TheCable

Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo state, says those who are not in the All Progressives Congress (APC) will “continue to fast until God answers your prayers”.

Speaking with journalists after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Friday, Uzodimma commended the defection of David Umahi, Ebonyi state governor, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC.

The Imo governor noted that politicians on the APC platform are “close” to the federal government, and that this will enable them address challenges in their areas of focus.

“Everybody that is not in the APC now in the south-east is a target. It’s not only governors; it includes those who are not governors — the entire political class. The whole idea is making the ideology of the party known to the people, allaying their fears, and encouraging them to come,” he said.

“Once you believe in Nigeria and you have a pan-Nigeria attitude, of course, you will go for a national party. There is no gainsaying that if you are not with the national party, and you choose to be in opposition, of course, you will continue to fast until God answers your prayers.

“But we that are in the ruling party, of course, what it will take us to solve certain problems may be different from what it will take somebody who is not very close to the source of authority to solve his own problems.”

Uzodimma also spoke on the south-east’s chances regarding the presidency in the 2023 general election, adding that Umahi is popular in the region.

“It is not about whether you want to be president now or not. You don’t get presidential ticket by the market square. It is the decision of the political party. You must be loyal to your political party,” he said.

“So, I know that my brother, Umahi, is politically strong in the south-east and joining APC would add to the value of the party in my region, but he never told me he is coming because he will be president.

“So, I want these people who want to cause confusion and create bad name for Umahi to run away from that point, and then encourage our people who have decided to align with the ruling party.”

Uzodimma said the defection of Umahi to the APC means that he now has a ‘brother” in the party, as prior to the Ebonyi governor’s defection, Imo was the only APC state in the south-east region.

“I must count myself very lucky. After I emerged as APC governor, I used to be an orphan. You will agree with me I have a brother now, who is also in APC,” he said.

“My hope is that the region will see the reason and the wisdom in coming over to the ruling party because the ruling party is a national party.

“How many states do we have as APC? And the whole thing about politics is like evangelism. Every serious political party must have an expansionist mentality to expand their membership.

“I think we will continue to encourage our people because the whole idea is that once the ideology is right, the system is working, nobody wants to go to a war that he will lose. So, you join those who are winning.”