Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has dissociated himself from a report circulating on social media where his person has directly or indirectly been linked to the success or otherwise of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, the candidate of the Accord Party in the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
Uzodimma said he neither authorised one Ambrose Nwogwugwu nor anyone for that matter to respond to a comment, during a media briefing, where the nephew of the Osun State Governor, David Adeleke (Davido), reportedly made a plea to the Governor of Imo State regarding the forth coming election.
At the said briefing, Davido had said as an Imo State son in-law, he holds the Governor in high esteem, hence had appealed to him to use his position as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Chairman of the APC Osun State Governorship Campaign Council to seek
for peace during the election.
Oguwike Nwachuku, Chief Press Secretary to Governor said that one Nwogwugwu had personally described Davido’s plea to the Governor as “emotional blackmail,” and had advised him to channel his appeal to the Osun electorate who are expected to cast their ballot for or against his uncle.
Uzodimma said Davido remains his son and assured him that his coming to Osun for the exercise is solely because he is a committed member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and not one of the voters in the State’s governorship election on Saturday next week or at any other time.
He maintained that the APC has always canvassed for peaceful, credible, free and fair democratic contests, and in the case of the forth coming Osun election, will not fail to appeal to the conscience of the Osun electorate to support and vote for the Party’s candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, an act he said is not undemocratic.
However, the Governor assured Davido that his respect for him and the people of Osun State is not negotiable, reiterating that his coming to the State is solely to monitor the election for his Party, seek support of Osun electorate to vote for APC’s candidate.
He maintained that it is not new in a democracy in general, and in Nigeria in particular, for Party leaders and members to join their candidates and seek support for them during elections like the one taking place in Osun next week, not as electorate from the same area who are expected to cast their ballot in the process.
Uzodimma urged Davido, Osun State people and the public to disregard whatever personal opinion Nwogwugwu must have canvassed as neither representative of his nor the position of the Campaign Council which he heads.
He said it became necessary to put the records straight to guard against the activities of some mischief makers who are already misinterpreting Nwogwugwu’s personal opinion.
