Rochas Okorocha, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), says Imo state governor, Hope Uzodinma, has choked the party to dead in the state.
Mssrs Okorocha and Uzodinma are members of the ruling party although they are not political allies at the moment.
Okorocha, a former governor of the state representing Imo West at the Nigerian Senate spoke through his media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo.
Mr Onwuemeodo while speaking to Punch Thursday said his principal and other leaders of the party in the South-East boycotted the recent APC South-East zonal stakeholders meeting held in the state due to the political jamboree the governor was indulging in.
“How many people did you see at the meeting? How many House of Reps members were there? Did you see Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and other leaders of the party there? he queried.
“It is almost one year since Hope Uzodinma became governor and he has not called any APC leadership meeting in Imo state. At the appropriate time, we will separate truth from falsehood. That meeting was a political jamboree.
“All those who brought APC to South-East were not there and you called it APC stakeholders meeting. We challenge them to bring the 2015 and 2019 booth results. Okorocha had produced Senators, Reps members and House of Assembly members for APC.
“Politics is a game of numbers and at the right time truth shall be unveiled. Hope Uzodinma inherited a sound APC in Imo state but sadly APC is no longer breathing in Imo state. The truth of the matter is that APC only exists in government house in Imo state,” Okorocha added.
Mr Uzodinma became governor without the backing of his successor after he successfully proved at the Supreme Court that the election which brought his rival and immediate-past governor of the state, Emeka Ihedioha, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to power had irregularities.
Mr Ihedioha was announced winner of the gubernatorial race by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) but that declaration was annulled by the apex court with the incumbent who came a distance fourth during the poll declared winner.
Okorocha’s preferred candidate for the position, Uche Nwosu, his son-in-law who ran on the platform of the Action Alliance (AA) came second in the election.
Uzodinma has since been priding himself as the leader of the party in the South-East. He confirmed this in a statement he made while welcoming Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, to the APC from the PDP last month.
