I Founded APC, I Am Not Leaving It—Okorocha

Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha has discredited the rumours in the media that he was planning to dump the All Progressive Congress, after his candidate was disfavoured in the just concluded governorship primary election in the state.

The governor made this known on Thursday while speaking to Aso Rock correspondents after his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He stated that he met with the president to know if the president was supportive of the role played by the National Chairman of the party Adams Oshiomhole in the governorship primaries.

Okorocha said that Oshiomhole’s actions had affected APC negatively, adding that there was no instruction from the president directing him to do anything illegal or create any sort of injustice.

“How can I build a house and leave it for someone else? I am in APC; I founded APC; I gave the name APC and so this is our party and we continue with the party and build the party for victory.

“Oshiomhole is on his own in this whole thing; there is no presidency support for him to refuse those who won elections and give wrong candidates who did not win election.

“So, this is the matter and I will simply say it is not on the consent of the presidency; he is on his own.

“I also requested that Oshiomhole must learn to respect the rule of law and obey court orders where they apply; this issue of court orders as tissue papers must stop; it does not reflect the image of our party.

“He must act quickly to fix the integrity of this party because his coming ought to have brought in joy into the party not sadness.’’ he said.

He added that the APC will not hit the rock as long Buhari was still the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and leader of the party.

The governor said it was high time national chairman was called to order; to respect the rule of law; do the right and respect court orders.

” He cannot stand on Hope Uzodinma because the gentleman did not win election; you cannot compare somebody who won 265,000 votes to somebody who won 7,000 votes.

“He did not; he never won the election and Oshiomhole cannot impose candidates unacceptable to people on the people.

“He should do the right thing before he creates more disaffection for our party; I do not think the National Working Committee (NWC) will not submit the name of Hope Uzodinma.

“In the first place, NWC sent a 13-man delegation who conducted election and 12 of them signed proving that Uche Nwosu won the election with 265,000 votes as against Hope who had less than 7,000 votes.

“He cannot do that and there is a letter to that effect from NWC saying Uche Nwosu won; there is a certificate of return given to Uche Nwosu; there is a police report saying Uche Nwosu; there is INEC report saying Uche Nwosu.

“Nobody can do that; and if they do that, that must be worst imposition in history,’’ he said.

Okorocha stated that Bola Ahmed Tinubu must have been ill-informed about the activities of the National Chairman to conclude that he (Oshiomhole) was steering the party in the right direction.

According to the governor, if Tinubu is properly informed, he will not say that Oshiomhole is doing is right thing.