2027: I’m Not Working For Uzodimma, PDP Reps Candidate Okechukwu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Orlu/Orsu/Oru-East federal constituency, Hon. Chieme Kennedy Okechukwu, has dismissed the insinuations that he was working for the candidature of the governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodimma, describing it as unfounded and misleading.

This is even as he reaffirmed his commitment to the success of the PDP, stressing that his grassroots mobilisation efforts were intended to strengthen the party and improve its chances of defeating the incumbent in the National Assembly election in 2027.

Uzodimma is contesting for the Imo West Senatorial District seat under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement issued by his campaign office on Monday, Hon. Okechukwu denied ever meeting or communicating with the Imo state governor.

“I have never met Chief Hope Uzodimma, nor have I ever communicated with him, either formally or informally. Any claim suggesting that I am working for him is unfounded and misleading,” he stated.

The House of Representatives’ candidate maintained that building a broad-based coalition should not be misconstrued as disloyalty to the PDP, but rather understood as a deliberate strategy to expand the party’s reach and attract support from across political affiliations.

He emphasised that electoral victory requires more than meetings, hospitality, and social gatherings but demands clear objectives, strategic planning, effective coordination, and sustained engagement with voters at the grassroots.

Okechukwu urged party leaders and representatives across the three Local Government Areas in Orlu/Orsu/Oru-East federal constituency to prioritise grassroots mobilisation and present a practical strategy outlining campaign objectives, responsibilities, voter engagement, coordination and a realistic pathway to victory.

“Focusing on the grassroots is key. The people at the grassroots are the foundation of electoral victory. They are the people whose support we must earn through direct engagement, effective mobilisation, and a credible campaign structure. This is precisely what my team has been working to establish across the constituency.

“My commitment to the PDP must be matched by responsibility, strategic thinking, and measurable action from all parties involved. My campaign team had taken the initiative to build a broad-based political structure that extends beyond the PDP to incorporate people from different political affiliations.

“Contesting against an incumbent requires a broader coalition rather than relying exclusively on the traditional membership of one political party, hence the need to adopt an inclusive, organised, and people-centred approach to grassroots mobilisation,” Okechukwu said.

The federal lawmaker hopeful said his campaign had established a substantial grassroots presence across the constituency, with over 20,000 Polling Unit Coordinators across Orlu, Orsu and Oru-East local government areas.

“In addition to that, six campaign structures had already been established across the constituency: three in Orlu, two in Oru-East, and one in Orsu, with efforts ongoing to establish additional structures

“These are tangible efforts towards building a formidable grassroots campaign. “Although our structure cuts across different political affiliations, our objective is to use it to promote the PDP and strengthen its electoral prospects.

“When we engage the people, we encourage them to support the PDP, not merely to vote for me as an individual. The structure could also provide significant support for the PDP’s senatorial candidate by strengthening the party’s presence and mobilization capacity across the constituency.

“There is the need to move beyond repeated meetings and concentrate on a coordinated plan capable of translating grassroots mobilisation into electoral success.

“Our collective goal should be to win this election, and every effort must be directed towards achieving that objective, not undermining it.

“We must replace distractions with strategy, sentiments with action, and repeated meetings with measurable progress towards victory,” Okechukwu added.