Imo PDP’s only National Assembly member, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, has issued a stern warning to the party, declaring that the entire structure of the People’s Democratic Party in Imo State risks total collapse should he decide to walk away. The fiery lawmaker made the statement during a press briefing in Owerri on Thursday, August 8, 2025, expressing discontent with the treatment meted out to him by elements within the party, particularly those loyal to embattled National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
Ugochinyere, who currently represents Ideato North/South Federal Constituency and recently won an Appeal Court victory affirming his election and nullifying his earlier disqualification, said he has become the backbone of the PDP in Imo. “I have a structure that exists in every family in Ideato. I won my election while in exile. If I move, PDP collapses. That’s not a threat, it’s the reality,” he declared, warning that his patience was wearing thin.
He lambasted Senator Sam Anyanwu over the PDP’s disastrous outing in the 2023 Imo governorship election, describing it as “the worst in the party’s history.” According to him, Anyanwu’s ambition has done more harm than good, fracturing the PDP’s internal cohesion and alienating credible candidates and stakeholders. “Have we been treated fairly? No. Will we continue to take it? No,” Ugochinyere thundered.
On the heels of growing tension in Ideato, the lawmaker also addressed the horrifying massacre in Arondizuogu where about 26 people were killed. He faulted the state government’s lethargy in response and criticized Governor Hope Uzodimma for failing to visit the grieving communities or provide relief. “The first duty of government is the protection of lives. Our people are being slaughtered and the governor is silent,” he said.
To support the affected families, Ugochinyere revealed that he had donated ₦5 million and was rallying private donors to join the relief efforts. He also called for the immediate empowerment of local vigilante groups, insisting that community policing and grassroots surveillance could curb the escalating insecurity across Imo’s rural areas. “Security must not be politicized. The state must act now,” he urged.
Beyond security, the lawmaker raised concerns about severe gully erosion ravaging Ideato North and South. He named Urualla, Umueshi, Amanato, Osina, and Umuobom as among the most threatened communities, noting that the World Bank had withdrawn its intervention projects. He called for urgent federal and state attention to prevent the complete displacement of thousands of families and destruction of ancestral lands.
Ugochinyere’s remarks come amidst renewed PDP infighting over the leadership of Sam Anyanwu, whom party organs including NEC recently re-affirmed as National Secretary. As pressure mounts internally and externally, Ugochinyere’s potential defection could trigger a domino effect, altering the political landscape of Imo State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
