The Chief Political Adviser to the Governor of Imo State and Head of Political Bureau, Chief Perry Opara, has defended Governor Hope Uzodimma against criticism from the Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the outcome of the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election.
The PDP had criticised Governor Uzodimma over the defeat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, where he served as Chairman of the party’s National Campaign Council. The party argued that the outcome should compel the Governor to concentrate on Imo State governance rather than his national political engagements. The APC had indeed appointed Uzodimma to lead the campaign council for the Osun election, alongside other senior party leaders.
However, reacting to the criticism, Chief Opara said the PDP had misunderstood the significance of the Osun election and Governor Uzodimma’s role in the process.
According to him, the outcome of the election should rather be viewed as evidence that Governor Uzodimma respects democracy and understands that the ultimate power in an election belongs to the people.
Opara maintained that the Governor accepted the outcome of the election as the decision of the electorate, stressing that a true democrat must be willing to respect the choice of voters even when the outcome does not favour his political party.
"The outcome of Osun election has demonstrated one important quality of Governor Hope Uzodimma, and that is his respect for democracy and the will of the people. Democracy is not about winning every election. Democracy is about allowing the people to make their choice and respecting that choice," Opara stated.
He argued that Governor Uzodimma's participation in the Osun election was not an abandonment of his responsibilities in Imo State, but part of the wider responsibilities that come with his position within the APC and the Progressive Governors' Forum.
He noted that the APC had formally entrusted Uzodimma with the responsibility of leading its National Campaign Council for the Osun governorship election, making his involvement a party responsibility rather than a personal political excursion.
Opara further described the PDP's attempt to portray the election outcome as a personal defeat for Governor Uzodimma as an unnecessary politicisation of an electoral process.
He stressed that elections are contests in which candidates and political parties must be prepared to accept victory or defeat, adding that the strength of democracy lies in the ability of political actors to accept the decision of the electorate.
The Chief Political Adviser said Governor Uzodimma's political engagements beyond Imo State should also be viewed in the context of his responsibilities as a national political leader, particularly as Chairman of the Progressive Governors' Forum.
"Governor Uzodimma cannot be reduced to the Governor of Imo State alone. He has responsibilities within the political structure of the country. When his party calls upon him to provide leadership in another state, he has a responsibility to contribute. That does not mean that he has abandoned Imo State," Opara said.
He added that the Governor's involvement in national politics has also provided Imo State with a stronger voice and greater visibility within the national political space.
Opara urged members of the opposition to distinguish between legitimate criticism and political attacks, saying that constructive opposition remains essential to democracy, but should not be based on the assumption that participation in national political assignments amounts to neglect of governance at home.
He further congratulated the people of Osun State for exercising their constitutional right to choose their governor, noting that the decision of the electorate must remain supreme in every democratic society.
The APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, polled 440,330 votes, while incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, who contested under the Accord platform, won with 520,885 votes and was declared by INEC as the winner of the election.
Opara maintained that the lesson from Osun should therefore be one of democratic maturity rather than political bitterness.
He said Governor Uzodimma's response to the outcome would further demonstrate that political leadership is not simply about winning elections, but also about respecting institutions, voters and the democratic process.
"Governor Uzodimma has always believed in the people. When the people speak, a democrat listens. That is the beauty of democracy, and that is exactly what has happened in Osun," he said.
He also dismissed comparisons between the Osun outcome and previous elections in which Uzodimma had played national campaign roles, insisting that every election has its own dynamics, candidates, issues and electorate.
Opara called on the PDP and other opposition parties in Imo State to focus on presenting alternative ideas and programmes to the people rather than attempting to turn every national political assignment undertaken by the Governor into an issue of governance.
He concluded by reaffirming Governor Uzodimma's commitment to the development of Imo State, while stressing that his participation in national political activities should be understood as part of his broader responsibility to contribute to the strengthening of democracy and the political development of Nigeria.
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