There was mild drama in Imo State on Tuesday evening, as Rochas Okorocha, Governor of Imo State, berated the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for undermining his influence in the state.
Speaking during the APC presidential campaign rally in the state, Okorocha didn’t mince words in expressing his displeasure with the emergence of Hope Uzodinma as the APC governorship candidate in the state.
However, he praised President Muhammadu Buhari for his strides in the fight against corruption, infrastructural development, as well efforts at “making life better for the common man”.
Shortly, afterwards, he went into a tirade on how his position as a leader of the party in the state has been ridiculed, just as he urged the party’s national leadership to make changes on the matter.
His words: “My names are Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha and I was the founding father of APC in Imo State and I’m the only governor [with that position] in the whole South-East region. History must be made right. As it stands today, those that challenged us, those that came with Army, Police and SSS, and now sitting boldly as the owners of the party. Let me say to you, that is iberiberism chapter 1 verse 1.
“I tell you that what happened in the last dispensation was a robbery of the people’s mandate. As it is today, Mr. President, just be rest assured that your victory has been signed, sealed and delivered. But I do not advise that the baggage of other people shall be bestowed on you. I say this because here in Imo State, we are in charge and anyone that is here saying anything to the contrary is either hired or not from this state.
“No sane person in Imo State will hear my voice and not stand still for it. And as it is now, a lot of corrections must be made and I want our national leaders to show very good example, because what he’s trying to do here, was just respect to you, Mr. President. Some of the people that came up to speak are not the right people to speak. We have the chairman of the party here, and that is the chairman of the party. Anything other than that is iberiberism chapter one verse one.”