Tobias Sylvester
The Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha has reacted to his suspension by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday.
Governor Okorocha was suspended alongside the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, over anti-party activities, though both governors recently clinched a senatorial seat under the party in the February 23 National Assembly elections.
Okorocha reacting to the suspension by the national working committee of the APC in a statement released via his spokesperson, Sam Onwuemodo, accused the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole of plotting to destroy the ruling party in the South East.
He noted that all states governed by the ruling party in the region are embroiled in crises due to the “fraudulent manner” he conducted the party’s primaries. The statement reads:
“In 2019, Oshiomhole felt that such a man should be treated with disdain. He handed over the governorship ticket of the party to Hope Uzodinma who has never resigned his membership of the PDP on the floor of the Senate like others did, giving all kinds of flimsy excuses.
“And if Oshiomhole had meant well for APC and Imo people in particular, would he have given the ticket of the party to a man facing five corruption charges and having travel ban slammed on him, to be the party’s candidate?
“In February 23, 2019, presidential and National Assembly election, Governor Okorocha won in ten, out of the twelve local governments in Orlu zone to emerge winner for Imo West senatorial district. He also delivered four House of Representatives candidates on the platforms of APC and AA respectively, with one Senate seat and two House of Representatives seats outstanding.
“And when the APC members across the nation are still celebrating the success of the party in the presidential and National Assembly elections, Oshiomhole in his wisdom or lack of it, felt that the best action in the circumstance is to suspend two governors who did well in the election, even when he played safe in 2015 and 2019 in Edo State without any known pressure.
“Again, Oshiomhole coming up with the purported expulsion this time was only acting out of the fear that God in his infinite mercy could give Governor Okorocha a role to play in the Senate, in the overall interest of the nation.
“Men like him hardly sleep with their two eyes closed. They always sleep with their eyes open because they have murdered sleep with their actions and inactions. And unfortunately for him, the purported expulsion can’t stand because the law has taken care of it even long before now.”
