2023 Presidential Candidate Selection Will Be By Party Not By Tribe — Governor Uzodinma

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state has said the emergence of presidential candidates in 2023 will be by party allegiance and not by tribe. 

Responding to questions from State House correspondents after a meeting with President Buhari on Tuesday September 1, the Imo state Governor stated that anyone can contest for the presidential ticket on the APC platform as the party does not recognise zoning despite agitation in the South-East zone to produce the president in 2023.

Uzodinma said;

 “You know that the position is not vacant now, there is a sitting President and we are practising partisan democracy and not tribal democracy.

“So, the emergence of presidential candidate will come on a party by party basis, not a tribe by tribe basis.

“But if there are other internal factors that will form part of the considerations for parties taking decision, of course, that will be entirely the job of the leadership of those political parties and I think that is the right thing to do.”

On his current relationship with former governor Rochas Okorocha, Uzodinma said;

 “On the issue of Okorocha, the former governor is my brother, my very good brother in whom I am well pleased.

“I have no issue with him, the only thing is that he is now the former governor and I am now the current governor.

“Once we understand that, we don’t have any issue.”