Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has urged the governorship candidates of various political parties to honourably resign from the race, if they are afraid of him, instead of ‘disparaging his good name’.
Okorocha accused the governorship candidates, including Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ifeanyi Araraume of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Emeka Ihedioha of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Ikedi Ohakim of the Accord Party, of “cheap blackmail.”
The governor made the accusation in a press statement he issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo.
He said: “It has become increasingly necessary to ask or advice some governorship candidates in the state, especially Ihedioha, Uzodinma, Araraume and Ohakim, who have seen defeat staring them in their faces, to honourably withdraw from the gubernatorial race, instead of resorting to cheap blackmail and petty lies against governor Okorocha.
“We ‘ve read the press release by the campaign outfit of Chief Ihedioha of the PDP, concerning the reported death of a young man in Oguta, said to have been killed in cult-related clash. And you begin to wonder what connection the death of the young man has to do with the rally of the APC senatorial candidate for Orlu Zone, Governor Okorocha, in Oguta, at the weekend.
“The PDP in the state and its governorship candidate, Chief Ihedioha, and few other governorship candidates have seen they would lose their deposits in the election in the state, and have taken to blackmail.”
Citing instances where his name was smeared, governor Okorocha said: “A week ago, when the house of the candidate of APGA for the House of Representatives for Oguta/Ohaji-Egbema/Oru-West Constituency, Dr. Henry Okafor, also from Oguta, was demolished by security agents, following the judgement of the Supreme Court on the land he built the house, he, in the company of the APGA governorship candidate, Chief Araraume, told the world that it was governor Okorocha and a staunch member of the Rescue Mission family, Kingsley Uju, that demolished the house.
“It took the Supreme Court judgement to be published by the other parties in the case, for the truth to be unveiled. And he has not deemed it necessary to apologise for the false information he gave to the public.”
Further explaining on instances where his name was maligned, he said: “Uzodinma, few days ago said the governor is owing banks N400 billion.”