From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Leaders and stakeholders from Orlu under the aegis of Orlu Political Consultative Assembly (OPOCA) have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Senator Rochas Okorocha to apologise to Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma and the people of Imo or face a recall from the Senate.
OPOCA National President Rex Anunobi, addressing a press conference in Owerri on Tuesday, said that the apology has become necessary following what he described as the shame Okorocha has ‘brought to the state’ by his forceful breach of property recovered and sealed by the Imo State Government.
Anunobi, who stated that the decision was jointly reached by all stakeholders in Orlu, including traditional rulers after an extraordinary emergency meeting, added: ‘We are using this medium to give the former governor and senator representing Imo West, Okorocha, 48 hours from today to apologise to Governor Hope Uzodinma and Imo people for the shame his recent but uncivilised action has brought to the state.
‘If after 48 hours Okorocha fails to apologise to our governor and Imo people,’ Anunobi continued, ‘OPOCA will be left with no option but to initiate a recall process that will aim at exiting Rochas Okorocha from the Senate of the Federal Republic of of Nigeria.’
The group, which bragged about thwarting the long reign of maverick politician Arthur Nzeribe, also from the zone, said that it will stop at nothing to repeat the action with Okorocha should the senator fail to heed the demands of OPOCA in 48 hours.
‘We are the strong voice of Orlu, everybody knows us, he should not dare us, we did similar thing to Arthur Nzeribe during Achike Udenwa’s tenure that paved way for Osita Izunaso.
‘You may also recall that when Okorocha’s second term almost crashed in 2015, it was OPOCA under “Orlu for Orlu” that intervened by mobilising and appealing to our sons and daughters to support him irrespective of the dangerous but anti-democratic symptoms he crazily displayed during his first tenure.
‘It is also worthy to mention at this juncture that when Okorocha came crying profusely to OPOCA upon receiving danger, like OZOPOLF and Okigwe Mandate Union who had earlier and fiercely opposed his second term bid before Okigwe and Owerri was finally and fully mobilised in his support.
‘Please note that the political intervention of OPOCA as at that time was considered not necessary to save Okorocha as a person from a looming defeat but to protect the collective and overriding interest of Orlu zone,’ Anunobi stated.