Ifeanyi Ararume has accused Imo Governor, Hope Uzodimma, of sabotaging the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and the South East region by surreptitiously working for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Ararume, who is laying claim to APC ticket in the just-concluded Okigwe senatorial polls, alleged that the Imo governor had ordered members of the party to work for PDP during the by-election in which the party was eventually declared winner but with no candidate returned.

According to the two time senator, Uzodimma was romancing with the PDP during the by-election which, he said, was evident in the kind of people he had given appointments in his administration.

He said: “Governor Uzodimma did everything to sabotage APC during senatorial by-election, but for my political sagacity, APC would have lost the election.”

Ararume also berated the Imo State governor for making mockery of the November 6 judgment of the Federal High Court, Owerri, which declared him the authentic candidate of APC for the by-election, tagging it as an Ekeonunwa market order.

He said it was unfortunate for a man, who was himself a beneficiary of court judgment, to have denigrated an order of a court of competent jurisdiction, and called on the national leadership of the party to call the governor to order.

Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Print Media, Modestus Nwamkpa, dismissed Ararume’s allegations as a blackmail and cheap lies.

He said APC has been revived in the state with the coming of Governor Uzodimma and in the South East with the recent defection of Ebonyi Governor, Dave Umahi, to the ruling party.

Nwamkpa said but for Governor Uzodimma, the PDP would have won the Okigwe senatorial by-election.

Meanwhile, Imo government, in response, accused Ararume of propagating falsehood against Governor Uzodinma.

Commissioner for information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said contrary to allegations by Ararume, Governor Uzodimma has built roads running into several kilometres.

Ararume had, in an interview, alleged that roads executed by the governor were not up to three metres.

Emelumba said the statement was a blatant falsehood aimed at denigrating the governor and whittling his influence.

He said the governor has completed more than 20 roads in a space of 11 months while several others are ongoing.

The commissioner listed some of the completed roads to include Aladima Ring Road, Ring roads behind Concord Hotel by St Thomas Moore Catholic Church and the dualized Douglas Road.

Others, according to him, are Oparanozie Street, Edede Street and MCC/Relief Road while tens of roads are currently under construction.

Among those under construction, Emelumba said, include Awomama-Okwudor Road, Mgbidi-Oorlu road, Mbonu Ojike Road, Chukwuma Nwoha Road, Assumpta to hospital Road and World Bank to Umuguma Road

The commissioner said the governor only last week flagged off the Owerri-Okigwe Road and the Owerri-Orlu Road which will gulp 55 billion and wondered whether Ararume actually knows what goes on imo State.

He said it was instructive that Uzodimma was executing those roads in addition to discharging other responsibilities to the people of lmo State.

According to him, those resident in lmo appreciate what the governor had achieved in the areas of health, civil service, resuscitation of critical infrastructure and industry, including the empowerment of youths. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Daily Sun)

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