By Adesina Soyooye
The former Governor of Imo State and, now, the Senator representing Imo West in the Senate, Rochas Okorocha, has since left the All Progressives Congress, APC.
This was revealed by the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma. Speaking through his Media Adviser/Chief Press Secretary Oguwike Nwachuku, in a statement, the Governor said Okorocha would never want to be in the same party with him because he, Okorocha, abhors team work.
Proofs: The Governor pointed out that on a visit to a South-south Governor a couple of months ago, Okorocha had said he was part of a new political group being put together. He, also, pointed out that Okorocha has refused to revalidate his membership of the party, as directed by the National leadership of the party because he had since moved on without the knowledge of most of his aides.
Okorocha, the Governor said, lost interest in the APC, the minute he was unsuccessful in imposing his political son, Uche Nwosu, as the Governor of Imo State – succeeding him, Okorocha.
Uzodinma’s reaction came on the heels of the allegation by Okorocha, through his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, that Uzodinma was trying to blackmail him out of the APC. But in response, Uzodinma said by making this allegation, and touting blackmail, the former Governor only reconfirmed that he had since left the APC.
Following is the full text of the Governor’s statement.
“Going by a statement by his media aide on Tuesday, former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has simply reconfirmed his intention to call it quits with the All Progressive Congress (APC).
“Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha’s aide had insinuated in his statement that Governor Hope Uzodimma was blackmailing Okorocha out of the APC.
“He also alleged that Governor Uzodimma only became a member of the APC when he emerged governor.
“Truth is that Okorocha had long left the APC without some of his aides like Onwuemeodo knowing.
“Few months ago when Okorocha was invited by one of the Governors in the South South to commission a project, the Senator representing Orlu zone on the platform of the APC told his audience he was part of a camp of political likeminds midwifing a party.
“Former Governor Okorocha loathes team work and still carries on with the mentality of Lord of the Manor not ready to humble himself in the face of changing times.
:For a man with history of junketing from one political party to another, discerning minds know that Okorocha’s days in APC were numbered the moment he was not able to foist his political son, Uche Nwosu, on the hapless Imo people in a bid to sustain his political hegemonic hallucination.
“If there is any politician in Imo APC who does not want Governor Uzodimma to be in the same party with him that politician is Okorocha, and he has not hidden such disdain for the sitting governor.
“Governor Uzodimma is a slave to team work, due process, respect for rule of law and a respected party man any time any day. These qualities are completely lacking in Okorocha and he can do anything to subvert the system.
“For example, how can one who claims to be a founding member of the APC refuse to revalidate his membership the way all others across the country had done? How can he disregard the decision of the National Secretariat of the party he claims to be a founding member as regards headship of the Imo APC?
“Are the above the mind set of one who still wants to be part of the efforts to build a strong and virile APC, whether in Imo or the country at large?
“If anything, Okorocha has succeeded in blackmailing himself out of the APC only to look for where to point fingers.
“Governor Uzodimma has always said he does not have any problems with Okorocha and he means every bit of that.
“He has said repeatedly it is his desire to work with the Senator in the interest of Imo people, but the problem is that Okorocha is not wired to work in the interest of Imo people and anything that would make him do so would be sternly resisted by him and that is where the problem lies.
“Whether Okorocha leaves APC for the PDP as his aide insinuates or another political camp for that matter, the truth is that he will still find fault in the arrangement when he is not having his way.”
The two political parties are of the same party, the APC, but their relationship soured when Uzodinma denied Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, the opportunity of picking the Governorship ticket of the APC. Nwosu was forced to contest under a stand-by political party, the Alliance Agenda, allegedly founded and funded by Okorocha.
Nwosu lost the election to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, The Rt.Honourable Emeka Ihedioha. Seven months into office, the Supreme Court removed Ihedioha from office, and declared Uzodinma the rightful elected Governor.
Before he was removed from office, following several complaints, Ihedioha had set up a couple of Judicial Commissions and Panels to look into alleged looting of the State, illegal acquisition of properties and lands, as well as Contract scams.
Being of the same party, Okorocha put a lot of pressure on Uzodinma to disband the Commissions and Panels. The refusal of Uzodinma to do so, and his determination to recover, for the State and the people, everything that was, illegally, taken away from them, did not go down well with Okorocha. it badly worsened their relationship.
Since then, nothing has been the same between them, especially, as Okorocha does not recognise the Leadership of the party in the State. He is insisting on the Leadership he installed just before he left office. That wish is not likely to see the light of the day.
