Uzodinma Denies Meeting With Ihedioha
Imo State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 election, Hope Uzodinma, has denied reports that he met with or congratulated governor-elect Emeka Ihedioha following the announcement of the election results.
Uzodinma described the reports as false and urged APC members and supporters to disregard them.
His position was made known in Owerri through his Director of Media and Special Duties, Declan Emelumba.
According to the statement, a video circulating on social media which appeared to show Uzodinma and Ihedioha together was recorded at a wedding ceremony and had no connection with the governorship election result.
The APC candidate maintained that he had not met with Ihedioha since the election and had not congratulated him on his victory.
“There is no truth in the video and reports circulating on social media suggesting that the governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha, and Senator Hope Uzodinma were celebrating the defeat of outgoing Governor Rochas Okorocha’s political structure,” the statement said.
It explained that the video showing both politicians embracing was recorded at the wedding reception of the daughter of Charles Amadi, popularly known as Chavon, in New Owerri more than two weeks before the election result was announced.
Uzodinma’s camp further noted that the APC in Imo State had rejected the outcome of the governorship election over alleged irregularities.
The statement said the party believed it had evidence to challenge the result and therefore there was no basis for Uzodinma to celebrate or congratulate Ihedioha while the dispute remained unresolved.
“The truth is that there has been no meeting between Uzodinma and Ihedioha since the governorship election. The APC has officially rejected the result because it believes the election did not reflect the actual outcome of the poll,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, outgoing Deputy Governor of Imo State, Eze Madumere, confirmed that he had congratulated Ihedioha on his victory.
Madumere said he regarded Ihedioha’s victory as a victory for the people of Imo State and for those who wanted a change in the political direction of the state.
His congratulatory message reportedly came about 72 hours after Ihedioha was declared winner of the election.
Madumere had been politically estranged from Governor Rochas Okorocha after refusing to support Okorocha’s preferred successor.
He later supported Uzodinma, the APC governorship candidate, during the election.
In his message to Ihedioha, Madumere congratulated him on what he described as a hard-earned victory and said the outcome represented the collective efforts of Imo people who wanted a new direction for the state.
“I heartily congratulate you on your hard-earned victory in the 2019 Imo governorship election. It is a victory for the people of Imo State and for patriotic citizens who made sacrifices for change,” Madumere said.
