
made up of the Orlu Political Consultative
Assembly (OPOCA), Owerri Zone Mandate Group
and the Okigwe Political Leaders Congress.

The Coalition during a press conference in
Owerri, the Imo State capital, said that it decided
to dump the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) for
the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a result of
the Governor's sterling performance and the
irredeemable corruption in the PDP.

In a statement jointly signed by the Coordinator of
the Coalition of Imo Mainstream Politicians for
Good Governance, Chief Rex Anunobi, also known
as Sokom, the National President of OPOCA, Dr. Samfo Nwankwo and the President General,
Owerri Zone Mandate, Dr. Vitalis Ajumbe and the
President Okigwe Political Leaders Forum, Dr.
Kelechi Okpaleke, the group maintained that "the
APC is the only hope for a truly democratic and
corruption free Nigeria".

The political leaders further disclosed that they
were inspired to join the APC because of the
unprecedented achievements recorded by the
Okorocha's administration within a short time in
office, adding that "the Governor had dazed his
critics by the successful implementation of the
free education programme, the construction of 27
new general hospitals across the 27 Local
Government Areas of the State, the construction
of 15 kilometer rural roads in all the LGAs".

They also added that the APC led administration
in the state; unlike previous administrations has
spread development to all the nook and crannies
of the state, especially the rural areas that were
hitherto abandoned.

They also dismissed other political parties in the
governorship race, stating that the status of their
governorship candidates is not yet clear as they
are still locked in legal battle, "the PDP and APGA
are yet to have valid governorship candidates as
they are still in court".

The Coalition, further accused the PDP of planning
to continue its "share the money syndrome"
alleging that the governorship candidate of the
party has promised aspirants who lost the
governorship primaries a N35 billion refund when
he gets to power.

They promised to mobilize Imo people from the
three zones to vote Governor Okorocha "because
he has done Imo State proud with his
performance. Imo people need the best. Imo
people deserve the best and the best is Governor
Okorocha."