BY OGBONNA ONYEKACHUKWU, OWERRI – The Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has again boasted that despite open antagonism against him, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are no match for him in Imo politics.
He said his unrivalled achievements in office as governor for almost eight years as well as obvious bonding with the Imo people put him shoulders and above all those struggling for the soul of Imo state in the forthcoming general elections.
Shedding light on the current frosty relationship with Comrade Oshiomhole and Amaechi, the governor said both APC leaders are unhappy with his continuous rising political profile and their inability to control the state from the backdoor.
Governor Okorocha, who spoke with journalists at the Government House, Owerri, alleged that after failing in their clandestine moves to remote-control political happenings in the State, Oshiomhole and Amaechi took the easy way out by declaring support for Hope Uzodimma as the APC governorship candidate.
According to him, backing Uzodimma is only a face-saving move, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement during the presidential rally in Imo has not only put to rest who is clearly in charge of Imo politics, but also justified the current ‘collaboration’ between the Action Alliance (AA) and APC in the state.
Owelle Okorocha also described the governorship candidates of PDP and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state as political impostors, who did not emerged through due process during their parties’ primaries.
He claimed that the PDP ticket was won by Senator Samuel Anyanwu but fraudulently handed over to Chief Emeka Ihedioha by Abuja, while that of APGA was given to Senator Ifeanyi Araraume by Anambra APGA.
Dispelling speculations about his loss of political relevance in the state, Governor Okorocha said; “AA and APC are in a perfect alliance to vote for AA for the governorship and APC for Presidency. That point was buttressed by President Buhari because he knows the level of injustice which took place during the primaries.
“But the issue now is that the other four guber candidates plan to write the results, but it will not work. Just like the one in APGA, he went to Abuja and Anambra and was eventually given the party’s governorship ticket. Also the one in PDP, Abuja people gave the governorship ticket to Emeka Ihedioha.”
He said it is a known fact that Senator Anyanwu was duly elected as the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Imo State but in the party’s age-long tradition of impunity, the ticket was deceitfully given to Ihedioha.
“We are tired of this Abuja people deciding who gets the governorship ticket in the various political parties, especially in Imo State.
“Let me tell you, it is only Uche Nwosu that has the support of Imo people. That is why when the Abuja people rigged the primaries and fraudulently gave it to Hope Uzodimma, the people of Imo State moved to Action Alliance.”
On the permutation about Igbo presidency in 2023 and the way forward, Governor Okorocha said the future looks bleak for Ndigbo politically for always taking wrong and uninformed decisions.
“Let me use this opportunity to tell you that the war has taken a different dimension. The Igbo people are about to lose the war the second time. They are short-sighted. You see what happened during the war and the story of Ifeajuna. “If Hope wins the governorship, Imo will be ruled by Lagos and Abuja. That is why my brothers are being used as Ifeajuna to destroy me. The truth is that they want to have control in this state.
Lamenting that the Igbos do not seem to know what is happening currently, Owelle Okorocha said; “I applauded Asiwaju and other Yorubas. What is the interest of Amaechi and Oshiomole in Imo State? It is just that they are afraid and thought that if Nwosu becomes the governor, Rochas Okorocha, is going to be very strong. None of these people asking for your votes can show me what they did during the time they were in power.”
He said going to the Senate is to represent not only Imo west senatorial zone but the entire State, adding; “I have absolute confidence in INEC but what these people want to do is to write result. They want a situation where there will be chaos and people will scatter and then they will run away with the results. We are waiting for them.”
