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Tag: Okorocha

  • Imo: Face governance, stop blackmailing me, Okorocha tells Ihedioha

    Imo: Face governance, stop blackmailing me, Okorocha tells Ihedioha

    Rochas Okorocha, the immediate past governor of Imo State, has cautioned his successor, Emeka Ihedioha, to stop blackmailing him.

    He rather advised the new governor to face governance and improve the lot of the state.

    In a statement issued in Owerri, the state capital on yesterday by Okorocha’s media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo, said that the governor had been investing in blackmails against him.

    Okorocha said that the only way Ihedioha would “dwarf” him was by achieving more than he (Okorocha) achieved as a governor of the state.

    Challenging Okorocha Ihedioha for a road show in the state capital, Okorocha said that the governor had made up his mind to blackmail him even before he was sworn in on May 29.

    The statement read in part, “We do not think that the new governor came to power only to vilify Okorocha. Since May 29, 2019, when he was inaugurated, he has never said any other thing aside talking down on the former governor.”

    “First, he went to demolish the Akachi tower, Imo people shouted foul. He said Okorocha had been arrested by EFCC, which was also false. He renamed the Imo Trade & Investment Centre Ahiajioku Centre, and he must have discovered that he has no audience.”

    “He has also said that the brand new Government House Okorocha handed over to him was an eyesore with a photograph of a bad toilet they must have taken from the PDP Office in Owerri. He has equally denied that the former governor left N42.5billion for him, yet, the banks mentioned to that effect have never denied being in custody of the mentioned sums.”

    “Today, it is the issue of handover. There was a Joint Inauguration Committee with his Secretary to the State Government now, Chief Chris Okewulonu as Co-chairman. ”

    “They were handed over both assets and liabilities and taken round the key projects. They were satisfied. And the Principal Secretary to the former governor has also been there. He received the governor in Government House, took him round and also handed over to him any other thing left to be handed over.”

    “Even before May 29, 2019, when he was sworn in as governor, he had made up his mind to invest heavily on blackmail against his predecessor. For instance, with the inauguration time-table, he was to meet with the governor then, Owelle Okorocha on May 2, 2019, but he called to say that he was travelling. He skipped that important meeting.”

    “Again, May 5, 2019, was slated for his tour of selected projects with the governor then but he also avoided that. May 6 to May 20, 2019, was scheduled for Ministerial handover and Account reconciliation but he was never seen. He avoided close contact with the man he was coming to replace. Even the Joint Inauguration Church Service fixed for May 25, 2019, at Heroes Square.”

    ” He altered the whole programme to avoid being on the same page with Owelle Okorocha for a smooth handover. And we have today, seen the reasons for all those pranks.”

    “Governor Ihedioha should tell his audience what he wants from the former governor. Let him mention those things so that we can take off from there… Let him mention it so that his motive can be clearer.”

    “In any case, he should find out why it appears that Imo people are not excited about his governorship and also not in agreement with him in all his blackmail against his predecessor. And also why on the day of his inauguration Imo people never cared to know what was happening.”

    “Let him also know that by July, we are going to challenge him for a road walk with Owelle Okorocha on the major streets of Owerri. As we have continued to allude, he has come to unveil the Heroism of Owelle Okorocha.”

    “In case he does not know, the only thing he can do and dwarf Okorocha is to work and achieve more than him. Where he fails to do that, he has lost the contest. It is only his achievements more than what Okorocha did, that can help him in what he is trying to do. Aside from that, he should find other things to do or take the world as he sees it. Okorocha is the defending Champion of Imo governorship based on his achievements. There is nothing anybody can do about that.”

  • Imo Assembly mandates Ihedioha to probe Okorocha, reverses appointments

    Imo Assembly mandates Ihedioha to probe Okorocha, reverses appointments

    The Imo House of Assembly has passed a resolution mandating the State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, to set up a panel of inquiry to probe the activities of his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha while in office.

    The House during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Chinedu Offor, also sacked the 27 elected Chairmen in the Local Government Areas, as well as their Councillors.

    The sacked Chairmen were directed to hand over to the Directors of Administration in each Council Area with immediate effect.

    The House also cancelled all appointments made by the former governor into Noards, Agencies and inter-ministerial Departments in the twilight of his administration, adding that such appointments were hurriedly done to put landmines on the path of the new administration.

    In a motion sponsored by the member representing Aboh Mbaise state constituency, Mike Iheanetu, the lawmakers also asked for a review of all land allocations, land transactions as well as take inventory of all government assets, property and determine all governments assets looted and infrastructures vandalised by officials of the former administration.

    The House also resolved to suspend the establishment of all tertiary institutions, as well as review all ownership structure and allocation of funds for their construction.

    Among the resolutions passed by the House at the plenary were reviews of projects undertaken by the former administration, assess ongoing projects, incurred, debts, value and determine which of them to be terminated, reviewed or continue.

    The panel to be constituted, according to the house, will review all debts and financial obligations, determine whether they were duly incurred and whether recoveries could be made using relevant agencies.

    The Lawmakers also resolved to invite anti-graft agencies where criminal infractions are involved or determined.

    Also in the motion to suspend the Local Government Chairmen and their councillors, sponsored by member representing Ezinihitte state constituency, Mr. Bruno Ukoha, the lawmakers expressed regret the Chairmen neglected them by failing to appear when they were summoned by the House.

    The House resolved that the Chairmen and the councillors should be suspended indefinitely while investigations into the activities of the local government areas were carried out.

    The House said that the action of the house was necessitated by the fact that a lot of illegalities took place at the twilight of the immediate past administration all with a view to setting up a booby trap for the new administration.

    The Speaker urged the governor to adhere strictly to the resolution.

  • Just in: Three arrested over invasion of Okorocha’s residence

    Just in: Three arrested over invasion of Okorocha’s residence

    The Police in Imo State said they have arrested three domestic staff of the immediate past governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, over the invasion of his bedroom in the early hours of Saturday.

    While Okorocha was in his Spibat House in Owerri, his village House in Ogboko in the Ideato South Local Government Area of the state was invaded by yet to be identified hoodlums.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo, who told newsmen in an update on the incident, said the operatives of his Command had swung into action immediately after the incident.

    The CP said that the preliminary investigation carried out by the Command showed that “it was an internal sabotage.”

    The Police chief said three domestic staff of the governor, including one of the cooks, have been arrested by the Police.

    Ladodo said that the CCTV footage obtained by the Police showed that the act, which led to the invasion of Okorocha’s bedroom, was masterminded by those working in the house.

    The CP said, “We have arrested three domestic staff of the immediate past governor.

    “Preliminary investigation carried out by us showed that the invasion was carried out by those who are working there.

    “We have obtained the CCTV footage in the house and that has helped our investigation.

    “The footage showed that the invasion was purely an internal sabotage.

    “We have arrested three domestic staff. We also arrested the cook.

    “I want to assure Imo people that we are on top of the situation and we are doing everything possible to ensure that nothing is left undone in making sure that justice prevails.”

  • Gunmen ‘invade’ Okorocha’s home

    Gunmen ‘invade’ Okorocha’s home

    …Ex-Gov’s radio station marked for demolition

    Unknown gunmen, suspected to be hired assassins, Friday night, invade and raided the country home of the immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha in Ogboko, Ideato South Council Area of Imo State.

    The assailants according to a family source, arrived the governor’s residence at about 2 am and overpowered the security before gaining entrance into the main building.

    According to the source who pleaded anonymity, no valuable was removed but the former governor’s bedroom and other places were thoroughly ransacked, raising suspicion that the invaders maybe hired assassins.

    Meanwhile, another set of armed men suspected to be Government officials, stormed a radio station, the Reach FM, believed to be owned by the governor and ordered them to pull down the structure housing the station.

    According to one of the security men attached to the station, the armed men who refused to disclose their identity gave the management three days to pull down the structure or be ejected by force.

    This was coming two days after the Akachi tower, one of the monuments built by the former governor was demolished on the alleged orders of the State Government.

    However, when contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, a Superintendent of Police, said that he was yet to be officially briefed about the invasion of the governor’s home

  • Another judge withdraws from Okorocha’s certificate of return suit against INEC

    Another judge withdraws from Okorocha’s certificate of return suit against INEC

    The second judge has withdrawn from a suit filed by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, seeking an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue him a certificate of return as the senator-elect for Imo West.

    The development came barely a week after the first judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, of the Federal High Court in Abuja, withdrew from the case.

    Recall that after Justice Taiwo withdrew from the case on April 10, it was reassigned to Justice Okon Abang also of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

    Justice Abang was said to have on April 11 fixed April 18 for hearing in the suit.

    But on the date fixed for the hearing, Justice Abang announced his decision to withdraw from the suit.

    His decision was anchored on Okorocha’s letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati, asking for the transfer of the case to another judge.

    The governor, in the letter, was said to have sought the transfer of the case to another judge because opponents in the case were jubiliating that Justice Abang would dismiss the case.

    The judge, upon seeing the letter in the file, immediately informed parties of his withdrawal from the suit.

    Justice Taiwo had earlier withdrawn from the suit following allegations of bias levelled against him by two parties to the suit.

    INEC had refused to certificate of return to Okorocha on the basis that the Returning Officer for the February 23 election, Prof Francis Ibeawuchi, said he declared the outgoing governor winner of the senatorial election under duress.

    Okorocha had subsequently filed the suit, challenging INEC’s decision to withhold the certificate of return due to him as the winner of the election.

    But Justice Taiwo, who had been presiding over the matter, announced his decision to withdraw from the case and ordered that the case file be returned to Justice Abdul-Kafarati, for reassignment to another judge.

    The judge said he took the decision following allegations of bias levelled against him by Okorocha’s opponents in the February 23, 2019 election, Jones Onyeriri of the Peoples Democratic Party and Senator Osita Izunaso of the All Progressive Grand Alliance.

    Onyeriri sent a petition dated April 8, 2019, to the chief judge, demanding that the case file be retrieved from Justice Taiwo and re-assigned to another judge of the court.

    In an affidavit deposed to on his behalf by a lawyer, Chijioke Nzekwe, Onyeriri stated that Justice Taiwo on April 5, 2019, had made a bias comment in favour of the plaintiff, Okorocha, when the judge allegedly told INEC’s lawyer, Wendy Kuku, that the commission was responsible for the problems arising from the election.

    The affidavit added that the judge had pre-judged the notices of preliminary objection filed by the second and third defendants (INEC and Onyeriri) when he allegedly said he had read through the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and found nothing therein that robbed him of the jurisdiction to hear his suit.

    Izunaso also filed an application dated April 8, 2019 before the same judge, asking Justice Taiwo to disqualify himself from further handling the matter and return it to the Chief Judge for re-assignment to another judge.

  • Okorocha inaugurates committee for commencement of six new varsities

    Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo on Wednesday inaugurated an implementation committee to midwife the speedy commencement of six new universities in the state.


    Okorocha charged the committee, headed by Prof. Chima Iwuchukwu, to pursue the collection of the letters of recognition from the National Universities Commission for the universities as soon as possible.


    The universities include the University of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Abor Mbaise and Ngor Okpala; University of Technology, Onuimo; Universiry of Creative Technology, Nkwerre; University of Medical Sciences, Ogboko; Marine University, Oguta and College of Health Technology.


    The governor expressed the hope that the universities would restore the “glory of the state as the first in the educational industry in the country.”


    He said that the universities would be jointly owned by the state government, organisations and entities partnering with it under the Public Private Partnership agreement.

    He further said that the state government would provide the infrastructure, while the partners would provide funding for the running of the universities.

    He said that the Imo State University, Owerri would continue to be tuition free.


    The governor, however, said that the new universities would be run by partnering organisation which, according to him, will be allowed to charge tuition fees.

    He also said that four new polytechnics have been established in the state to support the universities in providing tertiary education in the state.

    The polytechnics are Mbonu Ojike Polytechnic, Arondizuogu, Ahiara Polytechnic, Ahiazu Mbaise, Ehime Polytechnic, Ehime Mbano and Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Orlu.


    Okorocha lauded the state House of Assembly for providing the legislative backing for the establishment of the institutions.
    He said that modalities had been put in place for the sustenance of the current tuition-free education in the state after his exit.

  • More troubles for Okorocha as judge hands of Certificate off Return suit against INEC

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday, withdrew from the suit filed by Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo in respect to his certificate of return.

    Okorocha had gone to court seeking for an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him with a Certificate of Return as the Senator- elect for Imo West Senatorial District.

    When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, Justice Taiwo announced his decision to recuse himself from adjudicating on the matter based on allegations of bias against him.

    He further announced that the case file would be returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Adamu Abdu- Kafarati for reassignment to another judge.

    The judge said that decision was sequel to allegations of bias made against him by candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Feb. 23 National Assembly elections, Jones Onyeriri and that of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Sen. Osita Izunaso.

    Onyeriri, in his petition, asked that the judge to disqualify himself from the suit because of utterances he made in court.

    According to him, the utterances clearly prejudged the substantive issues that will be resolved in this matter and clearly shows he has taken sides with Okorocha.

    An affidavit deposed to on his behalf by a lawyer, Mr Chijioke Nzekwe, stated that Justice Taiwo had on Friday told counsel to INEC, Wendy Kuku, that the commission was responsible for the problems in the election.

    Nzekwe averred that the judge went further to say that he had read through the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and found nothing therein that robs him of the jurisdiction to hear the suit.

    “This pronouncement shocked all the counsel who were present in court and even members of the public and pressmen who were in the gallery.

    “This is because the 2nd and 3rd defendants (INEC and Onyeriri) have Notices of Preliminary Objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear this matter,”he averred.

    On his part, Izunaso asked for an order transferring the suit to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment to any other judge of the court.

    The motion which was filed by his counsel, Mr Orji Nwafor- Orizu also sought for an order of the court, disqualifying itself from further hearing the suit.

    He premised his motion on the grounds that there was a likelihood of bias on the part of the court to continue to hear the suit as the presiding Judge had expressed an opinion favourable to Okorocha even without hearing the substantive suit.

    “The said utterances were made on April 5 and they clearly pre-judged the substantive issues that will be resolved in this matter.

    “It clearly shows that the presiding judge has taken sides with the plaintiff, ” he said.

  • Forget 2023 Presidency, Okorocha tells South East

    Forget 2023 Presidency, Okorocha tells South East

    Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has advised the South East to shelve its 2023 presidential dream, saying the race for the nation’s number one seat would directly be between the North and the South West.

    He said the rejection of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, by the South East had foreclosed the prospect of the zone to clinch the presidency in the next four years.

    The governor, who dropped the hint to newsmen while giving an update of political developments in the state, described the outcome of the last election in the zone (South East) as a huge minus to the Igbo nation.

    He lamented that the zone may no longer be represented at the APC’s national discussions.

    He, however, promised to rebuild and reposition the party in the state which did not produce a single member in the House of Assembly.

    The governor castigated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its abysmal performance in respect of the conduct of elections in the state, contending that what the electoral umpire did was a mockery and an embarrassment to the democratic world.

    He said: “The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state was merely recruited to do a hatchet job and the allegation of my election result being declared under duress was nothing but a fabricated fallacy which does not reflect the reality.

    “More than 70 agents of political parties, the police and the DSS were there, and they all reported that there was nothing like that, and I hope to get my certificate of return from INEC soonest else – who will they give it to?”

    He queried the wisdom behind the declaration of the PDP governorship candidate, Emeka Ihedioha, as winner in the state when, according to him, there was no clear winner in the election as stipulated in the nation’s constitution.

    The governor also called for a re-run between the candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), Uche Nwosu, and his PDP counterpart, insisting that there had not been any election in the eyes of the law.

    “If you look at what happened in Imo North Senatorial election and the Orlu, Orsu, Oru East federal constituency, you will understand that the REC here was put in place to accomplish a particular dirty mission.

    “In Orlu, where the election was declared inconclusive, one week later, the same INEC officer dramatically declared somebody the winner.

    “So, as it stands today, these are test cases in the nation’s democracy.

    “There are efforts to frustrate us and INEC is being used as an instrument to our nascent democracy,” he added.

    He prophesied that the jubilation and celebration of the PDP over its victory in the state would be short lived, boasting that the Action Alliance (AA) governorship candidate would obtain justice at last.

  • Okorocha’s son-in-law, Nwosu hints on reconciliation talks with APC

    Imo state governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the just concluded general elections, Uche Nwosu, Tuesday said that his former party, All Progressives Congress (APC) has realized its mistakes after its poor showing in the governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    However, Nwosu who came second in the governorship election, after the contentious declaration of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Emeka Ihedioha as governor-elect, stated that he has put aside the injustice visited against him by the leadership of the APC and is willing to form a coalition with the party to reclaim his mandate.

    According to him, “the national leadership of the APC made a mistake by not giving the party’s ticket to me, we warned them against giving the ticket to Hope Uzodinma but the leadership of the party ignored our warnings, but the outcome of the elections has justified us. We joined the AA two months to the election and I won the governorship election if not for the manipulations, we also got two Federal House Representatives seats and eight seats in the State Assembly but now that they have realized their mistakes we are ready to form alliance with APC to reclaim our mandate”.

    Nwosu, who addressed selected journalists in Owerri, disclosed that he has petitioned the Tribunal against the declaration of Ihedioha as governor-elect, adding that he is confident that the election will be upturned.

    He pointed out that the declaration of the PDP candidate as the governor-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was an aberration to the Constitution and will not stand.

    In his words, “I have petitioned the Tribunal and I am sure that the issues raised which bothers on Constitution cannot be swept away, I am certain that I will reclaim my mandate in no distant time”.

    Nwosu, who attributed his success in the election to Imo youths, stated that power has temporarily left the masses.

    He however urged the youths to remain calm and law abiding, stating that “what is happening is an interim setback, it will soon be over and power will once more return to the people.”

    Nwosu also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for presenting level playing ground for all political parties during the elections.

     

  • Oshiomhole’ll destroy APC before 2023 polls – Okorocha

    Oshiomhole’ll destroy APC before 2023 polls – Okorocha

    Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, has warned that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) risks serious setback in the 2023 general elections if its National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, continues with his present leadership style.

    Okorocha, who blamed Oshiomhole solely for APC’s loss of key states in the South-East to the opposition People Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2019 general elections, made the disclosure, yesterday, after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

    He warned that any attempt to further sideline the South-East in election and selection of principal officers of the incoming 9th National Assembly will worsen the party’s chances in future elections, especial-ly in the zone. According to him, Oshiomhole’s actions are capable of reducing the APC to a regional party, with serious setback ahead of the 2023 polls.

    He decried the way the APC national chairman imposes his will on the party, a situation, according to him, which has resulted to APC not having any elected political office holder in Imo State after the last recent general elections. But, Oshiomhole, in his reaction, said Okorocha’s claims show that he “is still suffering from his own Iberiberism after he lost woefully in his effort to force his son-in-law on Imo people.” The APC national chairman, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Simon Ebegbulem, added:

     

    “He (Okorocha) should be ashamed today that he connived with the PDP to rig the Imo guber election in favour of the PDP justbecause his son-in-law lost the governorship ticket of the APC. Okorocha’s greed has destroyed his political career and he may not resurrect from it. “Our candidate in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, is very popular and not a political lightweight like Okorocha, who could not even deliver himself in the senatorial election, not to talk of delivering his son-in-law’s governorship ambition. Okorocha used the resources of the state to work against the APC, yet he lost woefully.

    “Whether Okorocha likes it or not, the APC is in safe hands under Oshiomhole and he will continue to pursue policies that will unite and strengthen the party, and which will ensure that the collective decision of the party and not that of Okorocha is supreme.

    APC will continue to soar higher beyond 2023, it is only Okorocha’s political career that would be destroyed before 2023. Okorocha should hide his head in shame.” Speaking on the debate over the leadership of the 9th National Assembly and possibility of having a repeat of the 2015 scenario, Okorocha said: “I have been watching carefully what is happening in the National Assembly, it’s a very interesting drama. But, all I ask of them is that they should consider the South-East in their calculations.

    “This nation will not be properly balanced if the South-East is not carried along properly in the affairs of the National Assembly. Nobody seems to be talking about the South-East, it looks like the South-East doesn’t have a place anymore, that is wrong, politically speaking and that will not be good for APC. Because there is going to be a bigger APC after President Buhari must have left the seat. “My fear now is that APC might have a serious setback in 2023 as the Oshiomhole- led executive is actually turning APC into a regional minority party, which shouldn’t be because of his mistakes. Right now, in the whole of South-East, we don’t have an APC governor. So, if there is any discussion in Nigeria now within the APC governors and President Buhari, there would be nobody from the South-East.

    This is what the APC chairman has done in the zone. “I think it’s a capital attempt to frustrate the efforts of the South-East, but I appeal to every Nigerian to support the cause of the South-East. The cause is germane and it should be supported in whatever position that is due them. They shouldn’t think about giving South-East whatever position for giving sake. You can’t just wake up and give them any position.

    The South-East is a key zone in this country and if we don’t get the number one seat, we should get the number two seat.” Asked why his party was not making any case for him to be issued with a Certificate of Return after he was declared winner of the Imo West senatorial election, Okorocha said: “I won’t be surprised because you know the imposition we suffered in the party. When you say the party, you talk about the leadership of that party; it’s not the party.

    “I don’t have problem with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, I only have problem with the chairman of the party, who took it upon himself to do the wrong thing against me for just no cause and to fight a battle that he can never win. He is the one that is behind all these impositions. Can you imagine, as I speak to you, the APC candidate in Imo State did not win a seat; APC does not have a councillor in Imo State now. It does not even have a member of the House of Assembly. But, the AA candidate has eight seats in the Imo State House of Assembly, two House of Representatives seats and they have one senator about to come to the Senate.

    “This is why internal democracy must be respected. Let the will of the people prevail rather than this imposition. It is unfortunate what has happened in Imo State. At least, I have been vindicated for the fact that I said the APC candidate they are imposing on Imo people is not popular and he came from the opposition. For the first time, APC doesn’t have a seat in Imo State. When I was running the affairs of the party, we won 24 seats in the House of Assembly, we had governor, federal house members, but today, APC does not have any because of imposition,” he said. Okorocha maintained that withholding of his Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is unconstitutional as the returning officer, who claimed that he was forced to declare him (Okorocha) as winner of the election has not been able to name who held him hostage to make the declaration under duress.

    He described as gangsterism, INEC’s declaration of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emeka Ihedioha, as Imo State Governor-elect, saying such if not corrected, a time would come when a mad man could be conscripted and declared winner of an election in the country. Okorocha said Ihedioha didn’t win two-third of votes in the 27 local government areas in the state as required by law, adding that the votes cancelled were more than the margin with which the PDP candidate won. His words:

    “The governorship candidate of PDP never won that election because the election flouted section 179 of the constitution, which says that you must have the highest votes and you must have 25 per cent in two-thirds of the local governments. Now, this gentleman who was declared the winner by the same INEC, had 135,000 votes from 24 local governments, but had over 130,000 votes from his three local governments. “Of course you know, he didn’t win that election. But, even at that, we had the highest mark. The returning officer of INEC was never patient to even calculate to know that there was 200,000 cancelled votes and there was supposed to be a rerun, thereby flouting that basic provision of the constitution, which says you must have 25 per cent in two-third.

    “So, as far as I am concerned, there will be a rerun in Imo State and the professor that did that should either be de-robed or should be charged for that serious offence of not respecting the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. What this means is that someday, one crazy person might just walk on the street and take one mad man, give him result sheet and declare him winner even if the man does not belong to a party.” The governor said notwithstanding his problem with the ruling party, he maintains a cordial relationship with President Buhari and was in the Presidential Villa to invite him to commission several federal and state funded projects in Imo State before the end of May. According to him, “As a matter of fact, Buhari is a great man, he is a man of wisdom, a visionary leader. That is why you see some of us going along with him.”