The Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha has stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not have a governorship candidate in the state.
This is contrary to the decision by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to pick Senator Hope Uzodinma as the party’s guber candidate in Imo.
According to Okorocha, Uzodinma is riding on a stolen mandate, adding that the APC’s governorship candidate should be his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu.
He said: “The governor is in APC, and he had an agreement with AA, to support President Muhammadu Buhari for 2019.
“The governor will be in APC, he will support Buhari. APC in Imo state does not have a candidate as far as we are concerned.
“There was no primary that could choose Hope Uzodimma, as the candidate of the party. If there should be a candidate of APC, it should be Uche Nwosu. Hope Uzodimma, is riding on a stolen mandate.
“Okorocha can never support a man that emerged through a fraudulent process.
“Let me tell you, Hope Uzodimma, is the candidate of Adams Oshiomole, he is not the candidate of Imo APC.
“We in APC, we don’t see him as our candidate. Uzodimma is Oshiomole’s personal candidate.
“Governor Rochas Okorocha is contesting for Senatorial election and he does not have enough time to campaign for any kind of APC, guber candidate in the state.”
Uche Nwosu dumps APC
Following Uzodinma’s nomination as the APC governorship candidate, Okorocha’s son-in-law, Nwosu decamped to Action Alliance.
Nwosu had earlier filed a court order restraining INEC from accepting any other name from the APC for next year's election.
However, an Imo state high court, in November 2018, recognised Senator Hope Uzodinma as APC’s candidate and also nullified the governorship primaries held by governor Okorocha's faction.
ALSO READ:Senator Hope Uzodinma can’t win elections in Imo – Okorocha
Justice Kemakolam Ojiako, in his judgement, said that the October 1, 2018 primary election in which Uzodinma emerged as the winner, was credible and relevant.
Meanwhile, the APC national chairman, has said that the APC will win the governorship election in Imo in 2019.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the governorship elections will hold on March 2, 2019.