Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha's re-election bid Thursday received a significant boost with the dumping of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by political leaders in the state and his endorsement by major political groups from the three senatorial zones of the state. The influential political groups from Orlu, Okgwe and Owerri zones, known as the Coalition of Imo Mainstream Politicians for Good Goverce, are made up of the Orlu Political Consultative Assembly (OPOCA), Owerri Zone Mandate Group and the Okigwe Political Leaders Congress. The Coalition during a press conference in Owerri, the Imo State capital, stated that it decided to dump the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a result of the Governor’s sterling performance and the irredeemable corruption in the PDP. In a statement jointly signed by the Coordinator of the Coalition of Imo Mainstream Politicians for Good Goverce, Chief Rex Anunobi, also known as Sokom, the National President of OPOCA, Dr. Samfo Nwankwo and the President General, Owerri Zone Mandate, Dr. Vitalis Ajumbe and the President Okigwe Political Leaders Forum, Dr. Kelechi Okpaleke, the group maintained that "the APC is the only hope for a truly democratic and corruption free Nigeria". The political leaders further disclosed that they were inspired to join the APC because of the unprecedented achievements recorded by the Okorocha’s administration within a short time in office, adding that "the Governor had dazed his critics by the successful implementation of the free education programme, the construction of 27 new general hospitals across the 27 Local Government Areas of the State, the construction of 15 kilometer rural roads in all the LGAs". They added that the APC led administration in the state, unlike previous administrations, has spread development to all the nook and crannies of the state, especially the rural areas that were hitherto abandoned. They also dismissed other political parties in the governorship race, stating that the status of their governorship candidates is not yet clear as they are still locked in legal battle, "the PDP and APGA are yet to have valid governorship candidates as they are still in court". The Coalition, further accused the PDP of planning to continue its "share the money syndrome" alleging that the governorship candidate of the party has promised aspirants who lost the governorship primaries a N35 billion refund when he gets to power. They promised to mobilize Imo people from the three zones to vote Governor Okorocha "because he has done Imo State proud with his performance. Imo people need the best. Imo people deserve the best and the best is Governor Okorocha".
