George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo has expressed concern that Governor Rochas Okorocha’s desperate bid to ensure his son-in-law becomes his successor may plunge the state into violence.
The party alleged that all governor Okorocha ever cared about is his selfish political interest, his family and never that of the people of the state or the party and President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election.
They further alleged that Okorocha’s desperation is hinged on his 2023 presidential ambition; and with his son-in-law as the governor, it would give him an unfettered access to the state resources, with which to prosecute his presidential ambition.
Governor Okorocha had alleged that his suspension by the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, was because of his presidential ambition for 2023.
The state Caretaker Chairman, Prince Marcellinus Nlemigbo, yesterday, commended the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC for suspending the governor, adding that the women who were hired by the governor to protest the suspension in Owerri were members of the Action Alliance and not APC.
He said: “The problem with governor Okorocha is that he is playing god. He has been using the name of the president to commit havoc, boasting that he controls the president and the Imo State Commissioner of Police.
“He was shocked when he was suspended by the party, and it was even more laughable when he claimed that the president is not aware of his suspension, and we wonder whether Okorocha thinks our dear president is a member of the AA.”
Prince Nlemigbo said Okorocha’s excuse that his suspension by the Oshiomhole-led NWC is to scuttle his presidential ambition in 2023 is laughable.
“You can see his flimsy excuse that Oshiomhole, the national chairman of our party, suspended him due to 2023 presidential ambition.
“This is a governor who cannot even win an election in his own senatorial district, despite he is a sitting governor; and, today, he is involved in a very controversial exercise, due to the way and manner he was declared winner.
“Yet, he is talking about 2023 presidency, just to seek attention when President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to commence his second term.
“We are not surprised that everything about Okorocha is his ambition, that is why he wants his entire family to govern Imo State. He should be ashamed of himself because he has so reduced the office of a governor to that of a sycophant, always seeking attention.
“We‘ve said it loudly that Okorocha is planning to use thugs and security agents to force the Returning Officer to announce his son in-law, Uche Nwosu, winner of Imo governorship election, the same way and manner he declared himself winner in the senate election. But, Imo people will resist it, and I pray Okorocha’s inordinate ambition does not plunge the state into bloodshed,” he warned.
Meanwhile, the APC governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has said the plan by governor Okorocha to seek his disqualification from contesting Saturday’s election will fail.
In a statement, in Owerri, yesterday, by the Director of Media and Special Duties of Uzodinma’s campaign organisation, Declan Mbadiwe Emelumba, Uzodinma claimed that his organisation is aware that Okorocha is behind the court case, but assured that the plan will fail.
Uzodinma alleged that Okorocha is suffering from an acute mental dehydration, resulting from the phobia of losing power, as a result of which he has become uncontrollably desperate.
“Even when he knows a state high court has no jurisdiction over national election matters, he has gone ahead to file a baseless case on frivolous issues trumped up by him in the first place. He is boasting that he has already secured judgment, but, all those are futile because there is no case against me,” Uzodinma said.
He advised Okorocha not to do anything that would fulfil his own promise of spilling his own blood to make his son-in-law, Uche Nwaosu, succeed him.
“The way Okorocha is going, it’s clear that he really meant it when he said he was ready to spill his own blood to make his son-in-law governor, but, my advice to him is to read the mood of Imo people and he can see that even spilling his blood will not help his rabbit ambition of building a political dynasty in the state.”