The PDP candidate for Imo State House of Assembly, Onuimo state constituency, Mr Okwudiri Ukwuaku has denied being in support of Hon Obinna Onwubuariri, PDP candidate for Okigwe North federal constituency. He made this known while reacting to the concerns raised in some quarters in Onuimo LGA, regarding the visit made by Candidates of the PDP to Onuimo, wherein he was seen raising the hands of Hon Obinna Onwubuariri, the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Okigwe North federal constituency.

In some concerns earlier raised, notable Onuimolites took to the social media to express disgust at Mr Okwudiri Ukwuaku, raising the hands of Hon Obinna Onwubuariri, whom apart from his perceived abysmal performance when he was in the green chamber for five years, majority of Onuimolites believe he hijacked the House of Reps ticket meant for aspirants of Onuimo LGA extraction, against the assurance of zoning formula in Okigwe North by the PDP leadership.The Onuimolites, who did not only express shock, at the effrontery of Obinna Onwubuariri, coming to Onuimo to say “thank you” and Mr Ukwuaku raising his hands in acceptance, also vowed to reject all PDP candidates at the polls in Onuimo, next year.

But in a swift reaction, the Onuimo PDP state house of Assembly Candidate, Mr Okwudiri Ukwuaku has disassociated himself from the claims that he was in support of Obinna Onwubuariri’s ambition, whose candidacy reminds of Onuimolites of the huge fortunes their sons and daughters spent in PDP, just to secure the Reps ticket but without success. In a statement made available by the Okwudiri Ukwuaku media center, on Saturday 27th August 2022, the state of assembly Candidate stated that, “His hands being raised by Obinna Onwubuariri or the hands of Obinna Onwubuariri’s hands being raised by him does not necessarily translate into supports”

Okwudiri Ukwuaku went ahead to say that, “the choice of who represents Okigwe North federal constituency in 2023 solely lies within the people”. A statement which clearly implies that Hon Obinna Onwubuariri will have no iota of support from him and his campaign structure in Onuimo, in his ambition to represent Okigwe North federal constituency again, in 2023. In the same press statement, the PDP candidate went further to plead that, the people focus more on his own campaign promises and agenda for Onuimo, rather than associating him with Hon Obinna Onwubuariri.

Meanwhile, a top stakeholder of the PDP in Onuimo and a former legislative aide to Hon Obinna Onwubuariri, when contacted, frowned at the press statement from Mr Ukwuaku and what he tagged as “hasty rejection” of Obinna Onwubuariri by Mr Okwudiri Ukwuaku. He described the statement as unfortunate, saying that Okwudiri Ukwuaku should understand that party is supreme and that all candidates of the party at all levels ought to be proud of their various candidacies.

In his words, “It’s now obvious that Okwudiri Ukwuaku is a greenhorn in the system, if truly that statement that I read on Whatsapp came from his campaign team, which I still doubt. But if truly he sanctioned it, then it’s most unfortunate.He should know that national assembly elections comes up before his own election and if Obinna Onwubuariri fails to make it, then he should forget about his own election in Onuimo because he won’t make it too. Party is supreme, you don’t listen to what people say, you work for me, so that I can work for you. Is he trying to say that he will now support SDP by professing friendship with Obolobo or what? How about how he emerged as PDP for house of assembly? That’s totally unacceptable, primaries have come and gone we should move on”

A former woman leader of PDP in Okigwe LGA, Lolo Comfort Ojiridike, whose opinion was sort after, said that, Mr Okwudiri Ukwuaku’s denial of Obinna Onwubuariri shows that he and his supporters are not proud of the ex federal lawmaker’s Candidacy. Maybe, in a bid to please their Onuimo PDP brethren who lost out at the House of Representatives primaries. Which is very bad of an opposition party, seeking to wrestle power from the ruling party at all levels. And according to her, such might attract sanctions from the internal organs of the party.

But on the other hand, some people from Onuimo said that, Mr Okwudiri Ukwuaku did the right thing by rejecting Obinna Onwubuariri and distancing himself from him, because there’s no single way to project the former lawmaker before the people, noting that he is a hard sell before the electorates.

When contacted, Prince Udochukwu Achuba, a member of Hon Obinna Onwubuariri’s media team, from Isiala Mbano, declined commenting on the matter. Perhaps, his own way of expressing his and that of his principal’s levels of disappointment towards the Onuimo PDP candidate.