2019: Imo APC Splinter Group Declares War On Okorocha

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Wednesday, April 25th, 2018

From Ignatius Okpara

IMO, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A splinter group of the All progressive Congress APC in Imo state, South East Nigeria, operating under the banner of “Restoration Coalition” has declared war on Governor Rochas Okorocha over his plan to hand over power to his son in-Law, Uche Nwosu in 2019.

The group has therefore issued an ultimatum to Governor Okorocha, warning him to desist from continued harassment, blackmail and intimidation of its members, saying failure to do so, it would be left with no option, than to take to what it tagged as ‘accountability challenge.’

The organization stated this yesterday in a statement signed by its leaders, including a former State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dr. Theodore Ekechi and former Deputy Speaker of Imo House of Assembly Alan Onyemechi, after their meeting at Ehime, Mbano local government Area of the state.

“Since making the Imerienwe declaration, in which we unequivocally challenged and rejected Governor Okorocha’s clandestine and fraudulent strategy of imposing his son in-law on the people of Imo State, we are deeply concerned about the continued intimidation and harassment of our leaders and members, using all sorts of unconstitutional and illegal means.

“The phone lines of most of our members, who signed the declaration, have been inundated with unprecedented as well as life-threatening messages and calls.

“Moreover, business premises, landed property and even our family members, as we make this release, are suspected to be in one form of unwarranted espionage, illegal bugging, reckless intimidation and mindless harassment or the other.

According to them, “it must be noted that our only crime is our collective expression of our constitutional rights in standing against Okorocha’s pervasive imposition of Nwosu, as his successor in 2019, against our party guidelines and norms.

“Prior to this time, however, you are all witnesses that we have carefully confined our positions to the issues of the candidacy of Nwosu, coming from Orlu zone, considering his relationship with the outgoing Governor, which we have argued is akin to third term by proxy,” they said.

The group threatened; “if we are pushed to the wall, we are duty bound to explore all other possible means, within the ambit of the law, to draw attention, seek redress and defend, as guaranteed by the constitution, as citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It added: “Regrettably, however, this may create the situation where we, as major stakeholders of the APC, will have no choice, but to be seen to be exposing the government of our party.”