By Daniel Kanu
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has dismissed rumours that he wants to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the fallout of the party’s governorship primaries in the state.
This is even as he claimed that the party had lost almost five million voters because of anger and protests since Adams Oshiomhole became the national chairman of the party.
This, the governor said was sad, because “his coming ought to have brought joy into the party, not sadness.’’
Okorocha, therefore, urged Oshiomhole to act quickly to fix the integrity of the APC.
Okorocha spoke with State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said he was at the Presidential Villa to clear the air that Presidency was behind what the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, was doing in some of the states.
Okorocha said that Oshiomhole’s actions had affected APC negatively, adding that there was no instruction from the President directing the National Chairman to do anything illegal or create any sort of injustice.
“How can I build a house and leave it for someone else? I am in APC; I founded APC; I gave the name APC and so this is our party and we’ll continue with the party and build the party for victory.
“Oshiomhole is on his own in this whole thing; there is no presidency support for him to refuse those who won elections and embrace wrong candidates who did not win election.
“So, this is the matter and I will simply say it is not on the consent of the presidency; he is on his own.
“Oshiomhole must also learn to respect the rule of law and obey court orders where they apply. Treating court orders like tissue papers must stop; it does not reflect the image of our party.
“He must act quickly to fix the integrity of this party because his coming ought to have brought joy into the party, not sadness.’’ he said.
The governor said that APC would not disintegrate for as long Buhari is still the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and leader of the party.
Okorocha said that the party was still intact, though many people were hurt.
He said that since Oshiomhole came on board, coupled with the controversies surrounding the party primaries, APC has lost almost five million voters because of anger and protests.
The governor said it was time Oshiomhole was called to order; to respect the rule of law; do the right thing and respect court orders.
“He cannot stand on Hope Uzodinma because the gentleman did not win election; you cannot compare somebody who won 265,000 votes to somebody who won 7,000 votes.
“He did not; he never won the election and Oshiomhole cannot impose candidates unacceptable to people on the people.
“He should do the right thing before he creates more disaffection for our party. I do not think the National Working Committee will not submit the name of Uche Nwosu.
“In the first place, NWC sent a 13-man delegation who conducted election and 12 of them signed, proving that Uche Nwosu won the election with 265,000 votes, as against Hope who had less than 7,000 votes.
“He cannot do that and there is a letter to that effect from NWC saying Uche Nwosu won; there is a certificate of return given to Uche Nwosu; there is a police report saying Uche Nwosu; there is INEC report saying Uche Nwosu.
“Nobody can do that; and if they do that, that must be worst imposition in history,’’ he said
Speaking on the comment of the National Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu, that Oshiomhole was on the right track, Okorocha said that Tinubu must have been `ill-informed’.
According to the governor, if Tinubu is properly informed, he will not say that Oshiomhole is doing is right thing.
Excerpt:
Q: What brought you to see the president and what did you discuss?
Okorocha: Gentlemen of the press, I am here to clear the air that the presidency is behind what Oshiomhole is doing in some of the states and which has affected our party negatively. And from my understanding from Mr President, there is no such directive for Oshiomhole to do anything illegal or create any sort of injustice. So, Oshiomole is on his own in this whole thing. There is no presidency’s support for him to refuse candidates who won elections and give wrong candidates who didn’t win election. This is the matter and I will simply say that he is not with the consent of the presidency, he is on his own.
I also requested that Oshiomole must learn to respect the rule of law and obey court orders where they apply. This issue of treating court orders as tissue papers must stop, it doesn’t reflect well, the image of our party, he must act quickly to fix the integrity of this party because his coming in ought to have brought joy into the party and not sadness.
Q: Is the APC disintegrating?
Okorocha: Well, APC will not disintegrate for as long as the person, Muhammadu Buhari, is still the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and remains the leader of this party. So we cannot give that credit to the chairman. He cannot disintegrate this party, the party is still intact, just that many people are hurt. Since his inception and after this primaries, we are losing almost five million voters because of anger, protest everywhere and he needs to be called to order, he has to respect the rule of law, respect court orders and do the right thing – obey court orders where applicable and not turn himself into INEC.
Q: Tomorrow is the last day for the submission of candidates, what is the true position regarding Imo State. Is it that Oshiomhole is siding with Hope Uzodinma?
Okorocha: He cannot be standing on Hope Uzodinma because that man did not win election, you cannot compare somebody who won 265,000 votes with somebody who won 7,000 votes. He (Hope Uzodinma) never won the election and you cannot impose a candidate who is unacceptable to the people, that is how serious the matter is now. So he (Oshiomole) should do the right thing and I have advised him severally to do the right thing before he creates more disaffection in our party.
Q: It was reported today that the National Working Committee of the APC has submitted the name of Hope Uzodinma to INEC, what is the implication sir?
Okorocha: He can’t! I don’t think the National Working Committee will do that because in the first place, the National Working Committee sent a 13-man delegation who conducted election and 12 of them signed proving that Uche Nwosu won the election with 265,000 votes as against Hope Uzodinma who got less than 7,000 votes. So they can’t do that. And there is a letter to that effect from the National Working Committee saying Uche Nwosu won. There is a Certificate of Return given to Uche Nwosu. There is a police report saying Uche Nwosu won. There is INEC report saying Uche Nwosu won. So nobody can do that and if they do that, that must be the worst imposition in the history of Nigeria.
Q: Yesterday, the National Leader of your party, Tinubu came here and said Oshiomole is a good man, he is working well and those who are angry should just join hands with him to build the party, are you saying that Tinubu himself is supporting the wrong candidate?
Okorocha: No, may be he is being misinformed, if he is properly informed he will not say what Oshiomole is doing is the right thing.
Q: There is a rumor making the rounds that you are planning to join SDP?
Okorocha: SDP? How can I build a house and leave it for someone else? I am in APC, I founded the APC, I gave the name APC and so this is our party and we must continue with the party and build the party for victory.