By Damian Duruiheoma
Owerri
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has urged Presi­dent Muhammadu Buhari and the National Working Commit­tee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) headed by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole not to give Senator Hope Uzodinma the party gover­norship ticket for the state, saying that the senator would leave the party in 2019 if the president loses the general election.

Instead the governor wants the NWC to submit the name of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, as the Imo APC guber candidate for the state.

Okorocha told journalists in Ow­erri on weekend that almost every politician who joined the APC in the last two months would leave the party the next day if Buhari loses the 2019 election, describing them as political opportunists.
He said, “90 per cent of those who have joined APC in the last two months are doing so not because they love APC, they can never go to an election without federal might and per adventure President Bu­hari loses this election, the next day they will leave the party.

“So, this set of people are simply called ‘political opportunists’ who are not with the people, but always want to grab victory through the use of gun. But I think this has to stop, why should our party promote this and I warn they should stop this”.
Okorocha, who insisted that handing the ticket to another per­son in Imo state other than Nwosu would amount to injustice, said: “We elected Oshiomhole because we felt that he is a man of integrity and we are only asking him to uphold that integrity for which we have priced him.

“He must live that image which he has cut for himself as Oshiom­hole prior to his being elected as the national chairman, anything short of that will reduce his value com­pletely in this country, he should do the right thing and be simple.”

“I think people are trying to change the narratives, some people are trying to upturn the truth they want to cover the truth by leaving the main to discuss frivolities. The truth remains that a certain Ahmed Gulak with a sinister mission came here and disappeared with result sheet by 4:00am on the day of the proposed election.

“The NWC of our party disband­ed that committee, despite the fact that eight members of the commit­tee, including the secretary, stayed back and conducted the election and declared Uche Nwosu winner. Despite the fact that Uche Nwosu won the election, the National Working Committee disbanded that Committee and called for fresh election.
“This fact is known to everybody and the second election which they came to conduct on October 6. The same Uche Nwosu won. Now how could the man who is supposed to be facing charges of criminal con­spiracy turn around and say that the election he disappeared with result sheet is genuine.

“It makes a mockery of this country but one fact remains that President Muhammadu Buhari is known for justice and fairness. That is the image he has and let no one or the party destroy this image which has given us victory and that is why we are here today as APC members.
“So, it is not a question of who is a good or bad loser, the issue is that people are trying to change the narrative to cover the truth, it is di­versionary as far as I am concerned.

“How could you, for God’s sake, somebody won in the first election, the results are clear and signed by the members of the Committee.

“Same person won the second election signed by all the members, even when you cancelled the first election and then you have the Police and INEC reports confirming the election and you have a letter from the NWC disbanding that Gu­lak Committee and you also have a letter from the NWC confirming that Uche Nwosu is the candidate of the party and again you have forms given to him from INEC for his name to be submitted.

“I don’t understand what is happening but I think this issue of semantics and sentiments being poured cannot cover the truth. The truth is that APC holds it as a point of duty and honour to declare win­ners of election and anything short of that will not go down well with the people and the history of APC in Nigeria and I beg to disagree with those who try to change the issue from what it is.

“I mean what can you say to the whole world that Gulak didn’t disappear with result sheets or that election was not cancelled or that Uche Nwosu did not win I don’t just understand what is happening.
“So, people are trying to change the truth but that is not going to work. APC must remain APC and our party’s NWC holds it as a point of duty to defend the integrity for which APC is known, anything short of that will amount to self destruction of the party”.

On the alleged plot against the national chairman, he said, “talking about Oshiomohle’s removal is not an issue. It is not important. We elected Oshiomhole because we felt that he is a man of integrity and we are only asking him to uphold that integrity for which we have priced him.

“He must guard that image which he has cut for himself as Oshiomhole prior to his being elected as the national chairman. Anything short of that will reduce his value completely in this country. He should do the right thing and be simple. I mean we are democrats and this is our party.

“This is APC and the right thing must be done so when people try to change the narrative and to say governors are bad losers, the gover­nors want to impose people, excuse me, democracy is about the people.
“If the people have spoken, who are you to change what the people have said.

“Buhari is a President today because the people spoke and if Buhari can be a President because people spoke, then the party must respect that and allow the voice of the people to prevail in whatever election and avoid sentiments.
“The campaign they try to put forward is that Uche Nwosu can’t go because he is Okorocha’s son-in-law and I say to them, has Uche Nwosu gone contrary to any section of the Nigerian constitution? Nobody has been able to give an answer to that.

“Nobody has come forward to say that the young man is a criminal or that he is corrupt or does not have capacity. It is not enough to sit back in Abuja and be talking. They should come to the state to under­stand the feelings of the people down home.

“That’s the point am making so my advice to our party, is that our party should sit up and do the right thing and not allow the people get misled.

“And if you are talking about morals, what is the morality in somebody that joined the party in less than two weeks to be given the number one job by Abuja and not the people, how is he going to win.

“So, I want to advice those behind this to stop forthwith and it is a directive that they should stop forthwith so that this party can enjoy that name that it is known for as a party of justice, equity and fairness if not there is no difference between this party and any other party in Nigeria.

On the likelihood of leaving the party, the governor noted that, the option of leaving the party has not come to his mind.

“APC is my party in 2011 when this party was called Boko Haram and Islamisation party. Where were these people? Nobody gave us a chance that APC was going to win the 2015 election.

“So, what makes you think that we are going to leave the party for those that came through the back door and are being given a voice by the national chairman of our party.

“All you hear is rumour. Every­where that they are backed by the Presidency that Rochas should take one position and leave the other one as if we are sharing ground­nut, but I tell them I have met the president and he told me he never said to anybody to impose a wrong candidate or to remove the name of anybody and change it with anoth­er in whatever guise.
“I think they want to make Mr. President a liar. So, what they are doing is wrong and unacceptable so they should stop”.

yerokunphilips:
Truth be told ,animals are better than 99% of Nigerian politician . This people are wicked ,heartless ,selfish ,greedy and thieves . They neither have the interest of the people nor that of the party .Can you imagine IMO state governor after spending 8years as the governor want his son in law to succeed him , his son in law to be again as the deputy governor ,so his family will be first and second lady in the state ,he himself want to be senator and imposed other two others as senators too .IMO have never have a governor like this before .So everybody in IMO state should serve your family forever .So this man is saying only his family is fit enough to gover the state other are not . Amosun want to also installed a successor and same time become a senator . All of them just want to put their states in their pocket . Am not a supporter of APC chairman ,but on this issue he has done the right thing .Nobody will succeed in turning our county to their personal /family business .

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has urged Presi­dent Muhammadu Buhari and the National Working Commit­tee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) headed by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole not to give Senator Hope Uzodinma the party gover­norship ticket for the state, saying that the senator would leave the party in 2019 if the president loses the general election.Instead the governor wants the NWC to submit the name of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, as the Imo APC guber candidate for the state.

The campaign they try to put forward is that Uche Nwosu can’t go because he is Okorocha’s son-in-law and I say to them, has Uche Nwosu gone contrary to any section of the Nigerian constitution? Nobody has been able to give an answer to that.

“Nobody has come forward to say that the young man is a criminal or that he is corrupt or does not have capacity. It is not enough to sit back in Abuja and be talking. They should come to the state to under­stand the feelings of the people down home.

His Excellency, Achike Udenwa speaks

"I do not know whether Uche Nwosu has clearly emerged and I do not belong to the APC but even if he emerges, we will crush him. He cannot make it. Okorocha feels that he has all the money to push it through but it is not a question of money. The people are looking at him. If he has ruled well and he is saying my son in-law will do well and continue from where I stopped, the people can give it a consideration but in this case what can he tell the people. And unfortunately, that boy has not worked anywhere in the world before his appointment into Okorocha’s cabinet. So, what is he bringing on board? What experience is he bringing. What has Okorocha done in the past seven years plus. Go to Imo and sound the opinion of ordinary people. Is it the welfare of the people, infrastructure or what has he put down that can encourage the people to vote for his son in-law who has worked with him. In fact, it is a non-issue. So, even if he gets the ticket of the APC, that ticket cannot fly in Imo"

sorom4:
Even Rochas knows that Buhari will lose in 2019.
He is OBIdiently ATIKUlating already