By Kelechi Ugo
The Imo State ObiDient Movement which is an umbrella name for the key stakeholders and Supporters of Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, met on Thursday, April 20, 2023, in Owerri and reviewed the trends of political events in Imo State and the Labour Party Gubernatorial primary election held recently. After over 5 hours deliberations, the Imo ObiDient Movement resolved to stand with Maj. General Ogunewe just as the National OBIdient Movement stood with Peter Obi in 2022 and asked the Labour Party National Chairman Bar. Julius Abure to quickly implement the recommendation of the Hon. Ceekay Igbara led Labour Party Appeal committee report published on 16th of April 2023 and recognise Major General Ogunewe as the authentic flag bearer of the Party within the next couple of days. They threatened to ask him to immediately secure the ticket of another party while they will mobilise ObiDients, resources and well-meaning Imolites for him to win the gubernatorial election in Imo state
The Group said that the appeal committee report clearly captured what transpired in the Labour Party Gubernatorial Primaries in Imo State and that it looks like what happened during the PDP Presidential primary election which led to the ObiDient Movement asking H.E Peter Obi to exit the PDP which he promptly did, and now, the ObiDient Movement in Imo State is asking the people’s General to ensure he is on the ballot in the November 2023 Imo State governorship election even if it means flying another party’s ticket.
This was made known in a statement issued after the meeting, by the Imo State Leader of the Group Engr. John Ikechi Iwuchukwu. The group also said that the Imo Obidient Movement observed massive irregularities before and during the primary election , starting from the delegate list, which they claimed was manipulated and does not reflect the delegate elections as most of its members observed across the state and had on camera. “Some delegates that were clearly elected, were not allowed to participate in the primary election by the compromised Labour Party Local Government Chairmen”. They wondered why a task as simple as conducting a very transparent delegate and gubernatorial primariy election has become an uphill task for the Imo State Labour Party Committee. They vowed not to recognise the compromised primary election and asked General Ogunewe to exit Labour Party if that appeal committee report is not implemented in the next couple of days.
The group further said that they have commenced the mobilization of the masses in Imo State to generate unparalleled resources and capability for Ogunewe and will use the lessons learnt from the Presidential Elections to ensure victory for Ogunewe. They see Major General Jack Ogunewe as the ONLY candidate who is sincere and has the capability to rescue Imo state, pointing to Major General Ogunewe strategic contributions that led to the successful Governorship election in Abia Sate, which produced the first ever Labour Party Governor in the South East.
“This is the beginning of a new era in Imo State and Imo people must step up to own their state, we don’t have any other state”
