Imo State Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, has rejected an offer by his principal, Governor Rochas Okorocha, to contest for the Imo East senatorial election in 2019 insisting on the governorship position.
Okorocha had endorsed himself for the Imo West senatorial seat in the 2019 general election and endorsed Madumere for the Imo East senatorial seat.
He then reaffirmed his earlier endorsement of his Chief of Staff and son in-law, Chief Uche Nwosu as his successor in 2019.
“If Uche Nwosu will be home for governor, I will tell the deputy governor to go to Senate. I told you earlier that my interest is the presidency but since President Buhari will be running in 2019, I decided to put my ambition on hold until he completes his tenure,” Okorocha stated during the inauguration of members of Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC) at Government House Owerri last Monday.
“But I have decided to run for the Imo West Senatorial zones because if I don’t, bad people will take the position. If my name appears on the ballot paper as contesting for Senate, it will boost APC chances in the State. And many from my Senatorial zone have come to me and said they will not contest if I am interested.”
But Madumere who is from Owerri zone which has not produced a governor since the return to democracy in 1999, insisted that he has made up his mind to contest for the office of the governor in 2019.
The Deputy Governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Uche Onwuchekwa, vowed that there is no going back on the decision, adding that the ambition is not just about him, but the entire Owerri zone that has been sidelined and marginalized.
Describing the Okorocha’s offer as an act of betrayal, Madumere stated that he has chosen his path towards realizing “God’s given vision to better the lot of Imolites”, adding that his fate “is in no man’s hands.
“if Jesus Christ could be ill-treated by those he called his friends and was later betrayed by Judas, how much more a mere mortal like me” adding that he has been “molested, betrayed and insulted” by those he nurtured to “become relevant in life.”
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