Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has denied allegations that he blocked President Bola Tinubu from facilitating the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The governor accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of resorting to blackmail as part of their desperate tactics before Saturday’s election.
In an official statement released by his Special Adviser on Public Communications, Collins Ughalaa, Governor Uzodinma slammed the PDP for spreading false accusations.
He asserted that the story claiming he prevented Tinubu from facilitating Kanu’s release was entirely fabricated.
The governor accused the opposition party of sinking to new lows in their attempts to tarnish his image.
"We know that the disgruntled opposition party can do anything, including supporting or sponsoring terror in the state, but we thought the party still had some shame. However, the recent desperation to blackmail Governor Hope Uzodinma with the fake story that the governor is blocking the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu shows that the party is capable of doing any evil without scruples," the statement read.
The PDP had circulated a story claiming that during a meeting with Igbo businessmen in Abuja on Monday, November 06, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu accused Governor Uzodinma of obstructing his efforts to secure Kanu's release.
However, the presidency refuted such claims, clarifying that Tinubu never made any such statement.
"The story is false in its entirety. Not only did President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not make the statement they falsely credited to him, the governor never made any move to block Kanu’s release, neither did he reach out to the President not to release Kanu. There is no reason for such a move whatsoever," the statement stated.
Governor Uzodinma urged the people of Imo State to see through the opposition's deceitful tactics and remain focused on the progress of the state.