*Seeks Imo gov’s sack as PGF chair
By Olugbenga Salami
A member of the House of Representatives representing Udeato Federal Constituency of Imo State, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, has said that the romance of erstwhile national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu with the Imo State governor Hope Uzodinma cost him the exalted position.
Adamu reportedly resigned from office alongside the national secretary of the ruling APC on Sunday night, on the alleged order of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the party’s National Executive Council, NEC slated for Wednesday.
Reacting to the development, Ugochinyere alleged that Adamu was consumed by his relationship with Governor Uzodinma, which made him walk into many political landmines that have now caused him his position.
Ugochinyere, in a statement he personally signed and made available to our correspondent on Monday in Abuja, urged President Tinubu and APC governors to complete the cleansing by removing Uzodinma as chairman of the Progressives Governor’s Forum, PGF and replace him with Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun.
According to him, though he’s not interested in the politics of the ruling party, he’s, however, concerned about treacherous and un-loyal people who parade themselves as loyal and looking for a way to get access to influence the President and security chiefs into keeping Imo as a bloody battle field.
He opined that despite Adamu’s removal as APC’s national chairman, with Uzodinma’s continued stay as the PGF chairman, President Tinubu should be wary and expect more betrayals and sabotage.
Ugochinyere recalled how Adamu and Uzodinma have allegedly been fighting Tinubu since the days of presidential primaries plus their failed plot to topple the newly elected principal officers of the 10th National Assembly.
He pointed out the gestapo style in which Adamu announced former Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate for the party, against the position of the ruling party’s NWC.
He also pointed out how Uzodinma reluctantly endorsed Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Jibrin Barau, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Hon. Benjamin Kalu during the campaign, as consensus candidates of the ruling party for National Assembly leadership positions.
Ugochinyere noted that Adamu’s recent utterance that the ruling party had no hand in the selection of NASS principal officers was another pointer his disloyalty to President Tinubu.
All these, the lawmaker said were the handiwork of Adamu and Uzodinma, adding that it’s dangerous if the governor is not removed as chairman of PGF, “as they worked hand in hand to sabotage President Tinubu.”
He said: “After Adamu’s resignation Uzodinma should be next. Tinubu has to complete the cleansing to avoid further sabotage and instigation against him now and in the near future. Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State can manipulate the minds of new governors.
“The ruling party’s NWC can also be manipulated with characters like Uzodinma running around. The only way to bring back stability and genuine working relationship between President and governors is for progressive governors forum chairmanship to be given to a man with proven character and integrity and not a political gate crasher like Hope Uzodinma.”
