Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said that he would not allow Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume, one of the governorship aspirants of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, and other members in Coalition to provoke him with what he described as their ‘disturbing and insulting activities’.

This was coming amidst the confusion surrounding the ward and Local Government congresses of the party.

In the midst of his opponents alleged insults, Governor Okorocha has promised to continue to exercise high level of tolerance just as he said he has been tolerating since 2011 when he became governor.

Governor Okorocha, in a press statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary , Sam Onwuemeodo said, ” We have read report about the protest in Abuja by the personal rag-tag aides of the make-ups of the so-called Coalition, and they called them Imo Youths. We have also read another publication equally by a motley group answering Imo Stakeholders, talking about Vote of no Confidence. Those in the sick Coalition are also those who constitute the stakeholders.

He continued, “Nigerians should ask these elements why all their activities take place in Abuja. They took the stolen materials for the Congresses to Hotels in Abuja and were filling them there, until the Police came and arrested four of their aides.

“The reported protest by their aides in Abuja and all they have been doing are in Abuja. The truth is that they cannot come into Imo State and do such things. Imo people do not know what they are doing.

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“We should not also forget that in 2011, Chief Ifeanyi Araraume was the governorship Candidate of ACN, while Chief Ikedi Ohakim, the incumbent then, was the Candidate of PDP, but Rochas Okorocha took APGA’s ticket and defeated them. Araraume came fourth and lost in his Isiala Mbano local government.

“We are talking about Rochas Okorocha who abandoned APGA said to be Igbo Party in 2014 and joined the merger that gave birth to APC at the risk of his second tenure, with all the Federal Ministers like, Pro.f Viola Onwuliri, Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives and all the Federal Apparatuses working for the PDP Candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha in 2015, yet Rochas Okorocha defeated them through the ballot box.

“And the achievements of Owelle Okorocha in the State as governor have exceeded the achievements of  all those who had governed the state since its creation in 1976, put together. So, in 2019 achievements will count a lot and noise making won’t count” Governor Okorocha stated.

The governor also maintained that he would not be perturbed by the crisis in the party  just as he insisted that he would “finish strong” and produce a successor.

He continued, “For the sake of emphasis, I am  going to finish very strong and by the grace of God and with the votes of Imo people, i will  see to the election of a worthy successor of my choice.

“I have more than one thousand verifiable projects to my  credit. All these noise makers with some of them having multi-billion naira stores, courtesy of the money meant for their constituency projects when they were at the National Assembly, won’t fly in 2019.

“Imo is calm. These folks make a lot of noise in Abuja and sneak into Imo to avoid the wrath of the people. By 2019, the picture will become clearer for Nigerians to appreciate the magnitude of the love of Imo people for Rochas, who has reduced the poverty level in the state from 57% in 2011 to 19% in 2017,” Governor Okorocha said.