Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo Joins PDP, Says He Cannot Remain Partyless Ahead Of 2023 General Elections

NJOKU MACDONALD OBINNA 

Following months of sustained speculations about his purported defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the opposition the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, it is no longer news that the member representing Nkwerre/Isu/Nwangele/Njaba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and House Committee Chairman on Justice, Chief Ugonna Ozurigbo, has officially joined the PDP, at his Umuozu Ward in Nwangele LGA, Imo State, to make known his intentions to run for a second term in office under the platform of his new party, the PDP.

While addressing the Umuozu Ward Executives of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Ozurigbo briefly highlighted some of his remarkable achievements as a Federal lawmaker and promised to do even better if given the party’s ticket for a second term in office.
He however, admitted that he cannot continue to remain partyless since his faction of the APC was schemed out both at the State and Federal levels in the aftermath of the party’s National Convention in Abuja, where the incumbent Governor had the upper hands in the party’s affairs.

Recall that Hon Ugonna Ozurigbo was one of the major political arrowheads of the Rescue Mission Administration under Owelle Rochas Okorocha between 2015 -2019; an unrepented loyalist and avowed ally of the former Governor, who is currently representing Imo West Senatorial District in the Red Chambers.

As Deputy Speaker, during his days at the State Assembly, it was on his shoulders the responsibility of stabilizing the 8th Imo State House of Assembly as as well as shoring up the public confidence in the House rested, having maintained cordial relationship with almost all the sectors of the state apparatus; Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, including people at the grassroots.

However, while his numerous supporters and followers have saluted his courage in taking such political decision at a time when Nigerians are relatively fed up with the President Muhammadu Buhari APC led Federal Government given the spate of killings, insecurity, poverty and agitations across the geo-political zones in the country, the major challenge facing his new political move is the State Governor, His Excellency, Distinguished Sen. Hope Uzodimma, who is rooting for a replacement from either Isu or Njaba LGAs, who had felt completely shortchanged in the largest Federal Constituency since the return of modern democracy in 1999.

It was gathered that apart from the alleged transferred aggression from Governor Hope Uzodimma to Chief Ugonna Ozurigbo, who is one of the backbones of his major rival in the state and former Imo governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the Federal lawmaker was alleged to have openly maligned Sen. Hope Uzodimma in the presence of then National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole and his National Working Committee at the Eagles Square Abuja, during the 2018 National Convention of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

As the tussle for who secures the party’s ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of the primaries thickens, Chief Ugonna Ozurigbo and Hon. Kingsely Echendu, remain for the record time, two major contenders for the soul of Nkwerre/Isu/ Nwangele/Njaba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives as both can boast of wide range of followership, strong presence, people -friendly and most accessible.

While OZB promises to sustain the tempo of his relative impressive legislative outing if re-elected for a second term in office, Hon. Kingsley Echendu boasts of surpassing what he termed: ”not too good performance of the Federal legislator” given many untapped opportunities in Government Ministries, Departments And Agencies, MDAs, as he had accused the Federal legislator of reducing his empowernment programmes to mere distribution of motorcycles and tricycles to the mass of the members of his constituency instead of the development of human capital.

Outside the above, Isu and Njaba people seem to have spoken with one voice as a number of pressure and advocacy groups canvass for an Isu man to represent the Federal constituecy, having given stern warnig against political jobbers and sabouters that will alter this arrangement for the emancipation of the highly marginalized Isu and Njaba clan.

It was also scooped that High Chief Cosmos Maduba, Oduebube Isu, Ikenga Isu and Hon. Barr. Harrison Nwadike are also eyeing the APC party’s ticket ahead of the primaries. OZB has established a name with his grassroots and people-oriented brand of politics.

He has a far reaching audience, strong supporters base and the financial muscle to challenge anyone coming from any political party or LGA within the Federal constituency. Anyone who must defeat OZB from the APC if given the PDP party’s ticket, is expected to be on the good books of the Governor, LGA party leaders and command some level of followership at the grassroots.

Finally, as the supporters of the Federal lawmaker give assurances that he would contest for a second term in office under PDP, political pundits and close observers are keenly watching who secures the ticket: is it OZB a new comer or Kingsely Echendu who has stood by the party over the years against all odds?

Njoku Macdonald Obinna holding media brief for the largest Federal Constituency in Nigeria.