Priscilla Madueke
Still smarting from his desperate efforts to stop the Emergency National Executive Committee meeting convened at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo has allegedly changed tact, deciding on funding subterranean attacks against the President and the newly constituted Caretaker Committee of the governing Party.
A source who is privy to the political happenings confided in our correspondent that the Imo State governor had given a direct instruction to members of the National Executive Committee of the Party from the Southeast to boycott the recently held NEC of the Party. According to the source;
“Some of us were surprised to see the governor among the 15 governors who physically attended the emergency NEC meeting, after he warned all members of the NEC from the Southeast not to attend the meeting. The governor gave a directive to some of us who were given the zoom password for the virtual meeting not to log in.”
On why the governor would want people to boycott a meeting that had the blessings to attend the same meeting, another source explained that the governor was part of a conspiracy hatched by pro-Oshiomhole forces within the APC to sabotage the NEC meeting and ensure that even if it held, they would have enough grounds to challenge the outcome in court.”
“The idea is to ensure that the meeting does not form a quorum, which will be a good ground to challenge decisions reached at the NEC in court. He appeared in the meeting to give the President a false belief that he has accepted the new directive, but that’s not true. You know, he is very experienced in this kind of strategic politicking. We all know their history in the PDP crisis of few years ago before they crossed over to the APC.”
“Quorum is a fundamental requirement for the convocation of a NEC meeting, and where a quorum is not met, the decisions of the NEC can be nullified by a court, if diligently pursued. This is why he instructed the Southeast members of NEC who are loyal to him not to participate in the NEC meeting, even through Zoom.”
However, following the encouraging success recorded both in attendance and deliberations at the NEC meeting, the governor is said to have set in motion strategies to sabotage the activities of the Caretaker Committee, especially, if they refuse to hand over the entirety of the Party’s structures to him in Imo State, especially.
Uzodimma whose emergence as the governor of Imo State is shrouded in controversy, starting from his emergence as the governorship candidate of the Party is said to be a major financier of the rebel NWC members, who have, as at the last count headed to Court to challenge their dissolution by the NEC, following President Buhari’s recommendation.
“Governor Hope has sworn to provide any amount of money required to ensure that the dissolution of the NWC does not stand and that Comrade Oshiomhole is returned as National Chairman of the Party.” The source revealed.
Efforts to reach the governor for a response fell through, as calls made to his adviser on Political Matters, Chief Batos Nwadike was not returned.
