I didn’t refuse to register as APC member – Okorocha

By Chris Njoku, Owerri

Former Imo Governor Senator Rochas Okorocha has described the claim by Governor Hope Uzodimma that he refused to register during the All Progressives Congress (APC) membership registration and revalidation exercise as false.

Uzodimma had told the APC’s appeal Committee on the party’s registration and revalidation exercise that Senator Okorocha refused to be registered as APC member in Imo during the exercise.

Okorocha, who spoke through his Media Adviser, Sam Onwuemeodo, said such claim could only be laughable to most Nigerians who still remember how APC came to Imo and South-East.

“I needed to revalidate his membership of APC and not to register as APC member. Governor Uzodimma has always delighted in propaganda that does not fly again,” he said.

According to him, the registration and revalidation exercise didn’t take place anywhere in Imo.

“It was done at the Nick Banquet Hall in Government House, Owerri. The Governor’s appointees were generating fictitious names at the Local Government level and taken them to the Government House, to be enrolled.

“We challenge the Governor to tell the public how the exercise was carried out in Imo. Whether it was by polling unit by polling unit, like Okorocha did when APC anchored. Or, Ward by Ward or by Local Government by Local Government. And let’s take off from there.

“If Okorocha had refused to be registered like our Governor had claimed, what happened to Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and his Destiny Political family, who produced Six House of Assembly members, that joined others to give Governor Uzodinma the Majority in the House?

“What happened to Ugwumba Uche Nwosu who owned the APC ticket with which he (Chief Uzodinma) is Governor today? And who produced nine House of Assembly members. What happened to the House of Representatives’ members of the APC Stock?

“What happened to top Imo politicians in APC and their supporters who could not go to the Government House to be part of the abracadabra, including Sir Jude Ejiogu, Lady Chidinma Uwajumogu, who was a senatorial aspirant and a mobilizer of note, High Chief Chidi Ibeh (MFR) and so on?”he queried.

He advised Governor Uzodimma to take the path of reconciliation and avoid undue political bickering.

“What Governor Uzodinma needs to do now is to take the paths of reconciliation, restitution, peace and tolerance. The governor cannot continue to exercise undue Political muscle or glory on needless propaganda.

“Humility is a virtue. Sincerity is also a virtue. While truth is sacred. At times, it is not all about us. But all about God and posterity,” he stated.

He also advised the Appeal Panel to take note of what the Governor had told them but should ignore that in the overall interest of the party.