The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, told delegates of the Renewed Hope National Media Tour in his state that Imo State is now, unofficially, a one-party state.
The governor’s assertions follow a stronghold of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state across several years, starting from when he assumed office in 2019. He added that the APC’s stronghold in the state is a perfect launch pad for Tinubu’s administration’s quest to retain power in 2027.
“Our people have already decided that they want President Tinubu back as the president because without him and his policies and programmes, this environment we are enjoying today would have been very impossible to achieve.”
“So, you are at home, and that is the name now that opens doors in Imo State. Discuss with us and also move from here to other states because I am almost certain that many governors of the APC in Nigeria are working so hard, deploying the additional revenue that has accrued.” Uzodimma said.
He added that he is a firm believer in Tinubu’s policies, as he is a direct beneficiary of the fuel subsidy removal policy, which boosted Imo State’s FAAC allocations. The imo governor seized the opportunity to highlight some of his achievements so far since resuming office, without failing to point out how Tinubu’s policies have given him an edge in his governorship activities.
“I met an IGR of less than N400 million in 2020; my IGR is very close to N6 billion a month now. In 2020, our debt profile was N287 billion; today, as I speak to you, we are less than N90 billion. So, day by day we are reducing the debt profile,” he said.
“The state has become very solvent. In 2020, movement from one end of Imo State to another took an average of two to three hours,” Uzodimma added.
The Rise of APC in Imo State and Uzodimma’s role
The APC is not a new party in Imo State and definitely did not start with Uzodimma. The former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, governed Imo State in his second tenure under the APC. However, Governor Hope Uzodimma’s candidacy not only solidified the party’s stranglehold on Imo’s political base but also helped spread the party’s influence across other states in the southeast region.
Governor Uzodimma came to power on the back of a controversial court judgement, which overturned the victory of the People’s Democratic Party’s Emeka Ihedioha. Upon coming to power, Uzodimma consolidated power, running a very smooth and cordial relationship with the APC at the centre.
In four years’ time, Uzodimma coasted to victory in a landslide election, garnering 540,308 votes and winning all 27 Local Government Areas in the state. In his second tenure, he built a strong relationship with the President Tinubu administration, inviting the president to his state twice.
Under Uzodimma, who later became the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, the APC took Ebonyi and Enugu States, taking its tally in the region to 3.
Weak Opposition aggravated by the death of the PDP
The PDP in Imo has become largely hollowed out following effective consolidation of power by the APC. Mass defections continue steadily; over 1,320 PDP members crossed to the APC in March 2026 alone.
This follows similar waves in 2023 after Uzodimma’s landslide victory. The PDP still issues sharp rhetorical attacks, claiming Uzodimma cannot win a single polling unit in a genuinely free and fair election, but this bluster hasn’t translated into electoral structure, funding, or grassroots mobilization capable of mounting a real challenge.
